How To Get Yourself Linked Into The Google Maps, Listing Section Of A Google Organic Search.

Getting yourself linked into the Google maps section of the directory should be a critical part of your Internet marketing plan. The process of getting yourself linked in to Google maps is relatively simple.

Firstly take yourself off to www.google.com, and do a Google search for the phrase "local listing". Look for the first Google.com listing, which should be this address www.google.com/local/add.

Click on this listing. You will then be taken to the "Google Maps, Local Business Centre". If you already have an account with Google such as a Gmail account or a Google Adwords account. Then you can sign in with your standard Google user name and password. If you don't have any Google accounts whatsoever and click on the "create a new Google account".

After clicking on the "create a new Google account" link. You will be taken to a page where you can create your account. On this page you enter your e-mail address and select a password as well indicate your country of residence and agree to Google's terms.

After you accept and click on the button "create my account" an e-mail will be sent to you with a verification link which you will need to click on before you can proceed further. Clicking on the link in your e-mail will open up a new browser window, confirming the creation of your account. You can then click to proceed through to the Google maps Local Business Centre set up.

Once you're in the Google maps, Local Business Centre set up area you will be required to fill in your company name and address details. For the company name, if your real business name does not contain the most prized keyword phrases that you were trying to optimise for then we suggest that you put this into the company name field. For example, our business name is GTP iCommerce. However, we made our Google maps listing "GTP Web Design and SEO" to target keyword web design and SEO. At every turn, you need to make sure that you stack your targeted keyword phrases where ever you can.

As you type in your address details, a google map will appear showing the location of your business.

You then need to select the industry categories with which you want to belong. You can select up to 5 different industry classifications. All you need do is start typing in what you believe, an industry category would be and Google will create suggestions for you. You will then need to select an appropriate industry classification.

In the description box, make sure that you pack this with the all most important keyword phrases, placing the most popular phrase. At the start of your description and working down to your least popular phrases. At the same time, you need to make the description, readable, and with human appeal.

Other sections include your opening hours, payment methods that you accept, photos of your business people or products, videos, an additional text descriptions for your product and service offerings. You can opt to complete all these now or come back and add further information later.

You can then submit your local listing and move to the next page where you will be asked to verify your local listing by by either having

A) Google phone your office number with a pre-recorded four digit number. Note that you will need to be at the office as the phone rings straight away.
B) SMS your mobile phone with a verification code or
C) Post out to you a confirmation letter with a code.

Which ever way you receive your code, this can then be entered in on the Google Local Listing Site to verify and activate your Google maps, listing.

Once your Google local listing is confirmed. You may then need to wait half a day or so before you start testing search phrases to see if you're appearing for your targeted keyword phrases.

Ideally for your keyword phrase it is best to appear at the top of the Google local listings. Like organic search results the way that Google sorts their results is kept a mystery.