Many online searchers now use Local Search keyword strings to get a more narrowed down search return.  For example, typing into Google the keyword phrase "search engine optimization" will yield tens of thousands of SEO websites that are located across the country. On the other hand, typing in "Denver Search Engine Optimization" will yield Denver Colorado search engine marketing companies that are more relevant to the online searcher.

Local Search is broken down into two categories. The first category of Local Search is using the Google Map feature.  Optimizing business listing content for Google Local is much different than search engine optimizing for the organic search engine results. Optimizing for Google Local requires getting excellent Citations, identifying where the center of the city is on the map and creating the Google Local business profile page.

Quick Guide on How to Optimize For Google Local

1. Make sure your business is properly listed by using Google’s Local Business Center. 

2. Open up a Google AdWords account and start a new ad campaign targeting your local market area. By doing this, your local ad will only show up when searchers are located in the area you are targeting.

3. Now design a Local Business Ad. Your ads will display in two parts: a highlighted listing in the search results column and a map marker that expands to show additional business details when the user clicks on the ad title or the marker itself.

How this helps your business is that your AdWords campaign will show up in the left column (the search results) in Google Maps, and also on the map. 

Google Universal Search

Google's Universal Search offers a blended set of search results in addition to just listing websites.  

For example, Google searchers do not need to visit Google Video's to find videos that are aligned with their keyword search term.  Now using a single keyword term searchers can see search results that list websites, maps, news, images, videos, shopping and gmail.   

Acperion has been doing Universal Search Optimization as part of its standard SEO launch plan.  

• Corporate press releases
• Videos
• Blogs
• Local listings
• Images 
• Twitter feeds

By search engine optimizing all of this meta data, it increases the probability to achieve multiple listings when a search user does one search and increases the likelihood that your online content will get the visit and not one of your competitors.