I’ve had customers tell me they “found me on Google” – but it doesn’t sound like they were at my website. How do I find out what’s going on? Where else am I appearing?

There are plenty of directories out there that will include your listing without notifying you. Most often, they include basic listings for many businesses, then charge for “premium” listings that include more information or appear higher in the results.

However, the chances are good that you’ve been found through Google’s local search results. These are popping up for more and more search terms, but especially for queries that include a city, town, or state. Take a look:

The results labeled A, B, and C – as well as more listings on the next page – are based on a combination of information that Google finds on the larger web and details that have been entered into their Local Business Center.

The LBC lets you provide a pretty good set of details about your business: hours, payment options, photos, videos, additional details that you define, even coupons for visitors to print and bring with them. The best part about it? Including all of that information is free.

You may be wondering why you have to duplicate information that’s already on your regular web site. The answer is simply that these local listings almost always show up at the top or near the top of the search results, while your web site isn’t guaranteed to be there.

Keep in mind that Google isn’t the only search engine in town. Here (again) is how to claim your local listing in Microsoft’s new Bing search engine. And here’s a great writeup of how to claim your listing on Yahoo!. Don’t worry if you’re not a flower shop – the instructions work for any business. On the other hand, keep in mind that Yahoo’s pending integration with Bing may do away with those listings.

Another example of a directory you should make sure you’re listed in is BuyerZone’s own Local Directory. Our directory is an easy way to find the B2B suppliers your company needs — and if you’re not already listed, we’ve made it easy to add your business.  Even if you are already listed, editing your listing lets you add company details and product descriptions that can help you stand out from your competition.

Finally, before you start working on your local listings, take a look at these tips on enhancing your local listings. The title says “Google” but the advice applies to all 3 major search engines.