How Does Google Local Order Its Results?

I believe deeply in Google Local. I believe that Google Local will, in a few short years from now, overcome and eclipse yellowbook, yellowpages.com, superpages, citysearch, or any other local business directory in print form or on the web. Remember searching with InfoSeek? Google Local is a major shift in local business search; it’s coming hard, and it’s coming fast.

With Google’s foray into 411 directory information (800-GOOG-411) and it’s imminent consumer telephone service, it’s quite clear that Google Local is going to be much more than a small local directory. We commented on this paradigm shift in our post on Google’s 411 Directory Assistance service, when those outside the SEO community barely noticed.

The Increasing Value of Google Local Entries

Certainly, Google Local entries are becoming more valuable; Google has for a while inserted its local results–with obvious prominence–within its traditional natural results. Google Local is certainly a facet of SEO that is growing in importance week-by-week. And, once Google launches its telephone service, then Google Local may become more important than the traditional natural results for some businesses. And don’t forget that Google is busy perfecting its voice recognition system in conjunction with its 411 service.

Cell phones, voice recognition, geo-location, and location-sensitive search retrieval–all these factors are now conjoining. Google is obviously posturing for the inevitable day when a majority of searches are made by voice command rather than the pitter-patter of a computer keyboard.

And, just as optimizers have struggled to learn the secrets of Google’s natural results, so in the future may SEO’ers fight for top position in the Google Local results.

And so, we analyzed how the listing order for Google Local results is determined with an eye toward improving our results and the results of our clients. Here’s a hint: it’s not alphabetic.

Location Sensitivity in Google Local Results

Google Local entries do appear to be "location sensitive". Obviously, the entire point of a local search is to deliver local results. And, zip code-based searches appear to be more "strict" than city name searches–Google has a patent to do with this that is so technical, I don’t even want to learn about it. Business locations near a city center may appear first in Local entries–but location is not the only factor, and location can easily be outweighed by both keywords and depth of the listing and reviews.

Keywords in the business name and title yield favorable Google Local results, as well as the use of keywords in the business description. That presents a clear opportunity to optimize through the development of a keyword-focused profile.

Local Results: The Effect of Customer Reviews

Finally, the local business results are certainly impacted by the number of reviews. A search for "austin restaurants" (from an Austin IP address) returns a prominent and inviting map with 10 local entries. The first two entries are Chuy’s (drool) and Stubb’s BBQ (drool, again), with 102 and 46 reviews, respectively. Scroll down, and the number of reviews drops.

Business owners with local listings would be wise to invite their happy customers to write reviews in the Google Local section. I am sure I will…

Need help with your internet marketing and Google Local entries? If so, reach out to us today.

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