Bing Local Listings are similar to Google Local (or Google Maps) in that they can come up above the algorithmic (organic) search engine results when a searcher includes local place names in a search query, for example: “SEO Company Cheltenham” rather than just “SEO Company”.

Up until now I had assumed that Bing Local listing submissions could only be completed by US based companies, with the few UK based local search engine results being cobbled together from the listings on third party business directories.

All that changed after I read Matthew Elshaws’ Blog on ineedhits.com entitled “How to Setup a UK Bing Local Listing” where he talks about Daniel Dutton who has identified where Microsoft gets UK local business listings from, in his blog post entitled “Get Listed in Microsoft UK’s Bing/MSN/Live Business Directory”.

Anyway long story short if you are based in the UK and want to see if it works go to http://www.marketlocation.com/changereq/ and enter your company details.

Please note that this is rather speculative and it will probably take some time for results to be seen, so please no e-mails.  I have submitted my own site and put the word out about this and will let you know the outcome.

Justin March offers this set of instructions as ‘Guidance Only’. Therefore, Justin cannot be held responsible for any work carried out by YOU and/or ANY third party using the instructions.

SEO Cheltenham Google Results

Now I have been conducting SEO work since before Google was the next big thing, so I expect to see fluctuations in the results from time to time.  I wouldn’t have been so concerned except for the fact that:

1. I was in the middle of researching an article entitled “How to add your Local Business Listing to Google Maps” and I needed screen shots.
2. I had just read an article about the new Google Local Business Listings Guideline Changes Source: http://searchengineland.com/google-targets-spammers-with-new-local-business-listing-guidelines-29077

The guideline changes in Google Local relate to the business name and the physical location of the business.  In terms of the business name that is used the new guidelines state that this should now be the full and legal business name, this suggests that keyword inclusion in conjunction with or replacing the business name will no longer be tolerated.

Examples of Business names that are now officially not allowed by the new Google Local Business Listings Guidelines:

“Business Name – Keyword1 Keyword2”
“Keyword1 Keyword2”

In terms of the location that is entered when a Google Local Business Listing is applied for this should be the central offices and not a PO Box or virtual location.

For further clarification see Business Listing Quality Guidelines at: http://maps.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=107528

Was this a penalty handed down by Google to punish all SEO’s?  Having dug about a bit obviously not as the search for SEO Bristol shows:

SEO Bristol Google Results

And it wasn’t anything to do with the area either as a search for Carpet Cheltenham shows:

Google Results Carpets Cheltenham

I also discovered many businesses breaking the new guidelines so it seems unlikely that they are the cause of this sudden change.

I posted a question here: http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=132017

The consensus seems to be that this is a blip on the landscape and that the listings will soon reappear thanks to Ali-v-8 for his thoughts.