Become #1: How to Absolutely Dominate Local Search Rankings
Bobby Holland
Founder, CEO BipperMedia.com a Website Design & SEO Agency serving clients throughout the world.
About four in five consumers use search engines to find local business information. Another 50% of mobile users visit a store after completing a local search. In fact, 28% of these local searches end with purchases.
Improving your local search rankings can help you generate website traffic, foot traffic, and sales. Not sure how to improve your rankings?
Read on to start strategizing today!
Claim Your Listing
Local searches account for almost?half of Google’s two trillion annual searches. About 64% of consumers use Google Business (formerly Google My Business) to find business addresses and phone numbers.?
About 75% of marketers also believe their profile impacts where they rank in the local three pack (the top spots for local searches).
To improve your local SEO rankings, first claim and optimize your Google Business listing. You can go here to get started.?
Your listing will display your:
If your information changes, update your listing right away. Consider local citation cleanup services if your listings are inaccurate.?
Confirm Your NAP
Once you claim your Google Business listing, confirm that all the data is accurate. Make sure the details about your business match what appears on your website?and on other online directories. Consistency is key.
Confirm that your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are accurate. Match all abbreviations (such as “St.” for Street). Google will review your website to confirm that the information on your Google Business listing is accurate.?
Update the Description
Write a strong business description to help consumers better understand your offerings. Write using a tone that matches your brand guidelines. Include keywords in your description to appear for relevant searches.?
Using keywords will help you appear for searches related to your products and services.?
Use Categories
Choose a primary category that represents your core offerings. You can also use secondary categories to better describe your business.?
Categorizing your business can help you appear for relevant search queries.?
Ask for Reviews
Generating customer reviews can boost your brand’s reputation. Future customers might feel more inclined to trust your business after reading a review.?
Develop a reputation management?strategy and start asking customers for their feedback. Always respond as soon as possible (for positive?and negative reviews). Don’t delete the negative reviews you receive.?
Instead, respond and offer a solution to the problem your customer experienced. Show future customers that you’re willing to change and meet their expectations.?
The quantity?and quality of reviews you receive can help improve your local rankings. Responding to their reviews can help build brand trust and loyalty. Retaining customers long-term will boost your ROI to help your business grow.?
Answer Questions
Use the Q&A panel to answer frequently asked questions. Providing answers to customer questions will show them that you care about their needs. It can also encourage people to trust your brand enough to visit or make a purchase.?
Answer questions as soon as you receive them. Have someone at your business monitor your listing to keep it up-to-date. Fast responses will show consumers that you care and want to help.?
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Add Photos
Google loves photos. Upload photos of your storefront, inside your business, and of your products. High-quality, branded images can show Google you’re an active listing, which could boost your rankings.?
Google’s photo-recognition technology is becoming more advanced. You can start appearing for image searches as well.?
Consumers also love photos and feel more comfortable with businesses after seeing relevant images.?
Keep sharing fresh photos to keep your listing up-to-date.?
Post Updates
You can publish posts on your Google Business listing to show Google that you’re proactive. Google looks for fresh content when determining your local search rankings.?
Share updates about new offerings, news, and upcoming events. Google posts can help your offerings reach ideal customers if your content matches the consumer’s search intent.?
Update Your Website
Confirm that your website meets Google’s standards by running it through Google’s:
Make sure your website has an SSL certificate for security (you should see “HTTPS” in front of the domain name).
Updating your website will improve the user experience (UX) on your site, encouraging visitors to explore. Meeting Google’s standards can also boost your organic rankings and local authority.
Use internal linking across your website. Connect readers to other pages across your site to encourage them to find high-ranking content. Internal linking can boost their dwell times, which can improve your rankings.
Embed a map onto your website’s Contact Us page. Embedding Google Maps onto the page will help Google confirm your business is located where you claim it is. Make sure the address matches what appears on your Google Business listing.
This strategy can help you appear on Google Maps more often.?
Share Localized Content
Gather keyword research to determine what local terms your customers use during searches to find your website. For example, they might search “dentist in Chicago” or “flower shop near me.” Choose long-tail keywords (which feature four or more words and are therefore more precise).
To optimize your content for local searches, include the target keyword in the:
Using local keywords within your content can help you appear for more local searches.?
Create a content marketing calendar to remain organized and efficient. Post helpful, engaging content throughout the year. Prioritize quality over quantity when creating content.
Boost Your Local Search Rankings Today
Improving your local search rankings can help more people find your products and services. Use these local SEO tips to give your rankings a boost. As your brand visibility improves, you can generate more leads as well.
You don’t have to make these updates alone. Instead, consider relying on local SEO services this year.
Eager to get started? We’re here to help your business grow.
Schedule a strategy call today to get started.?
Bipper Media
855 Gaines School Rd
Suite A
Athens, GA 30605
706-350-1072
Bobby Holland Your marketing insights are pure gold! In a world where attention is currency, your strategies on engagement and connection are game-changers. Thanks for sharing!