Local search optimization has been getting a lot of press lately. Many people are increasingly relying on online searches over traditional media to navigate their local areas, making localized SEO more important than ever for brick-and-mortar businesses.

The first step in any SEO campaign is to ensure that the basics are in place. The same factors most important to general optimization also hold true for any of its subsets.

Start your localization campaign by listing a site on Google’s Local Business Center. Here you can verify ownership of a business and have fine control of your business listing. The majority of businesses never claim or verify their listings with Google, but this is a key step in the localized SEO process. It is speculated that Google gives higher priority to this information than others (probably at least in part because it can verify ownership), so be sure the information is accurate and specific. As with most Google products, the process for listing a business is straightforward: sign in and input basic business information, then verify ownership by phone or mail.

From there, move on to search engine trusted business directories. Though many of these listings are no-follow, the location, category, and other key information is read by Google and added to its overall profile of a business. A business gains credibility with each source. Google has been known to gather location information from the Better Business Bureau, InfoUSA, Acxiom, and Localeze, though these can change so it is wise to cover a variety. Don’t neglect local directories such as the local chamber of commerce. These local listings help Google connect the relevancy dots between a specific address and associated locations. SEOmoz also suggests this simple tactic for finding out where competitors are listed.

Make sure when entering information that all listings match exactly so Google sees the same address across the Web. For example, if the business is located on North Fifth Street, do not write “N. Fifth Street” in one place and “North 5th St.” in another. Google will probably figure it out, but for consistency it is best not to rely on any engine’s interpretation.

Finally, business reviews are a valuable piece of the local SEO puzzle. Encourage customers to leave feedback on various review sites and make it easy for them to do so. You want as many as possible, and you want them consistently coming in. More reviews show customers interacting with the business, and a consistent stream looks more legitimate than a large amount all clustered around the same time period. EzLocal has a few suggestions for how to encourage customers to leave reviews. Of course it’s nice if these reviews are positive, but even a few negative reviews can add credibility to your business. After all, no legitimate business is perfect 100 percent of the time. In addition, properly monitored negative reviews give the business a chance to make things right and showcase their excellent customer service.

In short, if you want to find your search at the coveted top map results on Google, submit it to Google’s Local Business Center, list it in trusted nationwide and local directories, and gather as many reviews as possible -- all this on top of a solid general SEO campaign, such as the kind we can provide at findyoursearch.com.