Google’s Local Emphasis Will Affect SEO More than PPC

Do you sometimes enter a search term in Google with a city or state name followed by a service (i.e. Boston Dentist)? If so, then you have probably seen PPC ads, followed by a map with local listings and then the organic results. Google recently announced that they will be placing a much bigger emphasis on local listings. In addition to being triggered by city/state keywords, they will also be triggered by broad keywords. If your IP address places you in Boston and you type in the keyword “Dentist”, you may see Boston local listings.

Google’s new emphasis on local listings for broad terms as opposed to just geo terms (dentist vs. Miami Dentist) seems to be applied between position 4 and 5 organically on page one. This seems to be strategic as it keeps the eye on PPC ads but definitely rocks the organic results. This is yet another move by Google that is somewhat game changing for many players who really on SEO and PPC for their stability.

Read more here…