Bing local for SEO

While search engine optimization is internet wide, it is important to hit your local listings first, and expand from there. If you have a business that is locally based, not run just off the internet, getting on those local listings is key to your marketing strategy.

The following is a look at how to use Bing local as part of your marketing strategy:

1. Take a few minutes to set up your local listing on Bing. This is really important, and it is easy and it's free. Some people avoid this because they do not want to get the phone calls and junk mail from solicitors, but you have to realize that with the bad comes some real opportunity for good, and the biggest part of that is being accessible to potential clients. To set up the listing, you want to go to the Bing Local Listing Center, and create your local listing.

2. Make sure you have all of the things necessary to create a Bing local listing. One of the things you need to do is create a Windows ID. When you do this you set up contact information, phone information, email addresses, business hours, and the like.When filling this information out, you have the chance to add a lot of information so people can get a real sense of who your business is, what they offer, and what you can do for them. To do this, you fill out things like taglines, brands, affiliations, services, products, and the like. The more information you provide, the better it will be.

3. Maximize the number of categories you place your business in. One of the cool things that Bing offers is the opportunity to put your business in up to six categories based on the associated keywords. If you want to take advantage of your Bing local as a marketing tool, especially SEO, then use as many of those categories as you can. Bing will refine the search criteria so that the right people find you, but only if you choose as many categories as you can. So, even if it might be a little obscure, give yourself more exposure.

4. Last, review your listing, and make sure the push pin locator for your address and map is correct. If it is, then you can submit it.

The local listing places may not be as effective as a world wide web presence that is strong, but the fact is, everyone who searches for a product or service tends to look locally as well as a wider search, so having local listings that you are part of can only help. So, take advantage of Bing local for your SEO, and set up accounts with other local listing companies including Yelp, Yahoo! Local, etc.