How to get your business on the map that appears on the top of a Google search

[Ruth Mills]

Here's a bit of info that might help people with websites and save you getting ripped off by the "dodgy" search engine optimisation companies that have the annoying habit of cold-calling you and blinding you with their usual spiel about keywords and whatnot...

To get your business to appear on the map at the top of a Google search, just go to http://www.google.co.uk/local/add and follow the instructions to add your business details - it's completely free.

 

[Dinkydot]

Thanks for that Ruth...have just added my details!

 

[Martigirl]

thank you xxx:hug:

 

[Tonimaxwill]

Thank you Ruth, I have also added my details

 

[tigi]

thank you ruth. very helpful.

xxxxxxxx

 

[Ruth Mills]

Cool - glad that was of help. I just thought it would be useful for people in general - especially as I have heard of a fair few people being "cold called" by companies pretending to be Google (when they actually have nothing at all to do with Google) over the last few months or so - one of whom was severely ripped off and ended up paying £300 for them to just shove a logo (which Carl had already done for them) at the top of a plain grey page - and still haven't managed to get their money back from the credit card company because the cheeky SEO company are still digging their heels in - and if you visit the website of the company in question then they have the most unfair terms and conditions that you'll probably ever see!

Also, companies like that will still try and "hook" you (and try and sell you SEO that you almost certainly don't need) even if you already have a website, e.g. with Vistaprint or whatever.

So best avoided like the plague in my opinion!

If you *do* get cold-called by them, and are seriously thinking of using their services, then probably the best thing to do is ask them for their web address, so you can see their website and read their terms and conditions in full before signing up.

Another cheeky trick they pulled was to create the first draft of the website "design" (the one with Carl's logo on the plain grey screen) 8 days after payment was taken - so just long enough for the cooling off period under the distance selling regulations to have elapsed.

 

[heatherp]

Thanks Ruth, great info and have added my details too.

Sorry didn't get to see you at the show yesterday, busy getting my teeth whitened

Hope your day went well and may get to meet next time.

H x

 

[Ruth Mills]

Thanks Ruth, great info and have added my details too.

Sorry didn't get to see you at the show yesterday, busy getting my teeth whitened

Hope your day went well and may get to meet next time.

H x

Cool, glad it's been useful for people

I was *way* busy at Excel yesterday anyway what with modelling for Andy's morning waxing demo and the pedicure competition in the afternoon...

 

[tinkywinky]

Thanks for sharing Ruth I appreciate your help I'm useless with sites and SEO xxx

 

[Ruth Mills]

Thanks for sharing Ruth I appreciate your help I'm useless with sites and SEO xxx

Cool - it's nice to be able to share little things like that, as it's helping geeks out in general and making sure they don't get ripped off...

 

[chocolatepickle]

Just another adding my thanks ruth, i have absolutely no techno-no-how so little tips like that are gems for me. thanks! :hug:

 

[Ruth Mills]

Just another adding my thanks ruth, i have absolutely no techno-no-how so little tips like that are gems for me. thanks! :hug:

Yep - that's exactly why people can be easy prey for the rip-off SEO merchants unless they're suitably informed otherwise

 

[Jenx]

Here's a bit of info that might help people with websites and save you getting ripped off by the "dodgy" search engine optimisation companies that have the annoying habit of cold-calling you and blinding you with their usual spiel about keywords and whatnot...

To get your business to appear on the map at the top of a Google search, just go to http://www.google.co.uk/local/add and follow the instructions to add your business details - it's completely free.

I did that and it makes such a difference, even if my own website doesn't come up, I always come up at the top because of the google maps.


Quick question though, why is it if you put quite a few words in the search it seems to ignore google maps?
e.g. lash extensions west lothian - the google maps advert comes up, semi-permanent eyelash extensions west lothian - it doesn't show.

Just curious xx

 

[Ruth Mills]

Quick question though, why is it if you put quite a few words in the search it seems to ignore google maps?
e.g. lash extensions west lothian - the google maps advert comes up, semi-permanent eyelash extensions west lothian - it doesn't show.

Just curious xx

To be honest, I don't know - as I don't have access to the internal workings of Google.

But maybe the text that you submitted to Google says "lash extensions" and not "semi-permanent eyelash extensions" so it's just trying to find a business that matches "lash extensions"? I thought it would have been cleverer than that though...

 

[EMMA AT ELITE]

Thanks for the link Ruth, I had just added my details too, massive helpful hint! :hug:

 

[lublu]

Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Divine Beauty Newcastle]

I had a company ring me and really try to pressure me into paying them several hundered pounds to get onto the first page of google, and an extra couple of hundred to put me on google maps - which I had already done myself for free! They then went on to tell me I only get around 3 hits a month on my website, which is complete rubbish. The call was then taken over by the manager of the company who really tried to give me the hard sell and told me I only had a few days to jump in as everyone was going mad to have this done and they were only doing 10 websites, and they would knock 100 quid off and let me pay in installments. When I eventually hung up they emailed me with some details and actually they werent even goin to get any websites to the top of google, it was their own page they were going to put up, just with a logo and a link to my website. They hadnt mentioned that part at all in the phone call and had the cheek to try and get my payment details several times!

 

[Ruth Mills]

I had a company ring me and really try to pressure me into paying them several hundered pounds to get onto the first page of google, and an extra couple of hundred to put me on google maps - which I had already done myself for free! They then went on to tell me I only get around 3 hits a month on my website, which is complete rubbish. The call was then taken over by the manager of the company who really tried to give me the hard sell and told me I only had a few days to jump in as everyone was going mad to have this done and they were only doing 10 websites, and they would knock 100 quid off and let me pay in installments. When I eventually hung up they emailed me with some details and actually they werent even goin to get any websites to the top of google, it was their own page they were going to put up, just with a logo and a link to my website. They hadnt mentioned that part at all in the phone call and had the cheek to try and get my payment details several times!

Grr, the sheer cheek of it! I've heard of another web design company sending spam messages concerning search engine optimisation too - who on the face of it sound reasonable until you realise that they charge over 6 and a half times more for web hosting than what the client was paying for previously!

But that's nowhere near as bad as the company who called you, by the sound of it!

 

[WaxGirl]

Thanks Ruth! Amazing tip, did it yesterday, and it's all FREE!

Thank you I love practical advice like this.

 

[Ruth Mills]

If it also helps, here are a list of "free index" websites where you can add a link to your site for free...

FreeIndex - The free UK business directory
Hot Frog - Your UK Business Directory
Jobs, Cars, Property, Free Classifieds and More - Gumtree.com
Free business listing, free advertising - online UK business directory
London Reviews, London Top Restaurants, Pubs, Shopping, Nightlife, Services and More | Tipped
Scoot | Scoot Home - UK Business Finder
Free Business Directory | Advertise Free
London Restaurants, Dentists, Pubs, Beauty Salons, Doctors

Although don't be pressured by their sales people into taking a "paid for" listing unless you *really* want to, as it probably won't make that much difference... some of the companies above have been known to "spam phone call" you a few days after you place a free ad on there to attempt to bamboozle you into paying annually (often around 200 quid a year!!!) for a paid advertisement on their site!