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What is Local SEO and how can it help boost my business?

SEO’s younger brother, Local SEO, is to small businesses and entrepreneurs what SEO is to bigger businesses. From NAP consistency to acquiring reviews and backlinks from local websites, it directly impacts a new business, and should be treated with deference by local businesses as its global counterpart is by larger businesses across the world. Here, we try to do the same by answering all of the general questions surrounding the topic and especially the questions that are present on Quora so that by the time you finish reading this, you can understand, What is Local SEO and how can it help boost my business?

1. What does local SEO mean?

SEO can be defined as an efficient way to market your “online” business. Sell products and goods and other things with good SEO. SEO optimization will bring your company or business the audience it needs and, above all, will rank your website on the Google Search Engine.
Local SEO works on the same principles as SEO. However, there is a slight difference. As the name suggests, Local SEO targets location-based results. Your current location will be used to provide the best results. The image below shows how Local SEO works.
As for business owners, local SEO fetches traffic from visitors situated locally. This becomes more effective because businesses can promote their business to local customers who need it at the same time. It also increases the chances of your business being found by the potential customers, allowing you more opportunities.

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Although Local SEO is not a new term for people, the term still confuses some people. Here are some strategies one can use to enhance their site’s local SEO:

  • Claim a Google Places for Business page and fill in the correct details.
  • Revamp your Google+ page and link it to your business page.
  • Make good use of relevant keywords
  • Local link building and citations
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Remember to keep your title catchy, and make sure that you have a good Meta-description. Online Reviews for your business matter. Good reviews automatically make your website sparkle. One can use SEOmofo or Yoast’s SEO Plugins if they use WordPress.

2. What is the difference between an eCommerce SEO and a local SEO?

Local and e-commerce SEO work on similar principles. The best way to distinguish them would be to point out that Local SEO is usually used to optimize a business for the local searches and to attract local visitors. With the help of local SEO, the business can get a better SERP and attract a local audience.
To explain local SEO loosely and easily would be to point out that local SEO is that whenever you search for a service or product, the results that come up on your search up are because of local SEO.
For Example:

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As for E-commerce website optimization, it could be explained as optimizing the SEO of your business with the help of various on-page tools to get a better rank for your website. The e-commerce websites usually offer many services and products, and the ranking for your website will depend on how well you optimize the pages for each of your service or product.
Be it by adding keywords, or by adding various other SEO aspects to your web pages, will affect your website’s ranks. E-commerce websites make use of generic SEO optimization.

3. Is it a good idea to create city-pages (more than 80 cities) for the same service?

Yeah, why not? If you require better SEO ranks and you need more traffic, you can create various city-pages for the same service, even if you are not physically present there. With the help of various on-page tools, you can optimize your various links and city pages.
Your competitors are doing it, why shouldn’t you. The only difference between all the pages would be extremely minute. Your name for the link would remain the same, except for the name of the city, which would look like this:

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Some things to keep in mind:

  • Optimize each page with some relevant information about the city.
  • Relate to the city, for every different city page.
  • Make sure that you use unique content for each page and follow the basic SEO guidelines.
  • Create something interesting.
  • If you do have stores in any of the cities you make a page for, use directories to give directions to your store.

4. What is the difference between a business listing and a local listing?

The difference between local listing and the business listing is simple. Business listing is a category of website pages, which can be printed or documented. Along with this, the listing for a business is usually on generic terms.

You can list your business on:

  • Google
  • Facebook
  • Bing
  • Yahoo
  • Yelp!

A business on a business listing can be categorized by their location, their activity, or their size. However, a local business listing is the one which pops up on your search engine results when you type some universal or generic keyword. This will directly take you to a business listed in your area. Depending on the business you may find pictures and directions to the local business.
The local listing of a business is made possible with the help of local SEO.

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5. What are the best practices for local SEO to create the most qualified leads, get the most traffic, and gain the most keywords?

Local SEO, much like the generic SEO has a standard set of guidelines, which can be followed to generate the best results for you and your website. Here are some of them:

  • Keywords play a major role in the SEO of your website and its rankings. To gain more traffic, you need to add some good keywords to your title tag as well on the body of your content. This will generate more traffic to your website by giving your website a good rank.
  • For local traffic, make sure you use location-based keywords. The use of such keywords will give you the best local results for your website.
  • To generate more leads for your website, it is advised that you pay attention to your website’s SEO. Make sure that your website has good ranks and is easily accessible.
  • Another way of creating leads is to create ads. However, research shows that ads can be ineffective.
  • Write attractive Meta descriptions. Meta descriptions give some information about your business and allow your website to give the user exactly what they require.

6. What is the difference between local SEO and general SEO?

You cannot get your online business running unless you know a couple of things about SEO.

  • Although we are well aware of SEO and its practices, most us are confused with Local SEO and its meaning. Local SEO makes use of same principles as SEO, but the difference is that Local SEO ranks your business according to the location of the business.
  • The SERP results will show the relevant data for the user’s search. For example, if the user searched “pizza”, the results would show the following by keeping the location in mind:
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While the general SEO would only show up normal results such as giving a generic description of pizza and other related matter. The general SEO will only give results which can be informative. However, a Locally optimized SEO will give you results near your current location.
Local SEO is a great aspect for small businesses and other kinds of local businesses. As they bring the targeted audience and traffic to the business. There are many ways of improving your Local SEO and gain more traffic, you can find it here.

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Local SEO software for improving local visibility

7. What are local SEO tips?

Local SEO is a good way to attract local buyers and customers to your business. The best practice for local businesses if to optimize their business and website as per their targeted audience and make sure that their business shows up on SERPs.
Local SEO works on the same principles as the generic SEO. However, there are a few different things to take care of when you try to attract a location-based audience, and here is how:

  • Use location-based keywords for a better rank.
  • Make sure that you integrate your business website with directions to your store, or service center.
  • Another good practice would be to be active on your social media pages. Social media engagement is one of the best ways to generate customers and buyers.
  • Make sure your Google+ page is up to date and offers your website good traffic.
  • Other than this, the content of your website should target the user base of your targeted area to get the optimal use.
  • Along with this one can even make sure that they keep their website updated with information, phone numbers and email address.
  • Pay attention to your customer reviews. Good reviews will generate more traffic.

8. How can I do SEO for a local business?

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Local SEO is one of the best and the most effective ways of generating local traffic for your business. Your business, be it a local targeting business or a global targeting business, will need SEO to get better SERPs.
There are many factors that affect your local SEO, and you can do it yourself! The best way to explain the importance of local SEO is to let you know that the better local SEO your website has, the higher your local business will be ranked in search results. As the general trend goes, most users go with the first result, and the correct local SEO will get your business the first rank.

Here is what you can to do gain a good local SEO:

Local SEO is one of the best and the most effective ways of generating local traffic for your business. Your business, be it a local targeting business or a global targeting business, will need SEO to get better SERPs.
There are many factors that affect your local SEO, and you can do it yourself! The best way to explain the importance of local SEO is to let you know that the better local SEO your website has, the higher your local business will be ranked in search results. As the general trend goes, most users go with the first result, and the correct local SEO will get your business the first rank.

9. What would you advise on a local based SEO strategy?

Local based strategies would work best if they are targeted to the specific category or targeted for a specific audience. Local SEO works on the principal of attracting as many people or customers to a business by appealing to them. To make the most out of your local SEO, a local based SEO strategy is important.
The best local based SEO strategy would be incorporate all facets of the local SEO. The first thing to keep in mind would be to claim a Google Business page. A Google business page needs to be verified and will help you to get listing on Google, thereby making your business accessible.
Next, your strategy should include a target specific content for your website. This will help your local audience to feel connected to your website. Another thing most of us forget about is the addition of images and pictures. By pictures, I do not mean digitally curated pictures, add some pictures of your business to your listing of local business and gain instant results.
To rank higher than other local businesses in your area, make sure you pay attention the user reviews.

10. Is local SEO important for a small local business website?

We cannot vouch for the importance of the local business’ website, but we would recommend you to get one. With internet savvy customers aided with smartphones, the world for business is changing. Gone are the days, where people would go out and look for a store and spend hours on their research.
These days we prefer to use Google and hope that it will guide us to the best place nearby. And it is because of these reasons that, the business of today’s time need to be listed online. This will allow your customers to reach out to you and connect easily. Furthermore, it would be great if your website has a Google Map integration, which allows your customers and potential customers to come to your business easily.
A small local website does not pose any harm but offers many benefits. It will not hurt you or your business to get one in place.

 

11. What is the new local SEO marketing strategy in 2018?

Local SEO marketing strategy is one of the best ways to generate local leads and getting a local audience for your business. Here is how you can do it:

  • Speak the language of your customers. Customers are the life and blood of your business, make sure that your business speaks exactly what they speak. Allow the user base of your business to grow by touching your customers.
  • You should spend more time on promoting your website and its contents to the various channels and domains. More promotion will bring you more audience and more revenue.
  • Track your progress and maintain a log book. This will allow you to analyze your past goals and past results.
  • Get listed on various directories to be more accessible.
  • Along with this, know who backlinks to your website.

12. Are local SEO silos a separate website that you link to your location pages?

Most websites have various listings for various products and services. All of the major pages of the website should be interlinked, which creates a content silo.

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The content silo creating is a difficult and complex process, you will require the various areas of your website to be interlinked to each other. Furthermore, your website is required to provide links and information to the various pages, which are usually location based for your services in different cities.
So, to answer your question in one word, “no” because silos are interconnected. Content silos can be found on a website and not outside the website. If you are confused on how to create them, here is how you can effectively create your own content Silo.

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13. Why does a local business need SEO?

Local SEO is a fairly new aspect of the SEO optimization scene. But the understanding of the concept may still be new.
In simple terms, local business needs a solid local SEO optimization in order to gain more traffic. The local SEO optimization will allow the person is searching for a specific material, or thing get to the business which offers what is being looked for.
In other words, a Local SEO is what makes your business boom. In the days of tech-savvy people, a business cannot function without appearing on the search engines.
Any local business can get their business a website and optimize it according to the targeted audience and traffic to the business.

Some things to keep in mind while optimizing Local SEO:

  • Keep your phone numbers and address updated.
  • Link your website and your business on Google Maps
  • Verify your business and its address.
  • Be active on social media and update your Google+

A well optimized local SEO will give prompt results and will make your business appear on the engine easily. For example, you search “Restaurant near Harrisburg” this is what will appear for a good local SEO optimized business.

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14. How can I improve my local SEO?

Improving your Local SEO is probably the easiest tasks for your website. However, you must bear in mind that you need to be fully aware of the various SEO practices and guidelines.

Here is what you can do to improve your local SEO:

  • Gaining a Google Business page for your website would do you good, and that is known. But to gain the benefits out of your Google
  • Business page always remember to update some pictures of your business and add your business’ numbers and directions.
  • Apart from this, make sure you have good links to your social media pages, which is the number one source of lead generation.
  • Local SEO and other optimization practices should not be ignored.
  • Make sure your business’ reviews are spotless and next to perfect for the best results. Good reviews make your website and business rank higher on SERPs.
  • Next, make sure that your website has a Google Map integration.

Apart from this, other methods of improving your local Business’ SEO would be to:

  • Generate good and relevant content for your target audience.
  • Make use of relevant target keywords for your business.
  • Apart from this make sure that your business has visually appealing content.

15. What is the ideal domain for local SEO?

Local SEO depends on your website’s keywords and other SEO optimization tactics. The domain name really does not matter for your website.
Although it would be better for you to find or create a domain name which suits your business and has a lasting effect on the user and stands out, apart from that, there are no benefits attached to the domain name of a website.
Google evaluates the quality of your content and evaluates the use of keywords in your content, and that is all. So rather than concentrating on the ideal domain, pick one out which suits you’re the best, (for advice read some info on how to get the correct domain), and work on your content and quality of content on the website.

16. What is the most effective strategy for Local SEO?

Locally based strategies would work best if they are targeted to the specific category or targeted for a specific audience. Local SEO works on the principle of attracting as many people or customers to a business by appealing to them. To make the most out of your local SEO, a local based SEO strategy is important.
The best local based SEO strategy would be incorporate all facets of the local SEO. The first thing to keep in mind would be to claim a Google Business page. A Google business page needs to be verified and will help you to get listing on Google, thereby making your business accessible.
Next, your strategy should include a target specific content for your website. This will help your local audience to feel connected to your website. Another thing most of us forget about is the addition of images and pictures. By pictures, I do not mean digitally curated pictures, add some pictures of your business to your listing of local business and gain instant results.
To rank higher than other local businesses in your area, make sure you pay attention the user reviews.

17. Does local SEO have a role to play in inbound marketing?

For starters, local SEO is great if you are about to initiate inbound marketing for your website. SEO will help you list your website on the 1st page of Google search and that will generate better results as opposed to a situation where the page is on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th page.
While inbound marketing is a long term initiative, local SEO helps putting things in perspective and start generating results.

18. What are the best modern local SEO technics in 2018?

Optimizing local SEO trumps everything else for your business and its marketing strategy. Local SEO is important for any and every business, and we cannot stress on that fact enough. However, to understand the proper implications of local SEO and to see the results of local SEO crystalize, it may take some time.
And if you stick to old methods of building your SEO, you are not getting anywhere with your local SEO. Here is what you can do for your Local SEO:

  • Spend more time on promoting your business on different platforms and spend less time creating.
  • The content you create for your website should be unique and should keep the users and the readers interested. Besides an original content will get your website a higher rank on Google.
  • Along with this make sure you speak the language of your customers, this will not only give you an edge but will also allow you to retain and gain more customers for your business.
  • Apart from this, make sure your website has pictures of your business and has updated NAP (Name, Address and Phone numbers).

With that, incorporate some older tactics as well to get the most out of your local SEO.

19. Why does my business need local SEO services?

The answer to the question is simple. Local SEO works on getting your business more hits and allows many people to look at your business. The best way of describing local SEO is by giving an example.
Suppose you are in dire need of financial services. You need to search for a provider who gives you the best services available near you. So, what do you do? You type “loan” in the search bar for Google and hit search. A list of businesses opens up, and you go with the one on top.

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So, judging by what we just read, it would be easy for a local business to benefit from the local SEO. Better ranks, better business, more customers.

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20. What is the best way to promote a local business that needs phone call leads?

A local phone call leads for a business will be available only after you optimize your business according to local SEO requirements. The reason for this is that your business will require local customers, and for that, you need to reach them first.
Next, it is advised that you optimize your website and create a distraction-free website. This will help your users and viewers to stick to a single page without getting distracted. Other than this, keep your website clean and offer a “call button” for your phone numbers, this will add to the ease of the customer.
Optimize Google AdWords for your website. Create an attractive ad and keep your local SEO ranks well above other businesses. There are many ways to dominate the market with SEO optimizations, but the best way to get phone call leads would be to allow ease of use to the user and by creating a mobile-friendly website. As most users use their smartphones to access websites.

21. If your service is provided in hundreds of cities what should you do for local SEO?

If your services are provided in various different cities, be it a hundred or ten, you must do your Local SEO. It will not do you any harm, besides your website will have multiple backlinks, which will benefit your website immensely.
Google values the websites with correct and good backlinks as one of the best websites, which is why it will be great for you to do a local SEO for all your services.
Besides, it is not going to be too time-consuming. You will only have to swap the names of different cities for the various pages. Here is how it will be:

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  • Optimize each page with some relevant information about the city.
  • Relate to the city, for every different city page.
  • Make sure that you use unique content for each page and follow the basic SEO guidelines.
  • Create something interesting.
  • If you do have stores in any of the cities you make a page for, use directories to give directions to your store.

Apart from this, for SEO and Local optimization keep the following things in mind:

22. How do you get a local mailbox for Local SEO purposes without having to go to the physical location to purchase?

If you are searching for a local mailbox for Local SEO, you could opt for a virtual office, if the need be. However, this resource may not be available for everyone and at every place. Look up for virtual offices and hire one.
Furthermore, you could send someone in your stead.

23. How do I take advantage of a local SEO for my business?

To make the best out of your local SEO, it is advised that you keep the various guidelines for SEO and local SEO. Here are some methods of making the most out of local SEO for your business:

  • Optimize each page with some relevant information about the city and use target keywords to attract your local customers.
  • Relate to the city, and your local target audience’s needs and preferences. Speak their language and make sure that you create a visually appealing content to the locals of your area.
  • Backlink to various bloggers and social media profiles of your city or local areas.
  • Create something interesting and always create unique content.

Apart from this:

  • Add images to the local business’ website.
  • Get your Google maps integration and directions.
  • Update your phone numbers and try to keep the same ones.
  • Also remember, that you must remain active on your social media pages.

24. Is local SEO of any real, measurable benefit to local businesses?

Local SEO optimization became important after Google released Pigeon. This has led to many businesses looking for good optimization for their local business.
Local SEO works similar to the standard SEO but is beneficial to the local businesses. Local SEO optimization brings your company good SERPs and good ranks for location-based searches. As per recent studies, it has been found that most searches are performed on mobiles, and most of them go with the first option.
Other than this, with local SEO and optimization, it has been found that most people generally visit the store on the same day they search for the store.

Benefits of Local SEO:

  • Offers ease of access for the customers.
  • Gives your business a better Google rank and gets you location-based SERPs.
  • Drives more traffic to your website.
  • It helps the business convert searches to sales!

To know how to do your local SEO and get more traffic, refer to this.

25. How can I improve my new website’s local SEO ranking? I am not an SEO expert, and I have designed this website by myself.

Getting your business at the top of the local search results depends heavily on not one but a number of factors which are quite intricately interconnected.
First of all, you need to get your NAP right. Not talking about sleeping here – but the three most important factors of business – name, address and phone number. Without these three listed clearly on your webpage and also everywhere else your business is mentioned, the existence of your business might get a bit confusing.
Secondly, list your business on Google My Business to get much better visibility in the quick local searches as well as the frequently used Google maps. Do not forget to enlist in the same NAP that you have provided on your own website.
For many people, online citation sites and business directories are one of the most reliable and trustworthy sources for finding local business and Google seems to agree with them. Most local searches on Google fetch results from these directories. Getting your name listed on as many of them as possible might yield higher ranking for your business.
Putting the right keywords on your website’s content is also important. Use keywords that potential customers might use while searching for the kind of product or service you sell. Here is a more detailed guide to hit the right local SEO factors.

26. What is the best local SEO factor?

The first and foremost priority is to list your business on Google My Business if you have not yet. Just like every other marketing strategy, put yourself in the place of your customer and imagine, if you wanted to find, say a café near your locality, what would you do? You would take out your phone and do a quick Google search. Turn that around and see it from your angle now. Check this out for all the detailed procedure.
Include your NAP – name, address and phone number and add as much information as you can, but keep them consistent with your website and other social media pages and keep them accurate. Research local keywords and use them in the tags.
Together with the local keywords and possible high visibility in a local Google search, your business should have the exposure you are expecting.

27. What is the biggest factor when it comes to ranking on the local map "snack" pack?

Google decreasing its snack pack size from 7 to 3 was a big blow to many local companies and made the competition even steeper. To get your company name on the local map snack pack, the most important is to get your category right. Mention exactly and accurately what your company is. Get an idea of the most searched keyword that is related to your business and use that as your category on Google Business. If shoe store is a more searched one than shoe shop, use the former.

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Another very important factor is ratings and reviews. Google gives users the option to search by rating filter and needless to say people will always choose a better rating of 4 or 5. So making sure of getting enough of those stars might be a key factor to get to the local map snack pack.

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28. What are the differences between regular and local keyword research?

With a regular SEO, a business strives to reach a much, much wider audience. That is why it is also called global SEO. For this, you would need your major keywords translated into the language of the countries you wish to reach out to if they speak different languages than yours and then match them with the estimated traffic of those translated keywords using Google keyword tool. This will also help you find the related keywords as well. This works at a much broader level, and the traffic is obviously more than of local SEO. Since the person’s location will not be a factor in this case, good ratings and reviews and the right keywords can make sure your name shows up the top of the list.
On the other hand, a local SEO is totally meant for the smaller, locally based businesses whose target audience is concentrated in a neighbourhood or a city. Finding out all the local keywords and putting them in all the major content of your business is the real game. Here the chance of occurring to a local search depends on the location of the user a lot, and there is nothing you can do anything about it other than making sure your keywords and category on the Google list are on the spot. For example, a search engine can show different results for ‘places to stay’ and ‘hotels’ even though both kind of mean the same to some extent.

29. How can I find photos by location map of where they were taken?

If you are trying to find photos of a particular place on a map, then Google map has got quite a few of them. On the website, you will find them in the PHOTOS section on the right-hand side of the map. For the even clearer picture, as Jo Brodie pointed out, click on the human-like icon and your map will change into street view option. You can then click on the areas highlighted with the specific colour code to see 360-degree street views of an area or the inside of a café or a shop.
Otherwise, if you are trying to find the location of any random photo you found online, it is difficult to get an accurate answer. But you can always do a Google images search with the photo and get a close enough result.

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30. What are the best local product search engines?

Here are some of the platforms which help the local business to reach out to its customers.
1. Google Shopper or Google Places – both are apps with listed local businesses. However, Google places only have customer reviews and feedback which will help in getting more visibility to your business. Google Shopper shows the local deals and discounts
2. LivingSocial, Groupon, Foursquare, Yelp, Citysearch are all popular business search tools which bring the potential customer and the business enterprises together. Users can find your business on these lists, follow deals and offers, and leave ratings and reviews – the usual stuff.
3. Yellow Pages – Definitely not the printed one. But the online version is as successful as a local business finder as the paper yellow pages were once upon a time.
4. JustDial – if you are in India, JustDial is a very popular and useful website and app to find local businesses of every sort.

31. What are some local search engines in the USA with decent traffic?

To find traffic for your business in the United States, the obvious search engine choices are always Google and then Bing or Yahoo. Local or global, together they cover almost 80% of the searches worldwide. However, in the US there are some others which you can opt for as well.
Ask, WebCrawler, Info.com, DuckDuckGo, Craiglist are some of the ones which will help you reach out to the local niche customers for your business.

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32. What is local search engine submission?

Search engine submission is a process where a website is submitted to a search engine for better visibility and recognition. Thus, when someone searches for the related keywords or business category name, your site is tracked and made visible by the search engines. You can submit to the search engines directly by using the webmaster access they keep open for website owners. Or you can use also use the online portals which allow you to submit your website to the highest ranked search engines and online directories.
Here you can find out exactly how important search engine submission is, and how can you go about it.

34. How many local businesses are in the US?

Small business is literally the backbone of US employment as well as National GDP. As per the 2010 census, USA has 28 million small businesses as compared to 18,500 big business houses. Among that, around 22 million are self-operated by the owner without any additional employees. But the remaining 6 million is said to be employing more than 120 million of the US population which is saying something given USA’s population is around 325 million.
To find out more about small businesses in the USA, go here.

33. How can I get my Google My Business-local listing to appear at the SERPs?

To get your Google My Business listing to appear at the SERPS, first, you have to make sure that you have the address and phone number with local area code. Get your NAP – name, address, phone number right and maintain consistency with the NAP with other citation sites like Yelp, Bing, Yahoo etc. Always remember, the more information you add, the better are your chances to get ranked higher the list. Keep your details like opening hours, payment methods; services supplied updated, upload photographs of your shop/store/ organization and use the more searched category name for your business. Often two synonyms of the same business – say, café and coffee shops – yield different search results.
Here are some expert tips on optimizing your Google My Business listing.

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