Step 7
Get Noticed Locally
Local search kicks in when a user searches for something and enters his city or neighborhood in the search query. Or he types “bicycle shop near me”. He will get a list of local businesses including their phone number, hours, and address.
Local directories
If you have a brick and mortar business location, you should setup a local listing in a local directory.
The first step is to create a listing. They include key information like:
- Your business name
- Your address
- Your telephone number
Many local directories require that your business have 4 walls. So purely virtual businesses don’t qualify.
Enter your address and business name the same in every directory. Your phone number should include your area code and country code.
Where to list?
- Yahoo
- Bing
Try searching for a business that’s similar to yours and see in what other directories and listings they appear.
All local listing sites have a similar registration and verification process. You need to include your name, address and phone number, plus additional business information like working hours and photos of your shop. They may ask you to select categories for your business. They may also ask you to prove you are the business owner. They may send you a letter with a verification code, or an email.
Click next when you are done…