A new study done by Local SEO Guide and The University of California Irvines Center for Statistical Consulting helps guide local business owners on how to best ensure a top spot in Google My Business pages. The study, which set out to answer the question, How do you prioritize your local SEO operations? reveals characteristics of business pages that do well in the Google My Business rankings.
Getting ranked in the top of local business directories is crucial for businesses, explains the owner of FindUsLocal (FUL), a [local business search director](http://www.finduslocal.com/)y that uses GPS technology to pinpoint visitors locations. The days of the Yellow Pages are over. Now, if someone wants to find a local business, they turn to local search engines.
The study points out that the most important factor for local business rankings is having sufficient and high quality links to their website. But its important that the links are relevant, explains the owner of FUL. They need to be links to sites that are either industry related, or links to other pages that link to yours, like the local business directories the business is listed on.
Website signals are also an important factor in whether or not businesses rank well in local SEO listings. For instance, the study shows that successful sites use relevant keywords to improve rankings, as well as the amount of words used on each of its pages. And if the website enjoys a good amount of organic search results, it will rank even higher in the local search results.
In addition to having high quality links, using smart keywords and good organic traffic, the study also shows that having Google My Business signals on the site will increase a sites chances of being seen in the results. For example, sites should include signals such as photos, customer reviews, and associating the site with the relevant Owner Verified profile. Successful site owners also use keywords in the Google My Business pages business name. In fact, the study show that sites that do this rank 1.5 spots higher than those who dont.
The thing to remember, say the FUL owner, is to keep all of the information on the internet consistent. In other words, whatever address and phone number you list on one [local business directory](http://www.finduslocal.com/), you should use for all of them. This allows Google to understand its the same site, and that will help with the ranking.
About FindUsLocal: FindUsLocal uses geolocation technology in visitors browsers to construct a home page focused on their city, town or community. Right there on the front page, theyll find local weather, sports results for their favorite teams, and announcements of the top musical acts and events coming to their city. Smart business owners list their businesses on the site to be seen by those who are specifically looking for businesses in their local area.
