The much applauded Local Search Ranking Factors is out with a second version. The well compiled guide published by many local SEO experts are based on survey results. The survey included polling 27 local SEO experts on 49 factors. These factors are those key points which will help in local search ranking. With respect to the influence of the 49 factors on Google and Yahoo Local search algorithm participants were asked to rate its importance. As follows

It is very common for a business location to have multiple business listings in Google Maps. These records are provided by Google's many data providers, readers who create new records without checking existing records from the Local Business Center leads to confusion. Since, a wrong click could remove the business from Maps completely.

Google recently created a comprehensive user guide for its local business center.

This user guide has seven major sections:

1. Getting started
2. Adding a listing
3. Adding more than 10 listings
4. Verifying a listing
5. Your Local Business Center homepage
6. Editing or removing a listing
7. Other features

Here's an introductory video of the user guide.

Loads of business owners are frustrated these days. Reason being that their businesses in Google Maps are labeled as closed, while they are still working in a perfect manner!

One webmaster at the Google webmaster forum states that:

The search result from Google shows our office as closed (the exact phrase shown is "place closed")
Can someone please point me how I can get this corrected? Our office is not closed.

Well, you read it right. Now there is a tool that will help your small business get better rankings in search engines. And it's free! Just sign in at GetListed.org. and do the needful!

Recently we talked about the launch of this tool. The two famous names attached with this tool are Patrick Sexton and David Mihm. They have taken the utter responsibility of boosting small businesses in local search engines via this tool.

Want to see how your business list on local search engines as quickly as possible? Then head your way towards this new tool by Patrick Sexton and David Mihm now!

This is what they said on the launch : “As our Mission Statement says, our goal is "to help small businesses claim and enhance their listings at major search engines." GetListed.org currently focuses on businesses based in the United States only, but an international version of the site is in development.”

Well, if you run a local online business, then you need to have a fair knowledge about the meta tags at some point or the other. For those who are completely clueless about this term, here is the explanation for meta tags (that play a very important role in SEO business): “Meta tags are HTML codes that are fitted into the header on a web page, after the title tag and give the visitor the extra information about the website he will be visiting.” Some people say that Meta tags hold no significance as search engines don't give them much importance. They are right but not completely. To conclude this debate, let us know some important facts about meta tags: