How Your Google Places Page Fits Into Search Results is a post from: #1 Melbourne SEO Services Company

Get your business found.

Ever typed your company name into Google and seen what comes back at you? Does it include your Google Places page details? Are the title and descriptions looking how they should? Is there any video or pictures in the results?

It’s a good exercise for any online business to do, because it will show you what others are seeing when they are searching for your keyword phrases or your company name.

A Well-Optimised Listing

We have already optimised our Google Places page so if you would like a benchmark of what an optimised listing should look like type “Melbourne SEO Services” into Google.

The first thing you will see is a title link (meta tag) to the home page that summarises our business and includes a main keyword phrase:

#1 Melbourne SEO Services Company

Underneath that you see the meta description, which adds some more detail about your core business and will include a couple of your most important keywords:

Want your website to be in position #1 on Google? Melbourne SEO Services will show you how with their transparent 4 stage search engine optimisation…

Next is Google reviews – you will see we currently have 10 of these and we average 5 stars. This gives us instant credibility with browsers who are looking for SEO services.

Following that you get our Google Places listing details – so you can see how prominent they are in the search results and how they integrate into the main information about your business displayed by Google; it puts a lot of stock into your Google Places page so it’s important to get the information correct and as detailed as possible.

You will see our address, phone number, then a selection of pages from our main site and pictures and videos too.

Owning The Space

We’re not going too far to say that Melbourne SEO Services completely OWNS the space on the results page for that search term.

Not only do we have text and links to location maps but we have images and video links. This helps us position our business and tells the viewer instantly what we do without them even having to read anything; it also helps to give us authority – and we all know by now what an important commodity that is for an online business.

Doing The Basics

It’s important for your business to be doing this too- taking time to optimise your titles, descriptions and Google Places listing is important work – in fact it’s basic, and just by following these basics you will be ahead of most of the chasing pack of businesses that don’t get the basics right.

Go through all details on your Google Places page, once you have claimed your listing and verified that you are the owner of the business.

Log in and fill in all contact details, write a description with a call to action (don’t overload it with keywords as this may be a red flag to Google), complete your business categories, service areas, opening hours, payment options and any additional details, plus try to embed some video links and add images.

Encourage ratings and reviews from your customers – don’t worry if there are any bad reviews – just make sure that you get enough good ones to make the bad one(s) insignificant.

You will be amazed how easy all of the above is and how it instantly improves how your listing looks in search results. We cover many more SEO and business start up strategies in our Competition Crusher workshop available for FREE by clicking here.

3 Reasons To Claim Your Google Places Listing is a post from: #1 Melbourne SEO Services Company

Get more visitors through Google Places.

Not claimed your Google Places listing yet? Tsk, tsk!

It really should be a priority for your online business to be doing the things that will get you noticed and this is one of those things. It’s becoming more important so stop putting it off and get it done!

If you’re not convinced yet then maybe we can persuade you with the following reasons.

1. Universal Search Has Taken Over

You have probably noticed how every week or month something changes with how Google presents its search results.

A major change was a few years back when they introduced their Universal Search system which, instead of just serving text results, started to include news, video, images and local listings.

Then maps were added – based upon businesses and their Google Places listings – and this represented a big shift that had the SEO community wondering what to do next.

Suddenly, with maps being listed, the top result on Google could take up all the space “above the fold” in the results (ie. before you scroll down); all the other organic results are then pushed downwards which, if that includes your site, is not good.

On the flip side, it means not only that you need to aim for number one but, if you achieve that, you can totally dominate the results with maps, video and images as well as the title and text.

2. Improves Your Local Search Visibility

Google has been tailoring its results to consider geographic locations more and more. This means that, if you are searching for a gym and you are based in Melbourne, they will deliver results first and foremost for gyms in Melbourne rather than any other city – as these are most relevant to you , obviously.

Google knows your location from your unique IP address (assigned to all computers on the Internet) and so is able to tailor the results even if you don’t add your city to the search term.

Local search is taken even further with Google Places. For example if you are in the Prahran area and you are searching for a pizza restaurant on your smartphone, then Google will assume that you want a pizza restaurant that is local to you and will list all those that are optimised with Google Places first.

Now – if you are a pizza restaurant in Prahran how important is it to you to be the number one Google local listing and to bring that customer in?

3. It’s So Easy!

For the minimal amount of work you have to put in to claim and optimise your Google Places listing, the benefits for your local search engine optimisation efforts are potentially huge.

All you need to do is check if you already have a listing – sometimes Google lists businesses automatically from their appearance in other directories.

If you don’t have one then claim it and verify that you are the owner by phone or mail. They will send you a PIN that activates the account and makes it visible to the world. Then it’s a question of completing all the contact details and other categories like service areas and opening times and optimising your listing by adding images and video too.

There are plenty more tips on boosting your online business when you’re first starting out in the Competition Crusher workshop. Just click here to learn more.

Your Google Places Ranking Guide is a post from: #1 Melbourne SEO Services Company

To get a Google Places ranking is really very easy and needn’t take much time; so it’s another tool in your SEO “kit bag” that can help make a difference.

Just in case you’re not familiar with Google Places, this is the system whereby your business is identified on maps that Google serves in search results – you know, the maps with the red pins labeling locations?

Most businesses are NOT using Google Places correctly and therefore it’s easy to gain an immediate advantage over your competition and this brief guide shows you how.

• Claim Your Listing

It’s easy to claim your listing for free here. Simply fill in your business details and wait till Google sends you a PIN number through the mail so you can verify that you are the owner of that business.

• Set Up All The Details Correctly

Go through and list all your details correctly and consistently, including address and service area (if applicable – online businesses may have no specific service area.)

You can add little features like coupons to encourage visitors to come to your business; for example 20% discount on particular items if they visit your business before the end of the month. Whether they affect your rankings is not clear though.

• Gather Reviews

To give your business more online legitimacy and relevancy, encourage reviews from customers; ask them to post in your Google Places reviews section.

• Gather Google Places Citations

Citations are to Google Places what back-links are to off-page SEO. They give you credibility and authority and position your business as the place to go in your market.

Citations are web listings of your business name, address and any other contact details exactly as they are listed on your website and on Google Places. That’s why consistency is so important – so that you get credit for every citation.

These may be listings in directories such as Yellow Pages or Trip Advisor and there are some smart ways to build them and get ahead of your competition, because few businesses are using them to their full potential.

There is a website called Whitespark that allows you to analyse what the leading websites in your field are doing and to reverse engineer it.

It will list the top 7 websites in your field for their Google Places ranking and you are able to view all their citation sources and identify which of the sources are most commonly used. This information tells you the places to start approaching for citations because there’s usually no reason why you can’t be listed there if other similar websites have been listed already.

• All Businesses?

As you go about optimising and building your Google Places listing it should help you with local search rankings.

It’s especially important for a business with a physical store to be listed here; even if your business is conducted entirely online you can use your listed business address as it gives you another way of appearing in search engine results – and, as we keep stressing, variety is the name of the game with your SEO strategy.

You can learn more about a varied SEO strategy by watching the Competition Crusher workshop by clicking here. It’s free to watch and contains great advice for any start-up online business.

Claiming your listing is the first step in Google Places ranking.

Being Overlooked on Google? Try Google Local Listing is a post from: #1 Melbourne SEO Services Company

One of the often-overlooked ways of getting ranked higher on Google involves getting a Google local listing in Google Places. Let’s say you do a search for “Melbourne Copiers”. At the time of this writing, the first half of the page is taken up by businesses that have a Google Places listing. So to keep your business at the top, here are some ‘rules’ to keep in mind.

First you have to either claim or create your listing. If you’re already listed there, that’s great – some of the work is already done for you. But if you’re not shown you can always add a new listing just for your business (http://www.google.com/addurl/?continue=/addurl).

Google local listings are best claimed by using an email that is the in the same domain as the business; you don’t want to have BobsCarpeting.com as the listing and use Bob@yahoo.com.au for the email address. Google, as always, likes to make sure that things are verified and this is an easy way to help them get that verification.

You’ll want to use your company name – don’t try to be tricky and add keywords or phrases. This was common when Google Places was new, but they caught on pretty quickly; it is now a frowned-upon process (to say the least). Just stick to the normal business name like you’d find on a business card or your company letterhead.

To begin with you should use your standard physical address; if, for some reason, you don’t want it listed you can always change or hide it later. An example of this would be if you were a locksmith – you travel to do your job, so your address isn’t really applicable in this case. But again, Google likes their verification and this can help.

When you’re submitting your listing, you’ll have plenty of categorical options to choose from. It’s best to use the ones that Google suggests or has already listed; you are, after all, playing ball on their field, so they do know a bit about categorization. Once you’ve exhausted their options then you can begin to add your own categories, which can include keywords or phrases (if they’re suitable).

When people find your listing, you want them to feel welcomed. You’ll have the option to add your hours of operation, photos of your business or staff, video and any additional information. Some good pictures or a short video introducing your business can go a long way toward the beginning of a good relationship with a potential customer. This is also a good place to add your keyword oriented content.

Finally, you’ll be asked to verify your listing either by phone or email. Via phone is quicker, and it’s a good idea to use a telephone that goes directly to you instead of through an operator or other options. This will ensure that you get the call and won’t be left hanging around waiting on a phone call that has already been placed but you missed somewhere along the line.

So these are the general rules of thumb for Google Places. Keep them in mind when you’re setting up your listing. And if you’d like more help with Google ranking, check out some of the services we offer here at Melbourne SEO Services.

Facebook, Twitter Or Website SEO Services – What’s Best For Your Business? is a post from: #1 Melbourne SEO Services Company

Recent news around the SEO industry is that Facebook traffic has exceed Google. Did you hear? As to be expected, more and more “internet gurus” have suddenly appeared selling training courses in how to get traffic with Facebook ads, and how to ride the “next big thing”.

At the same time, there are now over 75 million Twitter users, and other gurus will tell you that you need to get on board this “new” traffic stream to sell your products and services there.

So what’s best for your web business?

The answer to that question takes good solid analysis, and this is part of what Melbourne SEO Services does for our clients.  For some clients, a social media campaign could be useful, while for most businesses good, solid, free organic search engine traffic is obviously the way to go.

Facebook is not a search engine (yet).  Facebook is a medium for social interaction, and generally people are not visiting Facebook to search for an answer to their problems.  For “hair-on-fire” solutions, people still go straight to Google, and this is your opportunity.

We have #1 and #2 Google ranking for South Yarra Melbourne dentist, for example.  When you have a toothache, and desperately need a dentist nearby  – will you go to Facebook, or search on Google?

If you were an engineer looking for an ISO company to get your engineering company accredited and bid on more valuable work, would you look on Facebook or Twitter … or head straight for Google?  (Incidentally, our ISO client is #1 in Google local business listings.)

For website SEO services to work for your business, your potential customers need to be using search engines to look for answers to their problems. If you’re able to get in front of this traffic your next job is to convert and monetise the traffic, preferably in the most cost effective way to get the best return on investment. Get it right, and it’s not only profitable, but perfectly predictable.

So, is website SEO services right for every business?

We’d love to say “yes” to everyone, because we are a Search Engine Optimisation company, but only analysis will tell.  If it’s not right for you, we’ll let you know, and we won’t take your money.  If it is right for you, let’s get that ball rolling so you get more traffic, more inquries, and more sales.

It starts with a no-cost, no-obligation phone call.  Contact Melbourne SEO Services today.

Looking For Affordable SEO Services? & Is SEO Really Worth The Money? is a post from: #1 Melbourne SEO Services Company

If you’ve watched the video above (if you haven’t and you are a small business owner, what are you thinking? watch it now!) then we can suppose

1. You would like more traffic, more customers and more sales in your business (and let’s admit it – you want to be #1 in Google, right?)
2. You are thinking of using an affordable SEO services company to increase your rankings, traffic and sales from the search engines

How will you know whether using a search engine optimisation company is a good investment for your small business and whether it is worth the money? First, there’s a couple of things you need to know about your business:

• The amount of traffic you could reasonably expect from potential customers searching for your products or service
• The conversion rate from traffic to sales
• The value of those sales
• The lifetime value of the customers you attract and convert

For most small business owners, these aren’t easy numbers, and that’s exactly where Melbourne SEO Services can help.

We provide affordable SEO services to small businesses with outstanding results. Click here to check out some of our clients already #1 in Google for their chosen, profitable search terms.

The first thing we will work out for you is how much traffic you could expect to get in your market.  The second thing we will tell you is the monetary value of that traffic.  The third thing we will tell you is whether we believe we can make you more than it would cost to employ our services. In short, we only work with clients for whom we know we can make money.

Best of all, we don’t lock you into any contracts so it’s up to us to prove ourselves to you. It starts with a free, no-obligation, analysis of your business.  If we can’t make you a profit, we don’t want your money.

Pick up the phone now and call (03) 8060 5131.

#1 in Google - the best way to invest in your small business.

Google Places For Local Business SEO is a post from: #1 Melbourne SEO Services Company

Landing on top of Google’s search results pages is a constant challenge even for SEO experts because of modifications in the way the Internet’s top search engine views and ranks content. Nowadays, it’s no longer enough to get organic listings, but to rank in Google Places as well. Adding your listing to Google Places for local business SEO is not an option but a necessity if you want people to find your business on the Internet.

About Google Places

Originally known as ‘Google Local’ business listing, Google Places enables local search results to appear above organic lists when an Internet user looks for anything with a specific location such as “dentist in Toronto”. The results show alongside a map with a red dot indicating your business location. This allows your target audience to find your online address, and, perhaps even more importantly for a bricks and mortar establishment, your business address.

What you need to know…

Having a verified listing by adding or claiming one is your first step. Setting up your account takes only a few minutes but you need to provide as much information about your business as you can. Gather all the data you need beforehand to speed the listing process. Verification can be made by phone, SMS or standard mail, so providing accurate contact information including your businesses physical location is essential. Post Office box addresses won’t work with Google Places.

Like any other SEO technique, implementing your Google Places for local business SEO strategy involves a number of factors.

Detailed information: Google’s indexing system relies heavily on data you supply when you apply for a listing in Google Places. We recommend that you fill out all possible fields to improve your search rankings.

Data consistency: Google bots that crawl the web can gain information about your business from other websites and compare these with the data you supplied in Google Places. Having the same business information in other websites boosts search rankings. Maintain consistency elsewhere on the Web such as in domain name registrations, directory listings, and sign up forms.

Business reviews: Getting as much information, particularly reviews, about your business is important for Google. Client or customer reviews found in other websites can be detected by its web crawlers and may appear as snippets in your Google Places listing. This provides your viewers a glimpse of the feedback that your business has received. Data consistency in business reviews contributes as well to your search rankings.

Latest statistics estimate no less than 21 million small businesses with local operations worldwide, making it increasingly difficult for anyone without a Google Places local business SEO strategy to be found on the Internet. Understanding how Google Places listing works is integral to better search rankings, and form part of the suite of services provided by Melbourne SEO Services.

Because the best SEO strategies evolve over time, early action can really put you ahead of your competition – so it makes sense to enquire now about how we can help to boost your rankings.

Instantaneous Google Local Business Listing Results is a post from: #1 Melbourne SEO Services Company

A Google Local Listing in One Second Flat

It is increasingly becoming common knowledge in the world of SEO that web localization is one of the biggest trends online right now. Google Universal Search is one of the driving factors behind this recent trend. With videos, books, maps and more and more services showing up in the search results, marketers can now take advantage increasing avenues for content to be found and distributed. And what is arguably the biggest one of these avenues?

Location, Location, Location

Here’s 2 reasons why…

1. When the SERPs return a “Google Local Business Listings” box complete with a map, it instantly draws the browsers eye.  Put simply, it is prominent and striking.
2. Gaining visibility for local businesses in the listings can be extremely quick and easy.

Take this example from a client who verified their Google Local Listing about two minutes ago:

We submitted the optimized Google local listing complete with title, categories, images and more (please click the link for a best practice guide). The client verified the listing. We signed out of our Google account and checked the rankings for one of our major keywords. And Hey Presto! Our client features on the front page in position number one of the listings for “iso consultant“. We are not located a million miles away from our client which might account for the listing but even so the result is incredible.

Instantaneous results like that are music to online marketers ears. It really is a no-brainer.

This easy win is an absolute must for any small or medium sized business out there. And come to think of it, it begs the question ‘why would you still spend the money for a yellow pages ad’? After all, Google appears to be winning in the Google vs Yellow Pages battle illustrated in this video.

Web Localization Is The New Way Forward is a post from: #1 Melbourne SEO Services Company

Localized Search Engine Results for SEO Services in Melbourne. Notice who is #1?

Web localization is the talk of the town at the moment. Extremely exciting for me considering that a project of mine that I am working on at the moment is extremely localized, and is a niche that I absolutely love.

This project is exciting for me, for a few very good reasons. Finally I have picked a niche that I love and have been active in for my whole life (yes, by whole life, I mean I was being bottle fed in this area as a 2 month old baby!), so needless to say, this is something that I am passionate about, and not only that, it is localized! And that is what I am going to talk to you briefly about today.

About 90% of people who ask me what they can do to boost traffic, the problem with a lot of their processes is that they are marketing to a world wide crowd. Now, if you have the man power and the resources, there is nothing at all wrong with doing that, huge success can be gained by those who market to a world wide audience, however I want you to sit back for a minute and think of what is local to you. Think of the questions that you see that consistently come up in your local paper. Where do people like to travel to in your local area to get away from things? Is there a particular stand out feature about your local culture? Is your town in need of a gazelle like website with a forum attached for interaction between locals? Is there a service that you can provide to locals in need?

You see, going localized and focusing on niches that are winnable in Google in your particular country, this is something that is a great basis for any business. Let me give away a quick trade secret. With every single website that I create, I make sure to submit a sitemap to my Google Webmaster account, and make sure that everything is functioning correctly. Did you know that you can actually set your primary country for your results to be listed in Google using Webmaster tools? If you didn’t know that, then now you do.

For example, Bright is a small town in Victoria, Australia, and I really don’t want to market that new website to people overseas (just yet anyway!), so if I can be straight up with Google, let them know that the audience that I am targeting is Australian, that means that my results will be more relevant to Australians searching through the dot com dot au Google search page, and my page wont appear irrelevant to people searching for that keyword overseas. Lets not forget that if the page is SEOed properly, this will mean that in Australia, this new website will be relevant to those searching here in my home country, and it will give me a good head start on my competition (who I am sure the majority wouldn’t be aware of this little trick).

Localized Targeting In Google Webmaster Tools

So, what is the real benefit of localization. Lets take two web searches as an example. Lets say that I am doing a search for “country cabins” in Google. This search will then direct me to country cabins in the Hunter Valley, Montville, Belford, and so on and so forth. The problem is that I do not want to stay in any of these places. I want to stay in Halls Gap. So, lets do a localized search. “Country Cabins Halls Cap”, although a more long tail query, it is a selling phrase, and a localized phrase, meaning that the person who is searching knows what they want, and where they want it.

So, lets put this into principal when creating a website. As an example, you are wanting to create a website based on Country Cabins in Australia. By doing this, you are going to be entering into a niche which has a large amount of competition, an extremely large amount of information that would need to be created, plus literally tens of thousands of long tail phrases that you can focus on that you probably will not have the time and resources to win. Although winnable, it will be a long slog, and will more than likely mean that it will not be an easy win. However, if you chose to create a website based on accommodation in Halls Gap in Victoria, you could then provide extremely localized results under a domain that (if keyword rich) is relevant to the content contained within.

Localized Results for Country Cabins in Halls Gap

Localization is a way forward, there is no doubt about that. The internet is becoming congested with irrelevant results, and as much as Google is doing everything in its power to filter the junk, creating websites that attract a worldwide audience is an extremely hard task. Going local is good for a few reasons. You get to provide something to a local area that they will more than likely appreciate, and secondly, local websites are easier to win from a keyword perspective, and in most cases, you will attract buyers rather than browsers.