Many photography searches come back with business results above the regular search results and a map next to them. These are very relevant and trust me they get clicked. These are local search listings and the cool thing is that you can get your photography business to show up there if you know a couple of tips, the ones I am about to share here.
Example of a Google Local Listing
After Rochelle read my Photographers SEO Book, she understood the importance of multiple listings, Google local, and other local websites. She created a second website on a new domain, and submitted it to Google local. With under an hour of work she was ranked at the top of the page for the competitive term “rome wedding photographer” and she also has a page 2 rank for the same term in the regular results.
Rome Wedding Photographer in Google Local
High Position, Double Rank, Plus Free Link
As you can see, Google local listings can give you a very high result on the page in addition to your regular search results rank – that’s 2 places your site now appears so they are very important! Plus this local listing provides a visible link to your website (the main ingredient). As you know from my posts on linkbuilding for photographers every additional quality link you can get for your website will be very valuable to your search results.
Picking Your Address
The position of your business within the local listing (A, B, or C, etc) depends partly on your address. So of course if you want to show up for a Rome photography search, you should not be using a Florence address.
What if you work out of your home, or don’t have a storefront in the city you want to rank for? I can tell you that Google local will validate your listing in one of two ways. It validates that you are a legitimate business by sending a postcard to the address you submitted or it makes an automated phone call to the phone number you submitted and gives you a PIN number that you use to activate your listing. So Google does not really know if you are physically located in that city or not. To be honest, I have not received one call or piece of mail based on my local listing, but have received significant click through to my website link. I think your listing will serve the same purpose.
Tips for a Successful Photographer’s Local Listing
Following these steps will help you get the most out of your Google local account
- Use your location in your business name. For example: Zach’s Wedding Photography, San Diego
- Add a photo or a few photo examples with your listing
- Add a coupon
- Add as much detail as possible when it asks you. Trivial details like hours of operation, years in service, memberships and associations can all help Google and your users1
- Use keywords in your description (wedding, photographer, bride, engagement, reception, photos, images, etc)
- Get users to review your business once it is listed (family, friends, clients, etc)
Ready to Start Getting Better Search Results
Now you are amped up about Google Local, so get started at http://www.google.com/local/add/. You can repeat the successful steps above for the additional local sites, like Yahoo local.
This is just one small tip that can be found in the Photographers SEO Book. If you’re looking to take the confusion out of Google rankings, optimize your homepage text, and get more links back to your website or blog then my ebook is perfect for you.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Wow, I just discovered your page today and I am eating up all your valuable information and tips. This is fantastic for me as I have just been coasting along naively in my business….now I feel like I have the knowledge to boost up my sales.
k