Posts Tagged authentication

Investigations are showing that higher rankings in Google’s local search results can be assisted by having a business listed on other directories that Google judges to be credible.  A directories credibilty can be raised if a directory validates it’s listings in a similar way that Google local search or Google Maps do.

Google local search or Google Maps uses one of three methods to authenticate a listing.

• Snail mail to the address of the business.
• A phone call to the phone number entered in the listing. This phone call will deliver a PIN number to be used to authenticate the listing.
• SMS sent to the mobile number entered in the listing. The SMS will contain a PIN number to be used to authenticate a listing.

If a business lists on a business directory that uses similar authentication methods that Google use  it’s probably safe to assume Google’s local search algorithm will award some points to the listing if the business details listed match the details listed in Google Maps.

The king of directories that Google would rank highly would be a paid listing in YellowPages, after all if a business pays to be listed (especially at YP rates) there is an excellent chance Google rates them with some high level of credibilty.

So if you want to give your listing a leg up in the rankings look to listing your business in directories that use some form of validation. That’s not to say you shouldn’t list your business in directories that do not validate listings, but it seems logical to assume that Google would judge validated listings as more credible.