There are several key factors to consider when implementing Local Search Engine Optimization for your business. Most searchers never look beyond the first page of results. In fact, most local searchers are in a “find and purchase” or “contact” mode. They don’t have time to browse the web for hours and days, they simply want to see results now. This means that if your business isn’t on the first page of local search results, you could be missing out on potential customers who are ready to make an immediate purchase or contact.
While your business may be local, your listings might not be. Local ranking is determined by several factors, including the location of a customer, reviews on your business page, and the keywords that appear on your website. These factors are all considered by Google to determine your local ranking. When creating a local listing, make sure to include keywords that are relevant to the area in which you operate. While you’ll want to target the right audience, keep in mind that your business is not trying to compete with larger corporations with multiple locations.
The number of links and reviews pointing to your website will also be important for your local SEO strategy. You don’t want your links to be from low-quality sources and spammy schemes that only benefit the link builders. Those sites are likely to have fewer and lower quality links than your competitors. Moreover, you’ll want to use Google’s Behavior-Tracking tools to understand what your visitors are looking for. These tools are available through the Google family and will give you actionable insights about your website’s performance.
Getting a high number of positive reviews is essential for local businesses. Although it may not seem like a significant amount of work, reviews show that consumers trust your business. This trust is one of the most important factors in Google’s ranking algorithms. Replying to reviews is another key factor in local SEO. Just like with all other types of SEO, traditional ranking factors still apply to local. The higher your organic ranking, the higher your chance of being featured in the Map Pack.
The key to local SEO is using local keywords that people will actually search for. In other words, local searchers will search for local businesses using local city names. Although keyword research hasn’t changed too much, there are new trends to consider. Increasing access to devices like the Amazon Echo and Google Home have changed how people execute local searches. Those devices are the best places to begin implementing Local SEO. The future of search is local!
A local SEO strategy must include optimization of your Google My Business (GMB) listing. Google My Business (GMB) is Google’s tool for managing business listings. The right Google My Business listing can greatly impact your search ranking. The proximity of the searcher to the business, category of the business, and keywords in the business title are all important signals. According to Moz, local SEO ranking factors account for up to 25% of overall ranking factors, so it is vital to optimize your listing.
Another crucial factor for local SEO is having consistent NAP. Using different NAPs can lower your website’s search rankings, and they can hurt your revenue. Also, search engines are less trusting of NAP+W variants, so it’s vital to audit all places your business is listed and correct variations in your data. The following are three ways to optimize your NAP for local SEO: