My checklist for local websites - feel free to add

10 replies
Hi, the following is my checklist for ranking local business websites for clients. Feel free to add to this list, I'll note a couple tactics I plan on adding myself.

Checklist:

1. Set up the Google listing
2. Post business citations with matching name, address, phone number, across 50+ websites
3. Do standard, keyword targeted link building to the website, and to a lesser degree, the listing page
4. If the client has offline reviews, slowly drip them directly onto Google, and through other citation websites that allow reviews.

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Checklist items in consideration for the future:

-- Geo-tagging images and uploading them to panoramio
-- Creating Pinterest collections, and using keyword rich names as the collection name
-- Doing second and third tier link building on the citation pages
-- Video creation & distribution (for links as well as direct leads from the video itself)

Feel free to share yours, thanks
#add #checklist #feel #free #local #websites
  • Profile picture of the author PBMax
    Originally Posted by Sean DeSilva View Post

    4. If the client has offline reviews, slowly drip them directly onto Google, and through other citation websites that allow reviews.
    Do you create Gmail addresses for these, or use your own?
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  • Profile picture of the author benbro
    Great start, Sean!

    I'd add:
    1. Location Pages - pages that include content that is optimized for the company's geographic service areas. The location pages should also link to the company's local + profile page.
    2. YouTube - YouTube videos that include the business's phone number in the title and description.
    3. Review Optimization - "Review Us" pages that invite customers to review the business on sites like Yelp, Google + Local and etc.
    But again, this is an awesome thread and I like your suggestions!
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    • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
      Originally Posted by benbro View Post

      Great start, Sean!

      I'd add:
      1. Location Pages - pages that include content that is optimized for the company's geographic service areas. The location pages should also link to the company's local + profile page.
      2. YouTube - YouTube videos that include the business's phone number in the title and description.
      3. Review Optimization - "Review Us" pages that invite customers to review the business on sites like Yelp, Google + Local and etc.
      But again, this is an awesome thread and I like your suggestions!
      Originally Posted by Sean DeSilva View Post

      Hi, the following is my checklist for ranking local business websites for clients. Feel free to add to this list, I'll note a couple tactics I plan on adding myself.

      Checklist:

      1. Set up the Google listing
      2. Post business citations with matching name, address, phone number, across 50+ websites
      3. Do standard, keyword targeted link building to the website, and to a lesser degree, the listing page
      4. If the client has offline reviews, slowly drip them directly onto Google, and through other citation websites that allow reviews.

      --------

      Checklist items in consideration for the future:

      -- Geo-tagging images and uploading them to panoramio
      -- Creating Pinterest collections, and using keyword rich names as the collection name
      -- Doing second and third tier link building on the citation pages
      -- Video creation & distribution (for links as well as direct leads from the video itself)

      Feel free to share yours, thanks
      First, @Ben I like everything you said except the review us pages, linking to yelp. I try to keep my customers far away from yelp since that can easily destroy their reputation. True reviews are hard to keep up, and bad ones even if fake will end up getting real reviews that are positive, filtered. Hate yelp.

      @Sean, you're wasting a lot of time. Don't build backlinks to the listing itself, that's useless anyway. Unless you're doing reputation management, it isn't going to help.

      Looks like you're still using the overall strategy that was popular a few years ago but isn't really effective now. It's not all about back links when you're doing local SEO... it's all about on page optimization. Seriously, I've ranked brand new websites in a 50 mile radius for 20-30+ cities with ONLY on page optimization. It's by far the most important part of local SEO now.
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      • Profile picture of the author Rus Sells
        Not to mention #4 is actually illegal in the US and EU.

        Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

        First, @Ben I like everything you said except the review us pages, linking to yelp. I try to keep my customers far away from yelp since that can easily destroy their reputation. True reviews are hard to keep up, and bad ones even if fake will end up getting real reviews that are positive, filtered. Hate yelp.

        @Sean, you're wasting a lot of time. Don't build backlinks to the listing itself, that's useless anyway. Unless you're doing reputation management, it isn't going to help.

        Looks like you're still using the overall strategy that was popular a few years ago but isn't really effective now. It's not all about back links when you're doing local SEO... it's all about on page optimization. Seriously, I've ranked brand new websites in a 50 mile radius for 20-30+ cities with ONLY on page optimization. It's by far the most important part of local SEO now.
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        • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
          Originally Posted by Rus Sells View Post

          Not to mention #4 is actually illegal in the US and EU.
          Is it really? I know it was a grey area, and if it was an actual review sent by the client you could certainly use it. I just thought certain sites had it prohibited in their terms of use.
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          • Profile picture of the author Rus Sells
            You may use a customers review on your own web site with disclosure.

            Posting customer reviews on other sites like Yelp or Google is considered a fake review and the reason why is the actual customer didn't actually post that review. It also breaks every single sites terms of service... Yelp, etc. Read their TOS it's there.

            This area is regulated by the FTC and falls under deceptive and false advertising practices because reviews influence purchasing decisions which is why its' against all the major directories sites TOS.

            Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

            Is it really? I know it was a grey area, and if it was an actual review sent by the client you could certainly use it. I just thought certain sites had it prohibited in their terms of use.
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            • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
              Originally Posted by Rus Sells View Post

              You may use a customers review on your own web site with disclosure.

              Posting customer reviews on other sites like Yelp or Google is considered a fake review and the reason why is the actual customer didn't actually post that review. It also breaks every single sites terms of service... Yelp, etc. Read their TOS it's there.

              This area is regulated by the FTC and falls under deceptive and false advertising practices because reviews influence purchasing decisions which is why its' against all the major directories sites TOS.
              I wonder if that's how DemandForce gets by it then, because it is their own platform and they verify the reviews.
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              • Profile picture of the author Rus Sells
                I don't know, but what I do know is that if the review is posted on behalf of the customer it must disclose that clearly on the page the review is posted on.

                It's the same situation we have with affiliate links rule that came out a year or so ago.

                If it effects commerce it has to follow the rules.

                Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

                I wonder if that's how DemandForce gets by it then, because it is their own platform and they verify the reviews.
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              • Profile picture of the author qu4rk
                Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

                I wonder if that's how DemandForce gets by it then, because it is their own platform and they verify the reviews.
                If I'm not mistaken, DemandForce blast emails people requesting that they leave the reviews. The user clicks & then types their own review.

                I think Rus is saying that DemandForce cannot call people & then type up their review & then post it onto their platform without disclosing that within the review itself (I added this last little bit from my knowledge of FTC online review laws).
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnDavid
    @IAm: I've been looking for a resource that covers On Page optimization. What would you advise brother, especially for local sites? Appreciate ya man.
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