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How Do I Improve My Local Search?
The Complete Guide to Improving Your Local Search & Ranking Higher In Google.
How Do I Improve My Local search? Firstly let me explain What Local Search Is and How Does it Actually Work? So any SEO strategy that targets customers in a specific city, town, or neighbourhood should include local search.
A local SEO strategy focuses on improving your rankings and visibility in local searches. These results are known as The Google Maps Pack, aka the Local 3-Pack or SERP.
The ranking factors used by Google for local search results make Local SEO unique and different to an overall SEO plan. That's why a large franchise can be known and have a brand that stands out nationally but at a local level the franchisee struggles to be found.
Local SEO is beneficial for any business with a physical location or serving a specific geographic area. Whenever you search Google for any category, eg “ plumber, hairdresser” or a term such as “ladies clothing or pool filter”. A map with the top three listings appears underneath it.
This is a sign that local SEO has rated these top 3 businesses as the best to meet your search criteria and location.
💡 Tip: Local SEO will boost your business and get more customers to buy.
1. Love your Google Business Profile
It's no secret that Google Business profiles are at the top of local search results. The Google Business Profile tool is designed to help your business meet Google's needs since it supports, verifies, and shares its own content generously.
In order to ensure your business is optimised for Google, you will need to:
Create and verify a Google Business Profile and make sure you enter complete data. Google doesn't like loose ends.
Google wants to see that your hours are accurate and scans to see what your other social profiles have listed eg: FaceBook.
Add your products and services and photos to support the listing with an explanation.
Just like other social media channels, post regularly on your Google Business Profile.
Ask your customers to share reviews online and make sure to manage them respectfully. Just like in person, if a customer says something nice about your business or service, you wouldn't ignore them, so don’t do the same thing online.
Respond to reviews authentically, and if possible specifying the location, product/service and even city, state. Here’s an example… It is a pleasure to work with you again and we value your feedback. "Thank you from the team at [full company name]."
All this information provides a great user experience for your potential customers and makes it easier for them to make contact. Since Covid, we’ve seen an increase in people spending less time in their car and more time on their phone, so this information is critical to your local success and helping you get found.
💡 Tip: Consider uploading a video and a 360 degree View. The more you show love to your google business profile the more google repays you.
2. Ever Heard the term NAP?
NAP stands for Name, Address and Phone Number. And before when I said google doesn't like loose ends, I meant it. Having this detail consistent across all your platforms and website is extremely important.
So much so, that a client changed her name on FaceBook by simply adding her initials to the overall business name and within 6 hours we saw a decline on her local SEO by 3 places. Once she changed it back and made her business name consistent, it took a few weeks but she went back to being at the top of the SERP. ( search engine results page).
Why is this important? Well, you have to make it easy for search engines to find you. And just like 1 + 1 = 2 … 1 + 2 doesn't = 1. So what I mean is Consistency is KING and so is the order. You may have the right information but in a different order, and be penalised.
Ranking higher on search engines.
Search engines like Google reward consistency. You will be ranked higher if your information matches across multiple sites. If someone searches for a "car service near me", it is more likely that they will find you. And with “near me” searches up 900% since the start of Covid, this is an simple way for business exposure.
💡 Tip: Do an audit of your online presence and make sure everything is consistent, down to the comma and full stop.
Eg: Business ABC, 1 / 7 Whatever Street, Hopetown.
3. Consider online directories.
This is why NAP is so important, because there are data aggregator provides out there that share your company information and location data for companies such as Apple, Yelp, Bing, Google, Trip Advisor, and more. We don’t need to keep banging on about the importance but this is why discrepancies such as misspellings, abbreviations, lack of shop or unit number, or even wrong phone number can be a massive roadblock for customers finding you online.
Online directories consist of yellow pages, foursquare, true local, and many many more. And these listings help with backlinks and domain authority.
For some of our clients, they had no idea they were even listed on some of these sites and when shown the inaccuracies, they confirmed information had changed or updated alone the way, but the listing was wrong. Some even had duplicate listings, which also caused search engine problems. It’s like there is this whole world out there that business owners aren't aware of and working against them to prevent them being found.
But when you use these listing sites to your benefit, they can transform your business. Especially for inbound marketing. There are 100’s and I mean 100’s. For instance if you’re a hairdresser, there are listing sites, for weddings, best hairdressers, different sorts of colours, etc. For one of our clients, being listed on the wedding listings sites, has seen an increase in calls in this lucrative area.
💡 Tip: Consider using a software that can show you all your listings and errors, so they can easily be rectified and managed in one location.
4. What’s Your Competitor Up To?
Like so many sports out there, it’s important to keep an eye on your competitors. Think about it, each coach of an elite team knows what the other teams strengths and weaknesses are. However, so many business owners don't see this as important. But here’s the thing, knowing what's working or not working for your competitors, can save you time and money. Also when you are competing for keywords and customers, it’s important to stand out in a crowd.
Here’s a few areas to consider;
- How does your website compare?
- What do they do well that you could learn from?
- Do they release regular content?
- Have you sent a mystery shopper around to see what their process is like or purchase something online to view their funnel?
- Do you know their keywords, backlinks?
- And
Where they stand in google rankings?
If not, it may be time to find out because turning up to a game unprepared, means losing and we don't want that!
5. Stop posting things willy-nilly on your social channels.
It's exhausting posting all the time and so many businesses get little to no reward. However when you use keywords and answer questions your ideal client is asking google, then BAM! No one wants to hear about you or see how good you are. They want to have their questions answered and know you are whom you say you are.
That my friends works hand in hand with building up consistent google reviews and sharing them across your other social platforms. And research, research, research. So if I asked you, what questions your ideal clients are wanting answered, do you know? Or would you be guessing?
For us here at Reviewly knowing for certain what a client’s needs are, makes working out keywords and social posting simple and a game changer. With Google having 91% share of searches, it’s also not a problem to find out what a customer is asking. With platforms like ask the public you can STOP posting for the sake of posting and work from a place of providing value.
💡 Tip: What happens next… well when someone searches the question in google, up comes your article or post!
Improve Your Brand Recognition at a Local level.
For local businesses, local SEO is an integral part of their SEO strategy. In the case of stores or service areas, local SEO will help your audience locate you online. This article is intended to help you gain online brand recognition and authority.
About the Author
Tanya Somerton is the Chief Review Officer at Reviewly and is passionate about helping busy business owners build freedom machines rather than jobs.
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