If your business’ audience is local, whether you have one location or many, you need to make sure local searchers can find you!
Who is Local SEO for?
Local SEO is for businesses who cater to a local audience – these are the people who may use terms like “near me” in their online searches. This can be:
- “Brick and mortar” businesses – Businesses where clients come to the business’ location. For example: Restaurants, stores, auto sales and repair, doctors, dentists, lawyers, accountants, schools.
- Service area businesses – Businesses who serve local clients at their location. Examples: Plumbers, construction, movers, lawn care, maid service, dog walkers.
- Hybrid businesses – Clients can come to a staffed business location or the business may go to their location. Examples: Kitchen / bath remodelers.
A local business can have one location (for example, a dentist’s office) or many (like a chain of auto dealerships.) Service area businesses may work with clients in several surrounding towns.
What exactly is “Local Search?”
The organic (non-paid) search results for local searches are found in two places:
Google Maps listings – Google Business Profiles
The maps listings are from Google Business Profiles. A Google Business Profile can (and should) link out to your business web site, but can also directly drive calls, appointments and messages.
Local organic listings
These appear below the “local pack” maps listings. For many businesses, they are dominated by aggregators and review services like Yelp, but individual business can and do still rank well among these.
Ideally, you want your business well-represented in both places.
What affects local site rankings?
Local search algorithms and strategies are constantly evolving. Some things currently believed to be top ranking factors include:
- Proximity to the searcher
- On-page optimization – website / landing page relevance to the query and location.
- A well-optimized Google Business Profile (for Google Maps rankings)
- Reviews – quantity and quality
- Citations – mentions of the business on 3rd party sites
- Off-page – Relevant, quality links to the web site.
- Spam listings in the search results – can drive down legitimate business listings
- Your competition
What Enlytend Solutions offers:
While nobody can control the location of searchers, the good news is that local SEO can address everything else on this list.
- Over 12 years experience working with dozens of small / medium businesses just like yours.
- Customized and proven up-to-date “white hat” approach.
- Experience with a wide range of industries, including:
- Movers
- Home services
- Pet trainers and clubs
- Dental / medical
- Auto dealerships
- Insurance agencies and brokers
- Real estate
- Accountants
- Law firms
- Restaurants