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Noah - you can do either or just make sure the page content offers value and is unique content.  You can put your sales message above the fold if you want.  That's usually the way I handle it.

There is a great recorded webinar on this topic here: http://www.brightlocal.com/2013/07/19/advanced-onsite-local-seo-techniques/

It covers all the do's and dont's for optimization pages for local, but for single location and multi location businesses.

I also offer an example ideal local landing page here:

http://www.smallbusinessonlinecoach.com/blog/seo/onpage-optimization-local-seo-perfectly-optimized-local-page/

I don't think it's getting phased out.  It could close some clients if your place of business is very cool, but as it stands now it's hard to find a places local page.  We done it for many clients and we have not noticed any rank change or conversion increase due it.  It's pretty affordable, most certified photographers seem to charge about 400-600 so I say if you have the $ do it.   You can always repurpose the awesome photos in other places on the net to market your business.

There is a pretty decent webinar on this subject - recorded here: http://www.brightlocal.com/2013/07/19/advanced-onsite-local-seo-techniques/ (I'm a little bias b/c I am one of the presenters), but it should cover just about everything one would need to know about onpage optimization for local seo.    I also have an infographic of a good example of how to structure a page or onpage optimization for local here: http://www.smallbusinessonlinecoach.com/blog/seo/onpage-optimization-local-seo-perfectly-optimized-local-page/   Hope this helps!

We are now using grouphigh.  We were using buzzstream, but now using grouphigh's tool.  it's pretty darn good.  worth checking out if you do a ton of outreach for online marketing and guest posting.

There is a great recorded webinar on this topic here: http://www.brightlocal.com/2013/07/19/advanced-onsite-local-seo-techniques/

It covers all the do's and dont's for optimization pages for local, but for single location and multi location businesses.

I also offer an example ideal local landing page here:

http://www.smallbusinessonlinecoach.com/blog/seo/onpage-optimization-local-seo-perfectly-optimized-local-page/

There is a pretty decent webinar on this subject - recorded here: http://www.brightlocal.com/2013/07/19/advanced-onsite-local-seo-techniques/ (I'm a little bias b/c I am one of the presenters), but it should cover just about everything one would need to know about onpage optimization for local seo.    I also have an infographic of a good example of how to structure a page or onpage optimization for local here: http://www.smallbusinessonlinecoach.com/blog/seo/onpage-optimization-local-seo-perfectly-optimized-local-page/   Hope this helps!

I don't think it's getting phased out.  It could close some clients if your place of business is very cool, but as it stands now it's hard to find a places local page.  We done it for many clients and we have not noticed any rank change or conversion increase due it.  It's pretty affordable, most certified photographers seem to charge about 400-600 so I say if you have the $ do it.   You can always repurpose the awesome photos in other places on the net to market your business.

Noah - you can do either or just make sure the page content offers value and is unique content.  You can put your sales message above the fold if you want.  That's usually the way I handle it.