Want increase your local search rankings?  Get listed on the following websites which have been proven to increase local search rankings.  In many cases, local search rankings come in higher than organic search rankings that your are accustomed to seeing.  And the great thing is…they’re FREE to list!  Make sure your keywords are relevant i.e. [CITY] + [SEARCH TERM] example: Calgary Dentist

20 Links to website directories that accept Canadian business listings and are looked upon favourably by Google Places:

Yahoo Canada Local

Google Places

Bing Local Canada

YellowPages.ca

Google Maps

CanPages.ca

HotFrog.ca

Brownbook.net

Ourbis.com

iBegin.com

WebLocal.ca

FoundLocally.com

411.ca

WCities.com

CanadaDirect.info

Where.ca

Restaurant.ca

UrbanSpoon.com

Open Directory Project

gigpark.com

Local Search Rankings and Local SEO what are they?

Local SEO is another tactic for additional online presence and increasing your bottom line.

Search is all about finding the most relevant result for users.  The methods in which people search have changed the way search engines return results. The search engines (Google, Bing, etc.) are returning businesses in the search listings based on geographic location.  Moreover, websites are not even a prerequisite for businesses to get a ranking! The local search results in many cases are often placed above the organic listings that we are most familiar with when a highly localized search is conducted (i.e. “location + search term”).  For example, you can get an idea of what a local search listing looks like by typing in the search bar “Winnipeg Pizza”.

Better local business exposure can broaden your online presence and ultimately your revenue. To build a better local search ranking consider the following tactics:

• authenticate ownership of your business with Google and Bing and other local directories to make your website’s listings official.
  Important Note: You should do this step anyway as potential for identity theft exists.  It’s very easy for anyone to claim your business.
• your business address information should be verified, updated or added on internet yellow page providers (IYPs)
• If you have a website encode your address information into your website with the hCard microformat; behind-the-scenes code making easier for search engines to understand when they crawl your site,
• Fortify your business’s local search presence by establishing listings in local search sites and directories and try to get press from bloggers and news providers in your area.
• Create and implement a geo-sitemap on your website,
• Build an assortment of reviews for your business through customer outreach,
• create video tutorials on video sites like YouTube,
• Stay tuned for a future post on FREE local directories to help you boost your local online presence.