Google Maps Top 10 How to crack it

I believe you must first submit your site to their loal business directory. Also, optimizing your site for SEO on "bars in hoxton" would be a good idea.

Check if barsinhoxton.com / .net / .org are still available. Register them and build a similar site around them. They will rank high very quickly due to exact match domain bonus.

Any questions just let me know

Nick

Go to maps.google.com and create a map listing. (They are different from regular SEO SERP listings)

If your business is already listed, claim that you are the owner and verify it through phone. (Don't create duplicate map listings for the same business).

All map listings must go through phone/postal verification to be optimized with more data.

Insert highly geo targetted keywords. When all done well, your map should rank within minutes.

There are many factors and no one really knows the right way!

However, I have managed to be successful with every business I have added to GLBL's (Google Local Business Listings) and find that:

1. The more information you provide within the description and details of the business, the better!

2. Keyword within the title/name of your business! This is what appears as the clickable link. Many say you cant do this, but you can, just make sure you put your business name in there too.

E.G: Bars In Hoxten - Two Blind Pigs

This is what I have done for all my clients without issue!

Also, add the keywords within the business description and where you choose your category, add your own, and use your keywords!!!

3. Reviews help as well from experience, so get reviews up and get people to leave them for your business!

4. Images, even Videos within the listing help! More Content!

5. BACKLINKS ARE CRUCIAL!

Build backlinks to your website normally as if you were optimising for organic results. Social Bookmarks, Web Directories, Profile Links, Articles, Blog Comments etc. All help, and I find from my experience, this is huge!

Again, no one really knows how to guarantee a position but this is what has worked for me everytime, so can only give my experience!

Hope it helps!!!

GoGetta

Yeah, submit your site to their loal business directory.

Here's the key. The more rich content you have in your listing the better.

You do know that Google maps sometimes outranks normal organic listings in Google right? Especially for local terms.

So getting listed in GMaps is not just your only concern, but actually optimizing your listing in order to rank in Google is also very important. Doing it right from the start is vital.

If your keyword you are trying to get ranked for is in the first part of your listing title - you get a boost.

If you provide solid business contact information like address, telephone number and any other important terms - you get a boost.

If you provide video - you get a boost.

If you provide image content like a logo and photos of your business - you get a boost.

If you have reviews on your local listing - you get a boost

But the most important element of them all is the location of your business.

If a local business is trying to rank for "Seafood Restaurant New York City", Google will rank the business with the closest geographical location to the center of New York City and then only will they rank according to other factors. You can get your local listing ranked number 1 in Google if you are the closest to that central geographic location.

That but just a few elements but definitely something you should look at.


Cheers
Reinhardt

Okay, so if it's the case that Google Local Directory gives preferential listing order to the business located nearest the geographical center of a city, how do we know what Google considers the "center" to be? (If we knew this, it might provide another interesting filter for us to look at businesses very near that center, and then contact those businesses for high-ranking placement services. Whaddya think?

Yeah, it's hard to tell whether or not Google gives any preference at all.

I've seen listings with 0 reviews rank at the top, with little to no citations. I've then seen listings rank lower with reviews a-plenty plus citations, but not ranking high.

In the end, it has taken time and effort as you would with any other targeted keyword to get your listing performing even in a competitive market.

Go bananas with keywords and the Additional Data section of your listing plus reviews.

That seems to make a HUGE difference.

Rob

Be aware that if the section is even remotely competitive, at some point the section will experience a hand edit, and you will be penalised for any obvious 'gaming' or keyword spamming.

Longer term this tends to move white hat people up, although you will always be frustrated with those that scam their way to the top, they always fall back down again.

Getting good results in competitive niches takes things that go way beyond what I have ever seen mentioned on the web. Luckily, you probably don't need to be that advanced.

I would consider looking at your page and applying Google Adwords quality score type requirements to boost your ranking.