By Karl Kleinbach, Sr. Online Marketing Manager, ACOM Health

 

See Local Search on Google Includes Bonus Tip

Google, Yahoo, and Bing all offer a “local search” capability that you simply cannot afford to ignore. Why? Consider the following:

 

1. Chiropractors do business primarily on a local level: many potential customers will be searching for Chiropractic services online, and if you're not showing up in search results, you're leaving an open door to your competition.
2. Local search results appear above general search results: show up there and you have a strong visibility advantage over competitors who have not optimized their websites for local search.
3. Now the big one, Search Engines and local search have become the NUMBER ONE source of local business information.

 

Optimizing your site for local search is arguably the single best way to quickly and cost effectively improve your business. Ready to dive in and learn how it's done?

 

Three Keys to Dominating Local Search

Here are the three key areas you’ll need to work on, with tips and resources that will help you with each. If you follow these tips, your practice will be well on its way to better rankings in local search, and more business!

 

 

1) CREATE LOCAL BUSINESS LISTINGs (LBL)

 

Just getting listed on these 5 websites would likely put you far ahead of most organizations.

 

• Google Local (aka Maps): If you were to only use one of these suggestions, this would be the one. Getting listed with Google Maps requires a simple application process followed by a verification by mail or phone. Once you are verified, you will be listed within 4-6 weeks in the “Local Listings” area of the SERPs.
• Yahoo Local: Similar to Google Maps, minus the verification, Yahoo allows you to create a free business listing. Fortunately, Yahoo’s approves your listing within days rather than weeks.
• InfoUSA
• Acxiom
• Superpages.com
  
  

Tips for creating Local Business Listings

 

• You should submit your website using the same contact information list on your website. Remember to use both product/service AND geographic keywords in your business title.
• Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews of your business in your listing
• This may one may be a real time saver, list once with http://www.universalbusinesslisting.org/ for $30 a year and they’ll do most of the legwork getting your listing out on a number of key local listing providers. (I haven't used this service yet, but have seen positive comments from respected authorities.)
  
  

 

2) MODIFY ELEMENTS OF YOUR WEBSITE

• Keyword and location (city / state) in title tags of home page and contact page, add to other pages as appropriate (services is a good choice: “Boston JD Edwards consulting and implementation”)
• Address and local phone number in html (not in a graphic or flash) on every page of website
• Use location where appropriate in headlines and subheads (H1 - H6 html tagged text)
• Use location in text of links between pages on the site (where appropriate, never stuff keywords)
• Use location in URLs i.e. http://www.yoursite.com/your-city/your-service.html
• Address and phone number in html on website contact page, also list cities/areas you serve
• Embed a Google Map for your location in your contact page
  
  

 

3) INCREASE THE NUMBER OF INBOUND LINKS TO YOUR WEBSITE

• Some helpful ideas in this article to get other local sites to link to yours.
• Include local contact information in Press Release Submissions with link to your website
• Join the Better Business Bureau and follow listing guidelines above
• Get a link from your local chamber of commerce.
  
  

 

Make sure you have location and targeted keywords in the text of inbound links to your website, and try to vary the words used in links to a limited degree (to avoid appearing like a search engine spammer).

I hope you find these tips valuable, and wish you great success in the coming year.

Best of luck,

Karl Kleinbach
Sr. Online Marketing Manager
ACOM Health

 

 

 

Next Steps

• Learn About Rapid Chiropractic Software
• Maximize Collections with our Services Group