Did you know that the Google search engine processes 1.4 million search requests per minute!

Have you ever wondered how a small business could appear in the list of Google’s local results.  The local results are the lists of businesses that appear at the top of Google search results with their location on a map.

In order to list your business here, all you have to do is register your business at Google Local Business Center.

It is very easy to register, and you can include additional information like photos, videos,  business hours, testimonials and a link to your website.

Google’s local search results appear when a searcher combines a search item with a geographical place name, i.e., “Hairdressers Manchester.”

The results are sorted by their relevance, which is often heavily weighted by the result’s proximity to your own geographical location.

For some searches that do not include a geographical location, Google will display local results based on Google’s knowledge of your current location, based on how you access the Internet (ie your IP address).Just search “hairdressers” and you will likely see a list of local results as well.

Google’s Local Business Centre has many advantages for small businesses – the main one being that Google Local Business Center is absolutely free, unlike the Yellow Pages, direct mail, or even Google’s own AdWords programme.

Google Local Business Center is one of the Internet’s  hidden treasures and the new way to search for local businesses.

Related posts:

1. Getting Better Visibility on Google: An Interview with Google’s Matt Cutts

Matt Cutts gives his usual great advice -- this time about getting better visibility on Google:-

• Just think about what people will type in to find your site and use those keywords on your page.
• “Title tags matter”, when people search on Google the title tag is what people see, and is the first impression of your website.
• The description tag is a short summary of what your website is all about and is also often shown to users when they search on Google.  So if the title and meta description are in good shape, that is what people will find and they will know that your site is the one they are looking for.
• Matt says that a blog is one of the best ways of participating in the conversation that is happening on the web all the time. A blog is great for any business and it does not have to be complicated.  You can talk about things like your weirdest customers, what made you decide to start a small business.  Do not forget that if something interests you then it probably interests others too.  People start to participate and get to know more about you and your business, and start to form a more positive perception.  Participating on other social media sites helps too.
• Provide facts and tips about your business that others will be interested in -- you will generate interest and gain natural back links.
• Google crawls all  sites for free and frequently.  You don’t have to do anything special or pay Google anything.  Just make sure that Google can find your website as above.
• You don’t rank higher on Google if you buy advertising.
• Submitting a sitemap helps Google to find your site more easily.

Related posts:

1. Google Local Business Search