More and more consumers are searching for products and services that are local and independently owned. Local SEO can help you take advantage of this shift in consumer behavior.
It’s important to check keyword intent to find out exactly what searchers are looking for when they enter a local query.
Near Me” Searches Are Your New Best Friend
Local SEO helps your business reach customers in your service area when they’re ready to buy. For example, when someone is panicking over a leaking pipe, they’re not going to scroll through search results looking for the right plumber—they’re going to click the one that pops up first. Local SEO ensures that when someone searches for a plumber, your company is the calm, professional solution that appears to save the day.
A well-implemented local SEO strategy is also a great way to boost your brand awareness. People are more likely to trust businesses that have a strong reputation and that have been recommended by their friends or family. By increasing your visibility in local searches, you’re introducing potential customers to the fact that your product or service is top quality, which will lead them to take action and patronize your business in the future.
A big part of assisting websites with ranking locally is the use of schema markup—which is basically just data about your business that search engines can then use to create rich snippets for your website. Adding schema markup to your location pages—including the address, phone number, and hours of operation—is a simple way to help your business stand out from local competitors in local search results.
Google’s Local Pack: Your Business’s VIP Spot
Google’s Local Pack is a curated selection of three local business listings that search engines deem most relevant and trustworthy for a particular query, displayed right on the search results page below any paid ads and above organic search results. Getting into the Local Pack can significantly boost your visibility and brand awareness amongst local consumers.
Using targeted local keywords throughout your website and Google Business Profile, along with consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) across online directories and social media sites, is an essential strategy for earning and maintaining a spot in the Local Pack. Additionally, encouraging your happy customers to leave reviews of their positive experiences on your Google Business Profile and reviewing and responding to online feedback are other key local SEO practices that can help you rank higher.
Operating hours also play a role in your Google Local Pack rankings; businesses that remain open during search times tend to rank higher than those that are closed. Test your competitors’ operating hours and consider staying open longer or on different days to capture more traffic during the most popular search times in your area.
Google displays a curated selection of local businesses in the Local Pack, a box at the top of the search results page (SERP). This is an extremely valuable spot that can significantly boost your online visibility and drive customers to your physical business.
To determine what local businesses appear in the Local Pack, Google scans business information, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and website links, as well as customer reviews. The main factors that determine which businesses are included in the Local Pack are relevance to the search query, proximity to the searcher’s location, and prominence based on a combination of online presence and reputation.
If you want your business to appear in the Local Pack, it’s important that all of this information is correct and up to date. This includes optimizing your business name, address, and phone number (NAP), creating a complete Google Business Profile, and submitting your business to reputable local directories.
Your Google Business Profile: Your Free 24/7 Sales
A well-optimized Google Business Profile, also known as “Google My Business” is a powerful sales tool that will help you convert searchers into customers. When potential customers perform a local service-based search query, Google weighs all the available information on that searcher to decide what businesses meet their needs and then curates a list of results for them. Google Business Profile listings play a major role in the process and the best-optimized profiles will show up in search results more often.
A Google Business Profile can include original photos, a detailed description of your business and services, operating hours, contact information, messaging options, and more. It’s important to regularly double-check and update your Business Profile information to avoid any typos or inaccurate content that could lead to frustrated customers.
Another key feature of a well-optimized Google Business Profile is the Reviews section, which showcases customer reviews of your business. Although keyword stuffing in this section isn’t cool (and it will hurt your rankings), a few high-quality, authentic reviews can be the deciding factor that tips prospective customers over the edge into selecting your business. Customers can write a review directly on your Business Profile or by searching for your business.
Local SEO Success Stories That’ll Make You Smile
Whether you’re looking for customers to visit your physical store or want them to call your business for service, local SEO can help. It’s the digital equivalent of word-of-mouth marketing, with rankings and visibility that can boost foot traffic and phone calls in a way that traditional advertising campaigns just can’t match.
The key to a successful local SEO strategy is understanding your audience. For example, a local bakery might find that their customers are most interested in organic, gluten-free products. By targeting keywords like this on their website, they can attract a dedicated customer base that larger, national competitors may overlook.
Another way to stand out is by offering unique services that your competitors can’t match. This could be as simple as having extended opening hours, or as complex as a free consultation to discuss your client’s home design plans. Whatever it is, make sure your customers can see it on your Google Business Profile and social media.
Finally, don’t forget to ask your happy customers for reviews. These will show potential customers that you’re reliable, trustworthy, and care about your customers’ experiences. Combined with an up-to-date Google Business profile, this will help nudge potential customers into an inquiry or purchase.
Easy Wins: Simple Steps to Better Local Rankings
There are many ways to improve your local SEO. One easy strategy is to ensure that your NAP (name, address, phone number) citations are consistent across the web. Search engines look at these citations to determine how authoritative your business is. The more consistent your NAP citations are, the better your business will rank.
Another way to enhance your local SEO is by building links on relevant local websites. This includes industry web directories, city or town websites, and other reputable local sources that have authority in your target area. This will increase your visibility and boost your local search and snack pack rankings.
One final way to improve your local SEO is by collecting positive customer reviews. Make sure to include reviews on your Google Business Profile, but also consider getting reviews on consumer directories and social media platforms such as Facebook, Yelp, Thumbtack, and Foursquare.
Local SEO is an invaluable tool for any small business, and a must-have for any digital agency’s arsenal. It allows you to get your client’s products and services in front of people who are ready to buy, at the moment they want to do so. As a result, it’s highly likely that those people will visit the store or call the business.
Bonus Section: Common Questions Answered Simply
Local SEO is a crucial piece of any business’s online marketing strategy. It’s a cost-effective way to market your products or services to local customers, and it can boost your reputation with Google searchers. Plus, it can help you stand out from competitors who don’t optimize for local search.
Taking a page from traditional on-page SEO techniques, you can implement tactics to increase your ranking for local keywords by optimizing your Google Business Profile (GBP). Make sure your NAP (name, address, phone number) is accurate across all online platforms and that your GBP listing is updated regularly with new photos, special offers, and business hours.
Another important aspect of local SEO is encouraging happy customers to leave reviews and ratings for your business. This can greatly influence prospective customers’ decisions to reach out or shop with you. Using a review management tool like Broadly can help you easily solicit and respond to reviews so that you can improve your average star rating and build trust with local searchers.
Whether you’re a wedding photographer in Seattle, a small Italian restaurant in Los Angeles, or a contractor in Columbus, local SEO can help potential customers discover your business and take the next step towards becoming loyal customers. With the right strategies and data-driven insights, you can optimize your GBP and website to stand out from local competition and earn a spot in the Map Pack.
