Most local businesses that have a website are looking for one thing: to increase their ranking in Google searches. Obviously, the higher you’re ranking, the more likely you are to attract potential customers. How can you do that? How does this system work?
What is a local search?
A local search is a regular search that has an additional location variable. In the past, large national companies dominated this search, but now the landscape has changed as search engines seek to display local companies, their products and services. As smartphone use increases, businesses without this presence are missing out on a multitude of potential customers. Who hasn’t used their phone to find a particular service nearby? This trend will increase as more and more people adopt smartphone technology.
These local search engines can be optimized at a relatively low cost as long as enough time is spent making your business visible. The first step is to claim a local profile on Google and any other platform if you can. This profile is usually the one that will appear in localized search results.
How to increase local ranking:
The most important thing to remember when looking for local SEO services is to include your address in your business title tag on every page of your site. This should exactly match what was written on your local Google profile. Any difference will prevent optimization.
Another way to improve your ranking is to increase the number of reviews and citations that mention your business. An appointment is a page that lists your business name, address, and phone number on one page in the same way as your local profile card. Positive reviews will provide the best raises. Reviews are written opinions about the service your business offers. The quantity and quality of the reviews will make a difference in your ranking. The more positive reviews you have, the higher your ranking will be, this may be the most important factor that you have some control over and that can increase your visibility.
Other services can help your classification. These are paid programs that help you appear higher in the rankings, but they may be worth it if you want.
Marketing companies like Yext offer a service to ensure that Google Places information is distributed across all major platforms available. Every time your information is posted it is another very valuable quote for your business. There are other tools like Namechk, which will catch all the mentions of your name on the social media platforms and thus provide more quotes once again. There are many alternatives to these services that will provide essentially the same results. It helps to look at a few to see which one best suits your needs.
Things that are out of your control:
The only thing you cannot change is the actual physical location of your business. Unfortunately, this can affect your local search ranking. Google uses a system called centroid bias, which classifies companies with a bias towards those closest to the city center. If you are in a suburb or recognized area within a city, it may be best to point it at your address. Of course, it must be a recognized neighbourhood, like Queens or Manhattan, which are essentially New York but are considered addresses in their own right. You will be at a disadvantage if you are on the outskirts of a central area, but do not despair, if you increase your quotes and positive reviews it will help you to counter this unfortunate situation.
