Legal Marketing & PR

Google Local Optimization Tips & Tricks for Law Firms

By Peter

Google Local search results are on about every legal search now that includes a geographic phrase in the query.  It is almost always the top area which means it is what people will read first and concentrate on those listings.

Law firms now need to pay attention to this area, if they have not already.  The good news is that getting a listing is relatively easy. Getting a top rank can be done with minimal effort.

Let’s read more though to understand the algorithm.

Business Quality Guidelines From Google

http://maps.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=107528

• Represent your business exactly as it appears in the offline world. The name on Google Maps should match the business name, as should the address, phone number and website.
• Do not create listings at locations where the business does not physically exist.
• Use the description and custom attribute fields to include additional information about your listing. This type of content should never appear in your business’s title, address or category fields.

Other Top Articles on Google Local Optimization

http://www.davidmihm.com/local-search-ranking-factors.shtml

• One of the best articles to read.
• Top 41 Factors
• Top 8 Negative Factors
• Most important data providers
• Most important data review engines
• Must read

http://www.davidmihm.com/blog/general-marketing/local-seo-citation-is-new-link/

• There is a difference between a citation and a link.  Citation can just be address.
• You do not necessarily need links, but citations to your office address.
• “Plenty of sites that are only listing address and phone number, or otherwise unspiderable links, are showing up as citations.”
• For the most part, the businesses with lots of citations rank higher than those with a lower volume.
• Two of the top 10 Local businesses have MORE citations than they have inbound links!
• Submit your site to the typical InfoUSA, SuperPages.com, and InsiderPages.com, but also submit to all types of niche sites.

http://www.seorabbit.com/optimizing-for-google-maps

• Priority to City Center is Key.
• Title tag is important.
• Categories are important – but don’t be spammy.
• Create multiple listings, if you are in different cities.
• Add in details, photos.

http://www.naturalsearchblog.com/archives/2007/01/11/extreme-local-search-optimization-tactics/

• Tip # 1: Change your business name to include a few of the top keywords that users type into search engines when seeking your type of business in your area.
• Tip # 2: Change your business name so that the first characters will be earliest in the alphabet for your locality.
• Tip # 3: Move your business so that you can have presence closer to your city?s center.
• Tip # 4: Get a separate directory listing for every city in your area for which you provide services.
• Tip # 5: Customize your address by having your street renamed to include beneficial keywords.
• Tip # 6: Lightly influence user ratings to your benefit.
• Tip # 7: Add the common nicknames for your locality into your site?s front page text.

http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/10-likely-elements-of-googles-local-search-algorithm/519/

• Use of Google?s Local Business Center (LBC)
• Availability/Trust of other business data
• A Business Web Site
• Listings in 2nd-tier Local Directories
• Listings in Vertical Directories
• References from other Web sites
• Reviews
• Proximity to location
• Location Prominence and User Query
• Use of other Google services

Any other articles?  Let us know and we will summarize and link up.

Full post as published by PaperStreet Web Design: SpeakOut on March 09, 2010 (boomark / email).