Among the factors that influence your rank on local searches on Google is your citations, especially your NAP (Name / Address / Phone Number).
Consistency is key! How do you find all the 2nd-tier local listing services, and how do you optimize those second-tier listings for a consistent NAP? In this video, for example, I will first reenforce the importance of Google and Yelp, and then show you how to use Yext and/or MOZ to identify your local listings. Let’s get started!
- Watch the Video
- Links and Resources (scroll down below the video)
Watch “Local SEO: How to Use Yext and MOZ to Find Your Local Listings” on YouTube!
The Two and a Half Biggies: Google, Yelp, and Yellow Pages
First of all, keep things in perspective. For local SEO results (rank on the local snack pack for local searches such as such as pizza or probate attorney), it’s primarily about your Google reviews, your Google+ listing, and (on Bing), your listing on Yelp (see pizza on Bing and notice the Yelp reviews). Yelp also commonly shows on many Google local searches, so it’s really the #2 network when it comes to local. In some locales, Yellow Pages plays a role similar to Yelp.
Here are the links to find / claim your listing for these three.
- Google+. Go to Google+ business and follow the instructions there; make sure you are signing up as a LOCAL business.
- Yelp. Go to https://biz.yelp.com/ and similarly follow the instructions to claim your listing on Yelp.
- Yellow Pages. Go to http://m1.adsolutions.yp.com/free-listing-basic-benefits and similarly follow the instructions to claim your listing on Yellow Pages.
These are the three big services (two and a half, really, as Yellow Pages is not very strong). Make sure that your business NAP (Name / Address / Phone Number) is consistent on all three AND make sure it matches the NAP on your website. Your website should be consistent with your listings, and your listings should be consistent with your website. Also make sure that your website links to/from your Google+ / Yelp / Yellow Page listings and that the listings link back to your website, preferably a page that has your address / phone on it in an easy-to-find, prominent place.
Now you’ve established NAP citation consistency, it’s time to turn to the 2nd-tier networks.
2nd-tier Networks and NAP Consistency
The Internet is full of “also ran” networks to Google, Yelp, and the Yellow Pages. Judy’s Books, SuperPages, Hot Frog, City Search… the list goes on and on. You can identify and claim them one by one, or you can use a free service to locate your local listings. Then, you can either do it one by one or you can pay a fee and have Yext or MOZ local propagate your NAPs to the 2nd tier listings. We’ll use the example of the Mecca Coffee Company of Tulsa, Oklahoma, as we work thru the process. (If you’re every lucky enough to visit Tulsa, be sure to stop in for the best coffee store in the Sooner State!). Note that their NAP is: Mecca Coffee Company, 1330 E 41st St, Tulsa, OK 74105, Tel. 918-749-3509. You can find them on Google, here (review link) and here, on Yelp, here, and on Yellow Pages, here. Note that Google+ is a bit of a mess; the local listing “powers” the Google maps feature, but the Google+ listing is actually INVISIBLE to the end consumer. Only you as the business owner can easily see it on Google+ at https://www.google.com/business. It’s a mess! 
OK, so Mecca Coffee Company is (almost) consistent on their website, their Google+ listing, their Yelp listing, and their Yellow Page listings. Except, note that on Yelp it’s Mecca Coffee and on the Website as well as Google & Yellow Pages it’s Mecca Coffee Company. Also note that they do rank in the “Snack Pack” for coffee companies Tulsa on Google.
Next, go to YEXT and MOZ to identify the 2nd tier listing sites –
- Yext at http://www.yext.com/. Enter your Country, Business Name, Phone Number, and hit SCAN NOW. You can then click on “view listing” to find each listing, and then follow the procedures to claim / optimize each listing to create a consistent NAP. (Or you can pay about $500 / and have YEXT do this for you!).
- MOZ Local at https://moz.com/local. Enter the company name and ZIP code and hit ‘Check my Business Listing’. Then, similar to YEXT you can click to view your listing and then follow the procedures to claim / optimize each listing to create a consistent NAP. (Or you can pay about $84 / and have MOZ local do this for you!).
Both services are good, but Yext is easier to use (and more expensive). At the end of this exercise, you then have a consistent NAP across – your WEBSITE, your GOOGLE+ listing, your YELP listing, your YELLOW PAGES listing, and your 2nd tier listings.
