When thinking about search engine optimization, or SEO, people tend to just think it is the process of how websites or videos can be optimized to appear more prominently within search engines.
When thinking about search engine optimization, or SEO, people tend to just think it is the process of how websites or videos can be optimized to appear more prominently within search engines.
When thinking about search engine optimization, or SEO, people tend to just think it is the process of how websites or videos can be optimized to appear more prominently within search engines. While this is still a significant part of SEO, businesses with a physical location also need to focus on their local SEO rank to drive increased visibility. Of particular interest, local SEO provides prime visibility when users search for a locally relevant term, which triggers a local search pack that displays 3 nearby businesses immediately under a map. Local search engine rankings are mainly driven by creating citations within business directories to support the visibility of your business. These searches give customers the option to call your local business directly, read recent reviews, or get directions to your location. Businesses that service their customers in-person can boost their visibility online by making sure their business shows up in search results when users need to find them.
Google Local Search Pack Displayed When Searching “Plumber Boston.”
Before setting up your local business listing, you’ll first want to check your eligibility to create a listing within Google My Business (GMB). Online-only businesses, artists, and organizations are not eligible for a Google My Business listing. Check each platform’s guidelines on what determines eligibility.
When you have determined that you are eligible to list on specific platforms, you would want to check if a listing already exists for the business. Sometimes there may discover that you have a profile when you are not aware one is present, though it may be severely basic and incomplete. Having complete and correct information within your business listing improves your ranking when users search for terms relevant to the business category.
To claim your listing, you’ll want to review the information that may have already been provided to ensure accurate information, especially since consistency is key. Each platform is different, but the basic information that helps search engines geolocate your business includes business name, address, and phone number, which is often referred to as NAP. Including a business description and links to social media accounts often enhances it further. Some even allow you to upload other media such as menus and pictures of your business. Once you’ve updated or corrected the information, you may have to proceed through an email, phone, or mail verification process as required by each platform.
When you have verified your business listings and have established a profile on the greatest amount of business directories, traditional SEO comes into play to further improve your local SEO ranking. This starts with keyword research to use for your content, which will improve your SEO ranking. Begin by researching what your customers search for. Then, plan content around those topics to improve your ranking in a platform’s search results.
If you are a local custom furniture shop, you could write a blog about repurposing an old chair or distressed furniture. Long-tail keywords for these topics are likely to be “how to repurpose a chair” or “how to restore distressed furniture.” The short-tail keywords would more likely be “repurpose chair” and “restore furniture.” Researching keywords that best fit your business gives you the best chance to produce useful content around what your customers are searching for. In researching keywords, you could even create content based on search trends that are relevant to the services you offer.
Focus more on short-tail keywords. Typically when focusing on search engine marketing, or SEM, long-tail keywords are the way to go because a customer is closer to finding the solution to their need. Long-tail keywords are always useful, however with local SEO, you’ll want to pay attention to short-tail keywords because of the volume of searches, plus it may trigger local SEO. There is no bidding with local SEO, but since short-tail keywords are more likely to be competitive, planning your content to achieve high local search ranking becomes even more important. Try experimenting by entering different searches to see which keywords trigger the local search pack for your area. In the screenshot below, the search term “emergency plumbing,” triggered local SEO even without the words “near me” or the name of the city in the search.
When researching keywords, you could start by using Google Trends. If you’re new to the local SEO game, Google Trends offers a free tool for you to research keywords that are popular in your area. This is extremely helpful data that shows the pulse of relevant consumer trends in your area.