What's working for local local SEO

If the business is brick and mortar, then the answer is Google Places, Yahoo maps, and YP ( yellow pages ) Granted these will not do much for ranking ( they will help ), it does however help with traffic.

Hope that Helps!

It is important to make sure that your contact information is identical on every directory listing. I would advise to stay away from YEXT they offer to correct and or list you in 100's of directories for a monthly fee. However, its a waste of money, take the time and do it yourself. Also, upload as many pics and videos each directory will let you and make sure to SEO the pics... GL

Focus on the BEST PRACTICES of the Three Pillars.

1. Profiles
2. Citation
3. Reviews

Profiles

• Establish Profile Authority
• Follow Google's Best Practices Guide here.
• Verify and Claim your Listings at http://www.getlisted.org
• Claim at least Google, Bing, Yahoo and Superpages
• Complete all info thoroughly, including clear, long, excellent description (Basic and Enhanced Information)
• Establish NAP format
• Use email matching domain to register account
• Establish photo shoots with Google when possible. Always upload at least 5 pictures
• Use images and video, (walk-through, testimonials)
• Establish Service area
• Utilize QR Codes when possible
• Real Address, No UPS or PO Boxes
• Consider implications of Walk-in versus Service Based

Stay Away from:

• Violating Google's Suggestions
• Using 800 Numbers
• Using Phone Number Tracking
• P.O. / UPS Boxes
• Multiple Place Pages / location
• Duplicate Phone on Multiple Place Pages

2. Reviews

• Implement a Review Acquisition System
• Professional Service offices should create a 'Thank You' post card when a thank you mentioned in the office, including instructions to leave a review on Zagat.
• Properly train employees to have a lending ear for positive feedback from customers, patients and clients.
• Encourage positive customers to leave a review online.
• Use the hReview HTML Rich Snippet Markup on Website for reviews.
• Link Reviewers' name to their online social profile, preferably LinkedIn.
• Do not solicit reviews. Only ask to leave a digital review if a verbal unsolicited testimonial is provided.

Citations
Acquire citations from at least the following sources.

• Public Sources
• Annual Reports, SEC Information
• Federal, State and City Gov'ts
• Business Magazines
• Newspapers
• Postal Service Information
• Data Providers & Review Sites
• Superpages
• infoUSA
• Theme Sites
• Yelp
• Citysearch
• InsiderPages
• Google
• Yahoo Local
• Angie's List
• Judy's Book

Outside the Box

• ATM or Kiosk at your location? List in directories
• National Register of Historic Places
• Free Wifi Directories
• RedBox Directory
• Sponsorships / Charity Events
• Speaking Engagements
• Host a Weather Station

Thanks 9999. For those interested in some further education to what's working today in Local, here's a video for you.

Only the first 58 minutes have real value. You don't need to watch longer than that.

Thanks everyone.

These are brand new sites that have not been sold yet. I am trying to get the sites ranked before I try to sell them.

So I am looking for suggestions on what is working now to give these sites a quick boost in the ranking.

I cannot use Google+ or citations since I do not have a business name to plugin yet.

Don't always assume that your best methods are on-line.

I think it is the Direct Sales Association tells us that about 70-80% of all sales are based on relationships (and emotion).

1) Clean up any customer service problems. Customer service is your #1 place you will either win or lose. The customer experience should be the absolute focus. - One of my clients will bend over backwards to help his customers, even if that means he will make less on the job. If he gets a call in a situation where the customer has limited funds, he will rent them the equipment and show them how to do the work. He comes to their rescue. He gets huge word-of-mouth from that.

2) Understand who the ideal/dream customer is and talk to that target market. Ask that demo how they want to receive their marketing.

3) Back to #1, the CS breeds word of mouth. Word-of-mouth is the most powerful form of advertising. Leverage WOM by doing more than the same old testimonials that everyone else does. Have a charity event and invite your greatest fans to that event.Create a video that shows the lifestyle of your customers rather than the plain old testimonial text and pic.

4) Ohhhhhh. Friggin' need to network in the community. It may take you 5 years but you need to build local trust.

5) Use your web presence and all other media to leverage those elements. Promote the charity events naturally. Constantly create high value, story driven content about your customers living the lifestyle of your brand.

6) People talk about USP, but most I see look like they are from the Dilbert Mission Statement Generator. I like to sit down with a client and ask "So what?" I get brutal (because your customers are brutal) they want to know the true value of your product/service. Make it mean something. "Why should I take the money out of my pocket and give it to you?" Be really brutal.

7) Locally, you really want to make connections with people.

Strategy:

Know your ideal customer
Have great customer service
Leverage the word-of-mouth
Network
Leverage the word-of-mouth (yes, I know it is there again)
Make your value proposition meaningful
Network (again, in there twice)

Avoid brute force marketing (advertising on park benches, expensive adwords campaigns, etc.), try to get as much organic (web or otherwise) business.

Local marketing is about making yourself the celebrity expert in your field via the above methods.

Add that on top of all the other stuff above. My 2 "cents" or whatever the smallest coin is in Australia.

Yea i would have to agree with Scott. local is probably 3-6 months depending on competition. The use of citations isn't necessary anymore with local search unless you can make the NAP (Name Address Phone) EXACTLY the same format which is pretty tough to do with EVERY top rated citation site. I recommend making some videos and building links to your website "locally". No longer a "need" to place a hundred citations. Pick a few top rated ones like YP.com, Yelp.com, etc. Stay away from YEXT and UBL. The directories these companies represent, you can do yourself. Just takes data entry tedious time. Good luck.!

I have ranked a plumber in a city with population of about 100k with citations only after 3-4 months.

They already had their Google Places verified.

A business doesn't have to be brick and mortar to compete in local, but they will need an address if they want to get anywhere for ranking their local terms.

As always Scott, you rock.

I've ranked a local site with a couple high pr links and some web 2 links to diversify anchors and it took about 2 months. No citations or anything.

Thanks ScottGallagher for the great, informative post!