Free Local Business Listings in Google

Is your business listed in Google's Local search? It should be. It's free! You don't even need a website.

When somebody is looking for your type of business in your local area, they can do local searches. Local searches are not that much different from regular searches, the only difference being that the name of the city and state are included in the search box. So, as an example, somebody wanting local searches for accounting services in my city, might type this into the regular Google search box:

Accounting Services in Vista, CA

Open another window, go to Google, and try it now, to see how it looks. As of this writing, Solid Rock Accounting Services, my business, comes up as the second result for local searches for my city. Way cool! Anybody looking for accounting services in my city will easily find Solid Rock Accounting Services. If you clicked on my listing, did you notice how it did not take you to my website (www.jenniferthieme.com)? The results for local searches don't take you to the business' website, just to the small listing. So, having a local business listing is separate from having a website, and having a website is not needed to have a local business listing.

As more and more people turn away from traditional, printed, directories, such as the Yellow Pages, having your business available for local searches is more and more important. Just the other day, I wanted to call my optometrist, but couldn't find his number in my Rolodex. So I got on Google, and searched for optometrists in my city. He wasn't listed in the results, and you know what? I almost called somebody else! First of all, I was annoyed that he wasn't listed, and second, his credibility took a hit in my mind, since he has no web presence.

Don't let this happen to your business. If you want to get listed, go to the Google Local Business Center:

https://www.google.com/local/add/login?hl=en-US&gl=US

Enter your Google account to signin. If you don't have one, get one. Once signed in, complete the registration information. It will take a couple weeks or more to get listed, but it's worth it. You want people to be able to find you when they conduct local searches, because local searches are becoming more and more common. Get listed!