What Google's 7 pack means to your business fitness?

No, we are not talking about abs here. We are rather referring to something that has an impact on your business health. A must have for all locally oriented business in Cleveland or anywhere in the country - The 7 pack or the O pack as it is known.

This Google listing appears as 7 prominent results just below the "Sponsored Results" on a Google Search Engine Results Page" (SERP). These mostly appear when the searcher attaches a location modifier along with the keyword such as Car Service Cleveland or Tax Attorneys Akron OH. These results might also be generated WITHOUT the location modifier sometime but the condition is that the searcher must be logged in to her Google account and should have her Web History enabled (this happens by default in Google).

Two interrelated reasons why you should care, if you are selling your services in Cleveland, in Akron or in any city/state in US:

• The visibility of these results is quite high, so much so that it cannot be overlooked. 
• Searchers who have a location modifier attached with their search tend to buy more. In other words, these are actual buyers who might be interested in your product or service offering. 

How to Get in the Google 7 Pack for Local Business?

This is an art AND a science in itself and there are many SEO companies in Cleveland who should be able to get you in there. For more of the do yourself types, here are some suggestions:

• Claim or create your Local Business Listing on Google Places (Google Places was formerly known as Google Local Business Center)
• Add multiple locations in case you are physically present at multiple places, but do not fake a listing. 
• Make sure that you have consistent address  information on yellow pages, directories, partner sites and elsewhere. 
• Use "Suggested Categories" and Custom Categories efficiently while optimizing your Google Places listing. Do some keyword research
• Use an H card generator for producing address related microformats.
• Add photos, coupons, videos, custom maps to your listing on Google Places
• Have your customers review your site and services on Google Places and other review sites and Yellow page sites. 
• Build citations and links to your business website
• InfoUSA –  Submit link
• Superpages.com –Submit link
• Localeze – Submit link
• Yelp – Sign up as a business owner
• InsiderPages – Submit link
• Judy's Book - Submit link
• Merchant Circle - Submit link
• City Search - Submit link
• Follow SEO best practices on your website. 
• Hire a Local Internet Marketing Expert

For more information on how to sell more locally, keep reading this blog. Other important blogs that delve deep into local SEO in particular are:
Mihmorandum by David Mihm
Mike Bluementhal
Dev Basu