getting a listing "next to the map"

what factors are involved?

[Makaveli2007]

Im trying to get a listing "next to the map" for a friend's local business.

I can think of these factors:

1. put the address on the website (preferrably in a way that it can get crawled ;))

2. Submit to Google Maps.

Is there anything else that can be done? I've been wondering for a while how they created those local search results with the map....and how important it is to get listed next to the map in the first place (maybe nobody clicks on them, yet, maybe they take 90% of the traffic?)

thanks!

[phranque]

i would suggest visiting the google local business center [google.com] and proceed from there.

[inbound]

I agree with Phranque, and would add that the increase in the number of searches that now trigger local map/results above the organic serps makes it worthwhile to invest the small amount of time it takes.

[phranque]

this WebmasterWorld thread on "How To Get My Business To Show Up As A Map In Google SERPs" [webmasterworld.com] has some more details on for you.

[DiscoStu]

^^^ That was a great thread, very interesting. I'm curious, I've noticed that for certain phrases, the local map box doesn't always pop up. I was doing a search the other day that had 10 listings next to the map, and today there's nothing on that search term - only standard organic results. Anyone know how/why this happens?

[Silvery]

Certain types of phrases "invoke" the special blended search results treatments that can include Google Maps results.

Some phrases are more likely to invoke the local one-box or ten-box than others.

For instance, city names with two or three words in them like "Los Angeles" are slightly less likely to invoke the treatment than others, because it can be slightly harder to for Google to discern what the query is about. Also, if the phrase includes the name of a common business category like "plumbers" or "restaurants", then it's more likely to invoke.