The Google LatLong Blog have announced support for rich snippets on Google Maps and local results. This could present an opportunity to raise the profile of your business on Local search queries.
Google says:
“
your use of Rich Snippets can help people find the web pages you’ve created that may reference a specific place or location”
Whether creating a website for your own business, an article on a newly opened restaurant, or a guide to the best places in town, the use of Rich Snippets can help associate your site with the search results for that particular place. Although Google is not guaranteeing that your site will be shown in search results, this is another factor which helps Google understand your site – and seems likely to have a positive impact on Google Places (and 7 pack) Listings for Local search queries.
Structured Markup
Rich Snippet data is implemented through the use of Structured Markup, and according to Google :
“By using structured markup to describe a business or organization mentioned on your page, you not only improve the Web by making it easier to recognize references to specific places but also help Google surface your site in local search results. “
Google supports a variety of structured markup formats (e.g. Microdata, Microformats or RDFa) which allow you to label each piece of text to identify that it represents a certain type of data (e.g. a business name, an address, or a review rating). This is done by adding HTML tags that help computers understand the data. These tags don’t affect the appearance of your pages, but Google and any other services that look at the HTML can use the tags for a more precise understanding of the items referenced on the page.
Structured markup a little bit technical but most people with basic HTML skills should be able to implement it without too much trouble. Google Maps provide some tips for using Rich Snippets for Local Search
If you’d like advice or assistance with implementing rich snippets on your site – please feel free to get in touch with us.