Recently, Google introduced Carousel for local search results. Now, when you search for a local business like a hotel or restaurant, the results appear in an interactive carousel at the top of the page. Click on one of the results in the carousel and you’ll see the address, photos, overall review-based score and links to the actual reviews.
How can a local business earn a spot on the carousel?
Google draws the majority of information for local listings – and now the carousel – from a company’s Google Plus local business listing. Here are three steps to get your profile in good shape:
- Completely fill out your Google+ business profile.
- Make sure all photos of your company on Google+ and anywhere else online are updated and web ready.
- Ask loyal customers to write reviews on your Google+ page.
Once your Google+ business profile is ready, get yourself listed in local directories such as Yelp, City Search, and Insider Pages. Businesses can either use their website URLs or Google+ pages as their link in the directory. Keep in mind your phone number and address should be consistent on every listing and social profile so you don’t confuse the search engine.
A click on the carousel result leads to a branded search, showing more results for the local business. A business that persistently takes charge of its web presence and reputation (with social media activity, blog posts, videos, infographics, press releases, customer reviews, etc.) is likely to draw more customers to its website and rack up more leads than a business that’s not doing much or any content marketing.
Now’s the time to get your company included in the local listings search results. Google has made it very easy for your company to be seen on the carousel by millions. Every second you wait could be a missed opportunity. Contact us for more information or to receive assistance in getting on the carousel.
