Question For the Experts On Local SEO

techconnections · 12-02-2011, 12:21 PM

Hello,

I have decided to start building websites for local businesses and rent out the advertising space, and it's going well so far. I've signed one customer and have a couple leads for different industries and it's only been 5 weeks.

I have built several websites and all of them that i have done seo for are on the first page, below the map listings, mostly in the top 3-5 spots, which is pretty good so far. I'm still doing SEO and building links, but I'm noticing something strange that happens (it may not be strange to the experts.)

Anyways, as everyone knows Google auto detects what city you are in or close to based on your IP, so i am doing some manual searches to check my rankings and Google is detecting that i am located in the city which i am targeting.

When I search my keywords and city, i am coming up in a certain spot, but if i manually change my city to a different state, my ranking changes dramatically and for the better. For example, for one of my listings, I am the fourth website in the organic listings under the maps, but when I tell google i am in a different state and research, i am number 2 overall, even above the map listings, NOW, OBVIOUSLY i want to be number 2 overall when i am searching from my city.

SO, all that to say, is there anything i can do to get my website to show up above the map listings when Google knows i am in the city.

By the way, there are still other local sites above the map listings so it's not like google will not show an organic listing above the maps because it will.

I do not have a google place listing attached to my websites, and i thought that might affect it, but i don't think so because some of the sites that show up above google maps do not have a place listing for my city, they are big named websites from other states like userscars.com

Also, i don't have an official address on my website anywhere, so i'm thinking it would help to add a legit address for my city?

Any tips from you guys? Of course i'm going to keep building links, but anything else from the experts?

I know this is long, but thank you for any responses.

12-02-2011, 12:21 PM	#1
techconnections Active Warrior Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Myrtle Beach Posts: 42 Thanks: 1 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Question For the Experts On Local SEO Hello, I have decided to start building websites for local businesses and rent out the advertising space, and it's going well so far. I've signed one customer and have a couple leads for different industries and it's only been 5 weeks. I have built several websites and all of them that i have done seo for are on the first page, below the map listings, mostly in the top 3-5 spots, which is pretty good so far. I'm still doing SEO and building links, but I'm noticing something strange that happens (it may not be strange to the experts.) Anyways, as everyone knows Google auto detects what city you are in or close to based on your IP, so i am doing some manual searches to check my rankings and Google is detecting that i am located in the city which i am targeting. When I search my keywords and city, i am coming up in a certain spot, but if i manually change my city to a different state, my ranking changes dramatically and for the better. For example, for one of my listings, I am the fourth website in the organic listings under the maps, but when I tell google i am in a different state and research, i am number 2 overall, even above the map listings, NOW, OBVIOUSLY i want to be number 2 overall when i am searching from my city. SO, all that to say, is there anything i can do to get my website to show up above the map listings when Google knows i am in the city. By the way, there are still other local sites above the map listings so it's not like google will not show an organic listing above the maps because it will. I do not have a google place listing attached to my websites, and i thought that might affect it, but i don't think so because some of the sites that show up above google maps do not have a place listing for my city, they are big named websites from other states like userscars.com Also, i don't have an official address on my website anywhere, so i'm thinking it would help to add a legit address for my city? Any tips from you guys? Of course i'm going to keep building links, but anything else from the experts? I know this is long, but thank you for any responses.