This informative post will apply to small businesses like attorneys, dentists, financial planners, chiropractors, cosmetic surgeons, realtors, auto body shops, etc… When people put the word “(your city) (your specialty)” into Google, what every professional wants is for their company / practice to be the first one that pops up on that searcher’s local business map.

Getting your Google Places (formerly Google Maps) listing ranked #1 is certainly an attainable goal. Here are seven tips that you can use today in your local listing to ensure that your office finds its way to the top for maximum exposure!

Get Dozens of Reviews from Clients

It is extremely helpful to your rankings if your business has dozens reviews. By “dozens,” I mean as many as you can get. You want the volume of your reviews to overshadow those of all other professionals of the same specialty in your area. If others have five, 10 and 30, then you want 60, 70, 80 or more. Reviews are massive in terms of acquiring high rankings on Google and having your business highlighted on the map.

It is important that these reviews are real and they should be from your past or current clients / customers. The best thing to do to facilitate this is to contact your base and ask each of them to write a review. Use email to do this and give them a link to the review area. Create an incentive for them if your state board doesn’t have any issues with it.

The Power of Photos and Videos

Google Places listings love photos and videos. Use as many videos and still images as you can and make sure that your company logo is on each. The videos don’t need to be long. They can offer tips and valuable free information. Make each video subject specific, offering useful information in easy-to-understand, capsule form.

Photos can show you at the office, involved in charity or community work and even on a special trip. The photos and videos are all about connecting on both a professional and personnel level with prospective patients and keeping linked to your present clientele.

Keywords and Your Business Description

Using the correct keywords in your Google business description is important. Choose these words with care as they are designed to interact with the search engine, garnering you hits. The Google Keyword Tool can help you find the most popular keywords that people are searching and in what volumes.

Utilize Keywords in Your Business Name

Hopefully you have high-traffic keywords in the name of your business. This technique is very powerful. Make sure that you list your keyword rich business name correctly with Google.

Connect through Back-links and Citations

Whatever and wherever you post something related to your business, you want to make sure that it links back to the Google Places listing. Anchor text links are much better for the keyword(s) that you want to rank higher for online. Each one of your press releases, articles, forum posts, blogs, photos, citations from other authority sites, etc. should have a link to your Google local business listing.

Offer Limited Time Coupons

Google business listings allow you to upload coupons that can be downloaded by visitors. Offer limited time coupons that you change from time to time. Limited time coupons are a good way to get people to act since the expiration date on the coupon helps motivate people to take action. Keep changing your coupon offers and track which ones seem to work best in bringing in new business.

Get a Google Tag

Google Tags are those yellow tags you see in front of the listing when you search “Atlanta chiropractor,” for example. They’re right next to the maps listing and very powerful. You’ll be able to get one after you’ve verified the listing. This just helps you stand-out even more.

People will find you with Google Maps

Your Google business listing can be utilized to ensure that you garner hits, raising your search engine rankings and making your business pop-up on that prominent Google map. The great thing about Google Places is that people will find your chiropractic practice instantly and fast. Use each of the six tips above to access the power of this feature to get more new patients monthly.

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