Google now holds a 70% market share of the search engine game and increasing your visibility in Google Search is key to gaining new clients. In addition, you may have noticed that Google now displays 7 local listings and a map when you search for a local business or service. Guess what? Graphic design is a service and a business. You can immediately increase your visibility to potential clients in your area by registering yourself in Google’s Local Business Center.

Local SEO for Graphic Designers

It takes about 5 minutes to sign up and fill out your info. At the end, they need to verify your account by phone or postcard. I chose phone and received a call within 10 seconds of submitting my listing. Voila! I found myself in Google Maps a few minutes later.

In a busy city like Los Angeles it isn’t easy to be ranked in normal search results, but follow these tips to increase your visibility in both general search and google maps search.

• Use words that describe your service like Logo Designer, Freelance Designer, etc. in your listing. I used SEO Consultant in the example above
• Add your website address to your local listing; add your local address to your website (in html text, not flash, not image)
• Guest post on blogs and link back to your site with words like “logo designer in los angeles” or “web designer in west la”
• If you are a web designer who has worked with local businesses, ask them for a “web design by______” link in the footer.
• Ask past clients to add reviews for you on Google Maps

Even if you don’t get ranked in general search results, you may find that clients will find  you by browsing the area closest to their business. For example, my listing didn’t show up until I moved the map near my address. Lucky for me, there are a ton of office buildings nearby.