Getting a local listing in Bing Maps

We’ve previously blogged about how local search is a really important part of most SEO campaigns.

And a key part of optimising your website for local search is adding a business listing to Google Maps. Depending on your search query, this can lead to your site being ranked in Google’s local business results.

For example, a search for ‘seo portsmouth’ on Google UK shows ‘Vertical Leap – SEO and PPC’  in both the local business results and the main search results.

What about Bing?

But what about Microsoft’s new search engine, Bing? How can you get your business listed?

Well, Bing offers similar results to Google when you search for services or products by place or postcode. But there don’t seem to be as many businesses with a local listing on Bing (hence no local results for ‘seo portsmouth’).

Google vs Bing

Unfortunately, if you are UK-based, it’s not quite as simple to get a local listing in Bing as it is in Google.

While Google offers a clear step-by-step guide and verification process to get you listed, it seems that all of Bing’s UK local listings are handled by one database. However, this may change as Bing launches more features in the UK – for example, US businesses can submit their details directly through Bing.

How to get your UK business listing in Bing Maps

Simply go to the Market Location database form and fill in your details.

Once you’ve completed the form, Market Location say it will take around 4-6 weeks to update their database. And then, your listing on Bing Maps will only be updated when Bing next pull in the information from Market Location.

So there could be a longish wait to see your business appear in the local listings. But if a few minutes of effort can bring a few extra enquiries or sales, it should all be worth it. And you’ll already be in a good position when Bing makes it easier for UK Businesses to add their details to local listings.

Just don’t forget that local listings in Google, Yahoo and Bing are not the only things you should be doing for your local SEO