Table of Content
To rise in Google’s search rankings requires significant work. Google’s ranking system takes into account over two hundred signals.
Did you realize that Google handles more than 3.5 billion searches every day? More than 40 thousand queries per second!
No wonder companies are always fighting to be at the top of Google’s search results; the sheer volume of its activity is mind-boggling.
Knowing and utilizing the most important Google ranking variables is essential to increase your website’s visibility and traffic.
Keeping abreast of the most recent ranking variables is essential for maintaining and enhancing your website’s exposure as competition heats up and Google’s algorithm continually evolves.
This post will discuss the 4 most important local SEO ranking factors that analysts say Google uses to determine search engine rankings. You can improve your website’s visibility in search engines, attract more natural visitors, and remain ahead of the competition if you take the time to learn about and optimize for these elements.
So let’s start!
What is Local SEO?
Local search engine optimization (SEO) is a subset of SEO that involves enhancing your company’s online visibility to attract local clients actively seeking out your products or services via Google and other search engines.
Local SEO optimizes your website for local and industry-specific search results. This encompasses both “brick and mortar” businesses (like cafes and restaurants) and “service area” businesses (like plumbers and handymen) that provide their services to a specific region.
Reviews, content, on-site optimization, and digital public relations (including gaining traction in local news) are all part of the process. Though local search engine optimization is most often connected with traditional stores, it can also be employed by e-commerce sites that target customers in a specific region. Those of you who run brick-and-mortar businesses are the intended audience for this post.
Why Is Local SEO So Important?
Local search engine optimization (SEO) is likely the simplest, most inexpensive, and most successful way to attract new potential customers for the following three sorts of businesses:
- Many different types of businesses that offer therapeutic massage, physiotherapy, dentistry, bicycle maintenance, swimming lessons, indoor rock climbing, theater, and other similar services.
- Local service providers such as repair shops, eateries that deliver, exterminators, and more.
- Places like restaurants, breweries, retail businesses, and ice cream shops only deal with consumers in person.
- Local search engine optimization (SEO) could be the most efficient and inexpensive strategy for these companies to rise in local search rankings, so attracting more targeted organic traffic and business inquiries.
Local SEO Search Factors
Do you want to improve your site’s local search engine results? OK, here we go:
1. On-Page SEO
Local search engine optimization (SEO) naturally begins with your website’s content.
Google gives more weight to websites with higher-quality content since it gives users more relevant and helpful results. Thus, 89% of B2B organizations use content marketing.
Be sure your website’s content is well-written, informative, and pertinent to your keywords. Keywords should be used throughout your page, but they should flow naturally. Use them in URLs, titles, meta descriptions, headings, alternate text, and anchor text, and use variations or similar phrases wherever possible to enhance the relationship.
If you want Google to find them without disrupting the flow of your material too much, put them in the header or footer.
2. Google My Business
Your Google My Business listing is one of the most critical criteria in local search engine rankings.
Verify that your business’s name, address, and phone number are right when you establish or claim your GMB listing. This is helpful not only for potential customers but also for the company itself, as the searcher’s location is a major component in local search rankings on Google.
Maximize your listing’s visibility by filling it out as thoroughly as possible. This includes picking the correct category and using appropriate keywords throughout the listing’s title and body. Ensure the link to your company website is active and the hours listed are correct.
Your company’s visibility in the local pack or on Google Maps will also increase if you provide a logo and some high-quality photographs. In addition to positive feedback, this will increase interest in your company.
3. Backlink Profile
Your backlink profile is one of the most important aspects of local SEO.
Approximately 75% of search engine optimization is attributed to off-site variables. Your SEO plan will only succeed if you optimize on-page criteria, even though the content of your website is crucial and much easier to manage than external factors.
No longer do more links improve your rankings. Google favors high-quality, relevant links over spammy ones. The helpful MozBar Chrome add-on summarizes the potential value of a backlink.
Local links can improve local ranking. By contributing to the local press, sponsoring a local sports team, or blogging about your company’s charitable work, you can boost your site’s reputation with locals.
Exchanging links with other relevant local businesses helps boost your ranks in the search engine’s local results. It is not uncommon for a wedding venue to provide links to other businesses in the wedding industry, such as florists, photographers, and dress shops. This will improve your local rankings and provide valuable information to Google about your company’s place in the online market.
4. Reviews
Many people, not just prospective buyers, will give more credence to your site if it has numerous favorable ratings. This is yet another factor Google considers when determining your local SEO ranking.
Keep in mind that Google Maps and the local pack provide a summary of your business evaluations, so it’s in your best interest to encourage satisfied consumers to leave positive feedback. There’s no point in exerting yourself to become part of the local pack if your lackluster star rating will prevent you from attracting customers.
Despite popular belief, reviews from a wide variety of review sites are considered. Google My Business, Facebook, Yelp, the BBB, and Foursquare are just some of the major review platforms.
It’s unethical to utilize phony reviews to increase your internet profile or to offer incentives to customers who leave favorable feedback. Instead, gather as many testimonials from actual buyers as you can. You’d be astonished at how quickly you saw results if you simply asked customers to post a review after each transaction. Seventy percent of customers who are prompted to offer feedback actually do so.
Rank Higher in Local Search Engine Results
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the elements that go into a website’s rating on Google.
SEO, on a local level, is a complex endeavor that needs constant attention. You can’t tweak your Google My Business page and hope to start appearing in Google’s local pack suddenly.
Google considers a wide variety of other criteria when determining where to place your business in local search results; we’ve only highlighted the most relevant and influential ones here.
If you own a small business and want to improve its search engine rankings, you need to pay attention to local SEO ranking variables. Contact us for a fast marketing discussion on how to boost your website’s ranks by taking advantage of local search engine optimization (SEO) elements.
