Tag: Engine

What You Need to Know About Local Search Engine Optimization Services

SEO, search engine optimization has been the thorn in many companies sides when it comes to their online marketing efforts. Those that chose to carry out their search engine optimization in-house soon found that it required lots of time and focus, which would drain their valuable resources. Those that used internet marketing agencies soon saw the return on their investment.

Then as a nasty joke Google introduced their Pigeon update in July 2014, which made search engine optimization even more complicated than before. The new update was developed to make online searches more convenient for mobile users who are searching for a particular product or service. With their location active, Google is now able to provide them with the most relevant results in their local area first, this means that companies have had to include local in their search engine optimization services to ensure that they are seen first, reaching their local audience with ease and convenience.

Let’s admit it SEO has become very complicated and it takes up so much time, which is why so many companies use the services of internet marketing specialists, so that they free up their valuable resources for other important tasks within the company. There are a few things you need to know and do when it comes to local search engine optimization and ensure that the services you are paying for, includes these.

First is to ensure you have a Google My Business listing. This is imperative, you are going directly to one of the top search engines with this simple set up which takes a matter of minutes. You need to ensure that every section is completed in detail and make sure your address and contact information is accurate, enabling Google to identify your location without delay so that they can trawl your page and rank you in the potential customers search result.

Next you need to ensure your company is listed on all the other top online directory sites, such as Yelp, for example. Again you need to ensure that every section is completed in detail, making it easier for search engines to identify your company based on location and then rank you accordingly. This helps you reach a wider audience within your local area, ensuring your improve your visibility moving forward.

From here you need to get your customers to give online reviews on your products and services or testimonials that you can add to your website. Reviews are a fantastic way to get noticed online for your local search engine results. Speak to your SEO expert to identify the best way to do this. It can be something as simple as when clients purchase from your website they receive an email a few days later asking them to rank your service or asking them to provide a review based on their experience.

A very important part of local search engine optimization is to ensure you include your address and location on your website. Now this may sound obvious and you’re already thinking that you have this on your contact page already, but in order to ensure each of your pages are ranked effectively, you will want to include our location on each and every one of your web pages for the best end result.

Links are another very important part of your local search engine optimization services. Link building helps you reach your audience and improves your visibility with search engines. You want high quality links from reliable sources that are relevant to your industry, they should be location based to meet the Pigeon update requirements.

Why Is A Local Search Engine Important For Businesses?

“Go Local”… This new mantra to shop local, buy local and go local, etc. has become a game-changer for the businesses. Eight out of ten consumers use search to find local information that means if your business is not optimized for the local search, your business is missing 80% customers. The local search engine is critical if you want your business to grow and expand.

What Makes Local Search Important?

With every search on Google, local search is happening. When someone is searching for any product and services, they search with the “near me” keyword. For e.g. “coffee shop near me” “Thai restaurant near me”.

The below-mentioned statistics suggest how Local Search has become imperative in providing business.

  • 50% of consumers who performed searches through their smartphones have visited the local stores in 24 hours.
  • 35% of people searched through their computer visited the local stores in a day.
  • 73% of the local businesses witnessed a boost in their sales and got unique consumers based on who searched them locally.
  • 68% of people suggested that they prefer searching online for local businesses before visiting them.
  • 92% of users looked online for local businesses in the year 2017 and that number is growing every day.
  • 86% of the people look up the location of the business in the Google Maps

To give you better clarity, let’s pretend my tap broke. I do not want to search whichever websites that Google lines up for me. Rather, I will search for writing “plumber near me” “Plumbing services near me”

The SERPS will get me a bunch of local plumbing services including ratings and testimonials as well as price packages. – Get it? This is how the local search engine works.

How Local B2B Search Can Be A Game Changer?

We understood the power of local search SEO, but if you think who cares? Well, as a matter of fact, your customer cares. Because local consumers will always rely on the local search engine results to find the information. So, how can you make your local search engine better for your business?

The crucial parts of local Search SEO involve:

When it comes to local SEO, it is different from organic practices. When optimizing your business for local search below are the immediate areas you need to focus:

  • Optimize “Google My Business”
  • Improve your internal link structure
  • Create local content
  • Make sure your website is mobile responsive
  • Make sure that your business contact details are updated
  • Engage more on social media platforms by adding daily posts
  • Optimize online directories
  • Add location to your web pages
  • Optimize your meta description, content, title tags, images, and URL

Local search engine results are based on geographical factors. It is impossible to rank based on organic SEO unless you are a huge brand. Especially B2B businesses where competition is stiff, your business can enjoy benefits like:

  • Increased web traffic
  • Increased visibility
  • Build a loyal customer base
  • Enhanced brand awareness
  • Increased business inquiries/leads
  • Your business earns more trust through high page rankings
  • Repeat customers
  • Reduces advertising expenses
  • Get exposure in local business community directories
  • Gets more positive reviews

To Get Rank On Google – You Need Local SEO

You might be wondering what it takes to get first-page ranking on Google? Well, to say least there are literally hundreds of things that go in from best SEO practices to ratings and reviews, optimizing the mobile experience, focusing on user experience, regularly updating and maintaining Google listing, and so on.

Google algorithms are constantly changing to deliver relevant search for the users. Google’s “Venice Update” was one of the first changes that influenced the local search for businesses. The update made it imperative to have landing pages for the businesses for every location they provide service and optimize it with the right keywords.

Another significant rollout was “Google Pigeon Update” which had several makeovers with the recent one including “Local 3 pack” as opposed to how earlier they used to display 8-10 businesses in a pack.

Recently, Google announced another change suggesting that the search results are local and even more relevant.

The top half search result page is covered with the “Paid Ads” and the “local pack listings”. About 86% of the customers use this listing when they are looking for local businesses.

With the right local SEO strategies and practices, your business can come in the top 3 local pack searches.

Algorithms are adapting local “near me” search hence to get your business listing higher on Google page ranking you can’t overlook Local Search SEO.

It’s a step by step process that you need to perform to get on the first page of Google.

Local Search Vs General Search Engine

Search engine giants like Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. use hundreds of factors to rank and index in the searches that include SEO keywords, inbound and outbound links, content, to name a few.

Local businesses having a physical office in a specific location will want to rank high in the local search. The user is likely to search for the products/services in a specific location they want to find it nearby and easy to commute to visit. Therefore, it is important for local businesses to show up in local searches.

Can Local Businesses Rank High On Search Engines Like Google?

It is not impossible but tough. Also with every search engine, the algorithm varies, Google competitors like Bing, Yahoo adopt different strategies to place the businesses.

Ideally, multi-location brands have better chances to rank locally as well as organically since they have a website to help boost their ranking when searched.

That is where organic SEO comes into play. Search engine optimization is the process of trying to make sure search engines know which searches your business or website is relevant for. However, there are marketers who manipulate the results using SEO techniques.

Google considers search engine manipulation to be extremely serious and expends substantial resources to try to identify and eliminate it. Hence, Google is now emphasizing more on “local searches”. The local search algorithm update, “Pigeon” is giving importance to the local search results hence benefitting the local business.

Closing Thoughts

Currently, if you have not performed local SEO, we recommend that you devote your time to getting those things done. It is important that your customers find you.

When it comes to Local SEO we are pro at it. If your website is not showing in local searches your business is missing a huge opportunity.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Ideas for 2011

With every new year, we all get a “fresh start.” This applies to both our personal interests and our professional pursuits. If you own or manage a business or have a serious hobby, now is the time to think about your online plans for 2011. A big part of your online strategy should focus on how to better Search Engine Optimize your website.

When it comes to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), there are two components: On-Page SEO and Off-Page SEO.

On-Page SEO refers to your website’s overall design, navigation structure, internal linking structure, page titles and content, as well as the “behind the scenes” meta tags for Title, Description and Keywords.

Off-Page SEO refers to building links that reside on websites other than yours. The purpose of these types of links is to bring real people to your site from all around the Web, and as importantly to help the search engines find and index your website’s pages so they are available to be listed in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) – preferably on the first page – so real people who are using search engines to find information will see your listing(s) and click through to your website.

In order to properly Search Engine Optimize your website itself, i.e. On-Page SEO, you should: (a) design your website in a way which promotes simple and effective navigation from page to page so that a website visitor can easily access all of the information on your website; (b) produce and present unique content that adds value to your website visitors’ experience, and (c) ensure that each website page is properly set up “behind the scenes” by having the Title, Description and Keyword meta tags filled out completely and accurately.

In order to properly Search Engine Optimize your website around the Web, i.e. Off-Page SEO, you should produce and distribute unique content that adds value to real people visiting websites other than yours. Content distributed via article directories, video directories, blogs, forums, social networking websites, social bookmarking websites and news and information websites, contains links either within the text itself, or just outside of the text area, or both. Therefore, as you distribute your own unique content, you are building links back to your website. In other words, you are Search Engine Optimizing your website.

To put proper SEO into practice, you need to understand how to effectively design and structure your own website, as well as learn how to generate and distribute unique content around the Web. Content generation and distribution is not rocket science, but it does require a combination of training, natural skills and “insider knowledge” that not everyone has. Therefore, to maximize your SEO efforts, consider hiring an SEO professional. Before you hire an SEO professional, make sure you receive a free SEO consultation.

In conclusion, a couple great Search Engine Optimization ideas for 2011 are these: (a) your SEO strategy should focus on real people who are using the Web, and (b) carefully choose and invest in the services of a professional SEO consultant.

Exit mobile version