Local Business Listings | FAQ

The Optimized Local Search Service is completed via an in-depth manual submission process so that each individual profile and Data Center feed is optimized to maximize how each site provides data to Google, Yahoo! and Bing. The process takes up to 5 business days to complete.

Each listing includes:

Business Name

Address (Physical address required)

Phone Number

Business Categories

Keyword-centric business summary (typically 150 ~ 1000 words depending upon source content available)

Most listings also provide the ability to include:

Website link

Logo and images

Image tags using top keywords

Google Places and select listings also provide the ability to include:

Youtube videos (up to 5)

Coupons with expiration dates

Most listings support using a PO Box, but Google Places requires a physical address. There is an option to not show the address, however. In this event, only the city and zip code will show. There is a slight adverse affect in search results for doing this. One of the key components of ranking in Google Places is the use of citations and citations are partially based on uniformity of business address across various business listings. Click here to read more about how citations affect Google Places ranking.

No. The listings will work regardless of whether or not a business has a website. However, in competitive markets, Google Places local business listings with a web link will rank better than those without.

Though difficult to quantify in the short term, the Optimized Local Search service does have a positive SEO ranking impact on a website because of the extensive addition of quality back-links and the association of a wide variety of relevant keywords to your site. The better optimized your website is, the better the SEO impact of our service. Contact us for a quote on having your site optimized for local search.

The manual local business listings begin working literally within minutes of submission. Depending upon how competitive the market is for a particular keyword search, it is not uncommon for a business to show on the first page of Google within 10 minutes of a listing submission - though this is certainly not guaranteed.

For Data Center submissions, updates occur as each subscriber to the particular databases update their respective systems.  Some sites update daily while others may update weekly, monthly or even annually.  Updates are up to the individual site and are not controlled by the Data Center or Optimized Local Search Services.

Bing Local and Google Places require verification via a letter mailed to the business address of record. It is not uncommon for the letter to take 6 weeks to arrive. There is not currently a method for expediting this process except in rare instances where a phone verification may be available.

No. Unfortunately, the Internet is entirely too dynamic to guarantee search engine ranking for a particular keyword in a particular city. We do have methods for tweaking various listings so as to affect rankings once a base-line is established, however the overall determining factors are competitive landscape for a particular keyword and the size of the city where the business is located.

The majority of traffic obtained from our Optimized Local Search services is obtained because we optimize a business for a wide variety of keyword searches. By building a comprehensive keyword-centric business description, the average business reaches between 50~75 unique customers everyday. Most of these searches are the result of a variety keywords.

The only way to guarantee top placement for a specific keyword is through pay-per-click advertising. Google’s PPC program is called Google Adwords. Click here to read more about how Optimized Local Search Services compare to PPC Advertising.

It is virtually impossible for a new Google Places LBL to show on the first page for top keyword searches in the short term. It can take as long as three or four months for a new listing to gravitate toward the top of search results. However, there are ways to expedite the process and solidify the ranking over time. Our service begins the process for two of three components that can be externally affected: listing optimization and citations. The third key component is consumer reviews. We recommend that every business owner actively solicits customer reviews as a standard practice of running their business. Most top ranking Google Places local business listings have reviews.

If we are optimizing or claiming an existing listing, the time to move to the top can be substantially shorter.

Typically, a base-line for determining the average rank for a Google Places local business listing is not established for at least two months after submission and verification.

As of today, each listing is permanent. However, the status of each individual listing is subject to the terms and conditions of each site hosting the listing. It is not entirely impossible that Google may someday charge for their Google Places service. We only guarantee the listings will be submitted and cannot provide any warranties or guarantees for future performance.

We recommend renewing on an annual basis so as to continue the guaranteed inclusion in both existing directories and new sites as they become available.

No. Each individual listing is placed within a website that is in the constant process of optimization. You do not need to regularly update your listing for it to remain effective. If your business changes in any way, you can update your listings to reflect these changes.

Changes to the listings including changes to phone, address, website, services, etc. are available for $99 per session.  There is no limit to the number of changes, but each time the listings are accessed there is a charge.