Am back from Chicago SES 2006 where I froze my drawl off. Catch up is a REAL bear! Here's an off-topic post, which falls under secondary search engine optimization for Yahoo! Stores (with phone listings in the Yellow Pages).
Ok. I know, I know. "Google, Google, Google." Yahoo has local search and local Web sites, too. I'm posting this particular post because I just got my Google Local postcard today with my PIN number so I could activate my Starkville, MS copy shop's Google Local page, and I'm posting these screen shots so Craig and Rachel and Joe and Karl and Sally and Dave and Jessica and Kelly can see that I really did get the postcard and that the SEO efforts are already working!
Hopefully, Craig should have more info about using Google Local / Google Maps in your secondary SEO efforts. I think Rachel has an article about local search optimization, too. Wonder if they read this? If they do, they'll get a link! It's almost like writing good ole Yahoo! Directory listings! Hope that's not keyword stuffing!
OLD NAME: Copy Cow
NEW NAME: Copy Cow Copy Shop, Color Copies, and Fax
How do you optimize your local search listings? (Rachel? Hello?)
First, you need a Google log-in, like an Adwords or a Gmail account. Then (if I remember correctly) you find your business by your phone number. Next, just like SITEMAPS you have to verify that you are the business owner. You can do this by phone or by snail mail.
PHONE -- Googlebot will that phone number and give you a PIN so you can prove you have access to that phone. Using the call option is pretty cool, but make sure you're there to answer or Googlebot will delete the "phone me option!"
SNAIL MAIL -- It took two tries, but I finally got the postcard today in my snail mail. I put the PIN in and instantly my new GOOGLE LOCAL listings came up on Google Maps. See:
BTW -- Think of how easy it would be to "hack" this ;) with a smart phone or a laptop and, uh... well, anyway... My local listings aren't showing in the main Google results, but I'll post some screenshots when they do show up eventually.
This is the Google Local Business Center which shows my businesses as well as whether or not they've been verified. Think of it as an analog version of Webmaster Central!
Old local results with the distinguished competition showing as the ONLY local result! Yikes! Hopefully this will change when the main SERPS pull from the updated local datacenter (or until the competitor reads this!)
Well, that's it. Now I'm off to try to stop these sniffles from turning into a full blown bout of influenza. -- Rob
the yahoo local link is more informative.
http://local.yahoo.com/details?id=15243068
Posted by: mark | Tuesday, December 12, 2006 at 06:50 PM