Google Gives Local Businesses the Search Spotlight Tips for small businesses to maximize Google’s new Business Center Profile

Burlington, ON – April 9, 2009 – Until recently, when looking for a pizza place for lunch, a dentist close by or even a gym to go to, typing in ‘pizza’, ‘dentist’ or ‘gym’ would inconveniently develop global results. Now here’s the good news, Google has just made changes to their search application that provides local businesses the opportunity to increase their ranking in results. According to Scott Wilson, a search engine optimization expert and CEO of RankHigher.ca , there are a number of ways small businesses can easily maximize the new Google changes in order to top the results.

“Up until last month, people became frustrated when typing in ‘pizza’ or any other search term, when it wouldn’t get them the local results they were looking for,” says Wilson. “They were either being forced to refine their search by typing in an exact city or abandon Google altogether to search the Yellow Pages.”

As of April 1st 2009, Google search is able to recognize the user’s location through their computer’s IP number and automatically generate local results without having to input a city or location. There is currently more internet traffic than ever before being directed to local business results; providing small businesses a huge opportunity to generate new leads and increase their market share.

Wilson suggests the following tips to help businesses top their local search results:

1. Add or claim your business listing. Visit www.google.com/local/add to enter the Google Local Business Center website to add your business. Businesses may find that they already exist in the database and must claim the listing by following the steps on the page.


2. Keep consistent. Make sure the company address and phone number for your Google business profile is written in the exact same format as your company’s ‘contact us’ webpage. This helps Google recognize that this is the same company.


3. Maximize your listing. Use all of the Google options available to you including adding videos from YouTube, photos and even coupons. This will help to supercharge your listing and get it to the top.


4. Bonus. Be sure to think of keywords that customers would use to search for your business. You are allowed to enter five categories, so it’s important to think about all of the products and services you offer. For example, a pizza place that also sells chicken wings should enter ‘pizza’ and ‘chicken wings’ as two of their categories; ensuring results in both searches.

“Maximizing the Google local business listing is an easy and free way for small businesses to stand out in a search,” says Wilson. “It presents an opportunity to gain new customers and grow your business,” he added.

Scott Wilson’s company, RankHigher.ca helps international companies like Apple, Gerber, Pepsi, 3M, Bell Canada and Home Depot to boost their sales and success with his scientifically proven search engine optimization techniques.