Google seems to be increasingly dedicated local search on its main search engine results page (SERP). This is evident with local businesses featuring above the natural listings on the SERP. Search engine optimisation experts have now started laying a lot of stress on local listings which appear to rank higher than the rest. As more marketers become aware of and begin to use local search in their campaigns, optimising for these engines is important. There have been major discussions on search marketing for organic search engine rankings but local search is often ignored.

Ever since Google increased the number of local listings on the main search page, SEO firms have had to rethink their strategies. After all, the information sourced from Google Maps is more compelling than listed results. Local businesses feature in a large area specially reserved on the top of the SERP. Thus, even if all the SEO tricks in the book are employed, a website may still feature lower than competition that has a local search place mark on Google Maps. To add a little more misery to online marketers' lives, Google has steadily increased the number of results included in this local listings area.

In addition to a higher ranking, businesses that feature on the web mapping service have information like reviews and user comments. A restaurant or bar, for example, could provide details such as its menus, timings and other facts. This makes it very difficult for traditional SEO to compete with local search results, since visitors have a whole host of local listings with supplemental information easily available. Reviews and user comments provide a third party validation to the claims of the business that has markedly positive effect especially important for small businesses.

So how can SEO leverage local search to their advantage. There are a number of ways to optimise for the local listings.

• Make sure contact information is present in the <address> </address> tag


• Submit your site to local search engines like Google Local Business Centre, Yahoo! Local Merchant and Ask Business Search


• Submit your site to Internet Yellow Pages like SuperPages, InfoSpace and SwitchBoard.


• Use free press release services to promote your content


• Find local groupings for your service and get included. This clustering with established enterprises in your area can bolster reputation


• Use directory listings like DMOZ, Yahoo! Directory and BOTW

Local search has changed the SEO approach but only slightly. The same rules that govern organic SEO still hold true in the local search arena.