How To Compete & Win In A Local Market With Search Engine Marketing
You've built your website, and now it is time to generate traffic. There are many ways to accomplish this, but search engine marketing provides one of the top ways for businesses to get found.
Search engine marketing is the best way to get in front of customers who are actively searching for your product or service category. These customers are not yet loyal to a brand, making this an ideal scenario for a forward-looking business to not only get found but also to out-compete much larger competitors, especially in the local market.
Keep reading to learn more about how you can expand your online presence and get found locally with search engine marketing.
What Is Local SEO?
Local SEO (search engine optimization) is the process of increasing the visibility of your business in local geography. Ideally, you are in one of the top three positions when a customer in close proximity searches for a location-based service. These are usually including the words, “ near me.”
Local SEO differs involves optimizing your website for local keywords. It helps businesses rank higher in search results when people look up location-based search queries, like “near me” searches.
Local SEO is different from global SEO because it focuses on targeting specific areas rather than an entire country or region. When done right, this can be extremely helpful in increasing your brand reach since 82% of all smartphone users conduct “near me” searches.
Four Tips to Boost Your Local SEO
1 - Fill Out Your Business Information
Search engines like to see complete profiles filled out on your website and supporting online listings. For example, include the address, phone number, services offered, and hours of operation. Complete profiles signal to the Google Robots that your business is legit, open, and actively managing your platform.
2 - Create A Google My Business Profile
Having a Google Business Profile is imperative if you want to rank in the Local Map Pack. This area of search engine result page (SERP) is the third most prominent in a local search. Businesses that rank in the top 3 spots in the Map Pack are in the most prominent non-paid position on Google Search. Make sure you fill out all the fields and develop the page out to shine in good graces of the Google Robots.
3 - Manage Your Reviews
Reviews need to be gathered and monitored regularly because they are a good source of traffic for local businesses. You can respond to positive reviews by thanking them, asking for feedback, and offering discounts or freebies in exchange for reviews.
Even negative reviews can benefit your business when handled correctly. Not only are they a great way to fix customer pain points and improve your services and products, but they are also an opportunity to show existing and potential customers that their opinions matter to you.
4 - Up-To-Date Photos
Search engines like to display clearly attributed photos along with links and answers. This is because images communicate ideas significantly better and faster than text alone. Obviously, if you sell products, customers want to see the images. Even customers looking for services want to see real people behind the business. Help the search engines rank you better by having up-to-date photos that are clearly defined and easy to index.
Factors That Influence Your Local Search Rankings
The Google Robots Dominate
Google is the most prominent search engine, and as such, when we talk about search engine optimization, we are mainly looking at this problem through the eyes of Google Robots. “The Google Robots” is a term Jenn uses to describe the machine learning algorithms that Google has built to help us organize ourselves for online consumption.
Google updates its search algorithms on a regular basis. The process can take weeks and maybe months, depending upon the frequency of keyword searches and the number of changes in the SERPs.
Google updates local search ranking based on three major factors:
1 - Relevance
The search engines want to deliver the best results for the searcher’s query. To ensure that your business is relevant to local searchers, it is essential to have accurate and up-to-date information on your website, including your location, hours of operation, and contact information. It is necessary to have a strong presence on local directories and review sites. This information needs to be coded so that Google Robots can identify it for what it is. Additionally, this information needs to utilize relevant keywords that align with searchers’ intent. By providing accurate, relevant information and maintaining a solid online presence, you can improve your relevance to Google Robots.
2 - Prominence
Prominence refers to how well-known and established a business is. It is determined by factors like the number of reviews and ratings a business has, as well as its overall online visibility. The more prominent a business is, its local ranking will be higher.
3 - Proximity
Businesses closer in geographical distance to the searcher are more likely to rank higher than those that are further away. This is because consumers typically prefer to buy from businesses that are close by.
That makes the physical location very important in local SEO. Businesses with a physical location are more likely to rank higher than those without when the search engine intent is for a local business.
Need help with Local SEO? RAD Local helps service businesses compete and win in local search engine marketing. Contact Radically Distinct to learn more.