Posted on October 11, 2017 by admin
Local SEO Guide for Small Business
From the way people look for information online to search engine algorithms, the internet is becoming a different world than it used to be. People are increasingly searching for local businesses and places nearby them and the search engines increasingly display results based on the location of business; hence, giving birth to Local SEO.
The Bay Area SEO industry is abuzz with Local SEO and is increasingly emphasizing its importance for small businesses in Bay Area.
Local SEO is quite different from average Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and integrates local ranking factors such as Name, Address, Phone Number, Photos, and Customer Reviews along with traditional SEO components. Local SEO helps your business to standout in local searches while local searches are known for driving ‘Real’ and ‘Ripe’ leads.
Let’s have a look at some of the facts indicating the high volume of local searches and the traffic they generate.
By now, you should be convinced about the importance of Local SEO in promoting your business online. But, let’s first understand what is local SEO.
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO is a highly targeted and timely marketing strategy to promote your business to local customers who are present in your area of operation at the exact time when they are looking for products or services offered by your business. So, there are two factors in Local SEO i) Local customers ii) time targeted marketing.
Let’s look into the phenomenon of Local SEO with the help of this example. While sitting at his home in Denver, a person A searches for ‘sushi restaurant.’ Google will refine and display results according to the location of the searcher, and the searcher will see the restaurants near him.
In the Local SEO, search engines factor in the location of both the business and searchers and present results where searcher and business are in the same area. In addition to this, local SEO is particularly important for the searches with local intent. For example, if the person A is planning a trip to New York and wants to look for the best Sushi restaurant in New York. So, instead of a generic search, he will search for ‘Best Sushi Restaurant in New York.’ The ‘geographic’ component in the keyword depicts the local intent of customer.
You can say that local SEO helps local businesses to connect with local customers…customers that matter and the customers that covert.
Components of a SERP in Local Search
Let’s have a look at the individual elements in the typical Local Search SERP.
Part A- Google Map:
Part A of the Google’s typical SERP in response to local search consists of a Map in which the red dots indicate the location of businesses which in this case are Sushi restaurant. The three bigger dots with a fork and spoon sign (representing food and eatery) correspond to the three results in Part B.
Part B- Places Results
Part B shows three results with information about business name, customer rating, an indication of price, address, and opening hours along with the pictures on the right corner. These results offer multiple points of contact to the searcher to access business including the phone number to call, the website to visit, or directions from Google Map to drive to its location.
If you are searching from your mobile, you can directly make a call to the business by clicking call button.
A+B –> Google’s 3-Pack Results
The part A and B together are called Google’s 3-Pack results. Google’s 3-Pack is the most distinguished feature of local search, and it is a power pack with detailed information about the business. With the integration of call, directions, and website option, the user has multiple forward ways, and hence, there are more opportunities to attract the lead.
However, as the Google only displays three results, it is highly competitive. It requires serious optimization efforts with special consideration to local ranking factors to get there in the Google 3-Pack.
Part C- Organic Results
Down the Google 3-Pack are the typical organic results for the search query, displayed in the grid of 10 results. The organic results contain links to the ‘Best Sushi Restaurant’ or other lists and include the results of sushi restaurants.
So, by far you understand what is Local SEO and what a typical SERP for local search looks like.
Local Ranking Factors
Now, let’s have an overview of the individual local ranking factors that help you get there in Google’s three pack results.
As it is evident from the Moz’s survey, making it up to Google’s 3-pack results is not just about one or two optimization techniques, but various factors weigh in making the top results. From Google My Business (Read how to setup Google My Business Page) Signals to Behavioral Signals, everything counts to make a difference.
Having an updated and maintained Google’s My business page, consistent citation, on-page optimization, customer reviews, and strong social presence will lead a small business to a place in the Local pack result.