The Relationship Between Google Organic and Local Search Listings

Whether you are new to SEO or a dedicated SEO consultant offering professional online marketing services to customers, it is important to analyze and act upon changes that Google search presents on a monthly, bi-annual and annual basis. Google with normally update their algorithm 1 or 2 times a year, with minor tweaks more frequently within the year.

A recent algorithm update Google has implemented is the importance of local search and the role it plays with Google organic listings. As a quick review, organic listings are ones that show up on a search result page unde
eath the section that has a map. The section that includes the maps and listings to the left of the map are known as Google local search listings. Over the past year or so, Google has merged organic listings with local listings. This means that when optimizing a website for 1st place position, you may very well achieve a top organic listing OR local listing, but you won't get both. Why? The answer is simple. Google figures that it would be redundant to list the top site twice, once in organic, and then on the local search area as well. This could cause some confusion with the user optimization, which they are focusing on.

How do you achieve a high ranking in Google local listings?

The idea when optimizing a website for high search results is to do everything possible so that the site lands high on either the organic or local listings. Google loves sites that have a very strong presence with local citations. Local citations are other websites that are business listing or review sites. The idea is to sign up for as many as these free listing sites as you can, which includes you filling out the profile information including location, contact information, links to your website, etc. Some of these sites include Merchantcircle, Yelp, HotFrog, among many, many others.

Google local listings will give you a good listing if the other citation sites are matching in location information. This means that you'll want to stick with one address to submit when filling out these sites. There are about over 100 listing sites available that will allow you to sign up for a free account, however not all of them will provide much benefit when it comes to exposure online.

Register for a Google local listing directly

Even before you go out and sign up for multiple local citation listings, you'll want to make sure to create a Google local listings/places ad for free. This listing lets you put in all of your contact information, address and website as well as categories for your industry. Be sure to enter in as much information you can so that your profile listing reaches 100% complete. Without signing up for this listing, your site won't be included in the Google local listing section on an search query.

So whether you're in the midst of getting your website up and going and are diving head first into the land of SEO, or if you're an aspiring SEO consultant looking to optimize for business sites, it's important to keep track of these ongoing updates that Google make on a yearly basis. If you stay focused and optimize ethically and efficiently, your efforts will be met with great results, both organically and in the local portion on Google.