business ranking in google

[Dazeal]

When I do a florist search for: florist Ashland Oregon

I am ranked second in the Google search, but before the search are the business listings and the Google map to the left of it. The florists are listed by letters and I am ranked 4th (D) there. Why is that and how can I be A?

SEO is my weak point, can anyone explain this? If this has been asked before sorry, I didn't do a search.

 

[CHR]

Ranking Factors for Google Local Search

Happy Reading.

P.S. Your recent move will take a while to percolate through all the places where G looks for citations. Make sure you've changed your address everywhere.

 

[mlou]

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CHR, great link...loads of good info.

Dazeal, I'm assuming you have claimed, verified and updated your listing...

I think there are three main factors that influence your website rankings in Google Maps and Yahoo Local...Those being Google’s trust in the information they have about your business, back-links from other local directories, and user generated reviews....

I think one measure of trust that Google uses is if the information they see about your business is standardized thru out the web. Have you used different names for your business on different websites? If the Superpages list you as Enchanted Florist Ashland, wedding-resources.com has two listing as Enchanted florist (chicfloral.com) and Enchanted florist (kirklands.biz), and your website says Enchanted florist chocolate, flowers, cafe...how can Google tell if you are one business or three? Same thing with address and phone number.

For back-links from other local directories, get listed in directories likeYellowPages.com, SuperPages.com and InfoUSA, localeze.com, DexOnline, CitySearch, the BBB,. There are lots more local directories where you can submit your information...

BIG HINT: check your competition's backlink, get listed were they are listed. Add information and local keywords with the details about your products and services.. Some listings allow photos and blog info, too. Here is an example listing that several SEO experts use...http://www.google.com/maps?hl=en&lr...6371075285411481&sa=X&oi=local&ct=result&cd=1

The most popular user generated review sites include Yelp.com, Insider Pages, CitySearch.com, MojoPages.com, Tupalo.com, YellowBot and LittleEngine.com.

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[avenuegardensflorist]

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...BIG HINT: check your competition's backlink, get listed were they are listed. Add information and local keywords with the details about your products and services.. Some listings allow photos and blog info, too. Here is an example listing that several SEO experts use...http://www.google.com/maps?hl=en&lr=...ct=result&cd=1

i am sure you have covered this before but I must have forgotten. What are backlinks and how do we go about checking them to see if they are favorable for us. Are backlinks something we can change or are they something that evolves over time?

 

[Dazeal]

Back links are links from other websites to yours.

Thanks a lot Cathy and Mary Lou, you two rock and ROLL! I have changed my Google listings yes, I'll snoop around for any other listings I need to update a physical location.

 

[avenuegardensflorist]

Back links are links from other websites to yours.

Thanks a lot Cathy and Mary Lou, you two rock and ROLL! I have changed my Google listings yes, I'll snoop around for any other listings I need to update a physical location.

yes, I figured that but how does one check them out and change them?

 

[Dazeal]

I use this: http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/

It checks blogs, web news, etc.. Enjoy.

 

[theRKF]

Back links are links from other websites to yours.

Thanks a lot Cathy and Mary Lou, you two rock and ROLL! I have changed my Google listings yes, I'll snoop around for any other listings I need to update a physical location.

Be sure to check the sources of local business data. Companies like InfoUSA, iBegin, Super/YellowPages, etc. This will make sure the correct data flows down into the other directories that feed from the main sources.

Ryan

 

[mlou]

Dazeal...Did you notice the "A" listing for florist Ashland Oregon is not a website, but a listing in DexKnows with additional info from localeze.com.

DexKnows lists five florist shops in Ashland OR
FlowerTyme
Judy's Ashland Flower Shop
Le Mera Gardens
Eufloria Flowers
Garden Gate Flower Co

Where is Enchanted Florist (also getting a couple of reviews)?

.

 

[Dazeal]

WTFudge?

TY MLOU OMGosh. I can't believe that Euphloria is at A and doesn't even have a website. Awesomeness Google. I might be too late for MDay. Working on that now. I'm such a SEO noob.


/big Oregon bear hug

 

[mlou]

...

i am sure you have covered this before but I must have forgotten. What are backlinks and how do we go about checking them to see if they are favorable for us. Are backlinks something we can change or are they something that evolves over time?

Yes, if you do a search for backlinks you'll find several posts...
Perhaps this one will help.

http://www.flowerchat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7779&highlight=backlinks

yes, I figured that but how does one check them out and change them?

Bert,
Link building is one of the most important things that you need to do if you want to get high rankings on Google.

A good way to start backlinks is to contact the websites that link to your competitors.

Here are links to a couple of backlink checkers (there are many good free checkers)
http://www.backlinkwatch.com/
http://www.iwebtool.com/backlink_checker


BIG HINT: Make sure that the links to your website contain the right keywords.

Google wants to find a relation between the words that are used to link to your website and the content on your web page. If lots of websites link to your website with the word "flowers" then Google's algorithm will come to the conclusion that your website should be listed in the search results for the keyword "flowers".

You need to make sure that the links to your website don't look like a "Google bomb". If the linked web page contains the same keywords as the link texts then it is less likely that the links are part of a Google bomb. Links to your website must use keywords that are related to your website. The keyword should be varied.

For example:
if you want to be listed for "flowers", the other websites should link to your website with link texts such as "flowers", "birthday flowers", "online flowers", "flowers for delivery", etc. The web page to where the links point should also contain content about flowers.

If your website already has some links then you should make sure that the other websites link with the right link texts to your site. Yes, these links can be changed, then you have to wait for the search engines to spider them and add the new text.

If the other website links to you with a unrelated words such as "click here" or "more information" then contact the other website or webmaster and politely ask them to change the link text.

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[avenuegardensflorist]

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....thank you. Hope it rains this weekend so I can have some
computer time to really get deep and dirty into backlinking!

Thanks!!!

 

[mlou]

...



....thank you. Hope it rains this weekend so I can have some
computer time to really get deep and dirty into backlinking!

Thanks!!!

Be careful what you wish for...We had rain Monay evening and early AM Tuesday morning...

This is Lakeside County Club, where I'm suppose to have Mother's Day Dinner next Sunday...

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