The Importance of Local SEO
Local search accounts for more than 50% (and growing) of Google’s daily search queries. In most of these cases, potential customers are looking for a local merchant or service provider for a wide variety of goods and services. From hotels and holiday accommodation, to bars and restaurants, to salons and gyms, to auto mechanics and contractors, the search engine optimization efforts of a small local business should be entirely focused on reaching, and maintaining a top position on Google, Bing, and other local search results.
With the updates that Google has made to its search algorithm and display of search engine results, each query is becoming more tailored to the individual using the search engine. Factors determining which results that the end user sees are becoming more prevalent and seem to include:
• The user’s search history and browsing history
• The location of the user’s IP address
• Recommendations of the user’s social media connections, most specifically Google Plus
Tactics to Increase Local Search Visibility
The old rules of on-site SEO apply to local search marketing. This includes writing high-quality content pages; maintaining solid keyword usage, while not obviously writing for the search engines, clean URLs, titles, and meta tags.
Your content should focus on the services that you provide and the localities that you focus on. It’s also important to have your business phone number and address on each page. These are extremely important to ensure that Google is properly indexing your page.
In addition, it’s important to look for emerging technologies, including Schema local mark-up, authorship, and including your site on many citation sites.
As search-marketing companies scramble to learn to overcome these obstacles using expensive tools and tricks, there are many free solutions, provided by Google and other search engines that can help boost a site’s visibility on the results page.
The Importance of Google Places
Fortunately for small businesses, Google offers tools to market products and services.
Google Places, in addition with Google Plus and Maps allow business owners to manage information relating to their business, including hours of operation, photos, videos, and even coupons & specials.
When a potential customer searches for a product that you sell, a service you offer, or even general businesses near a location, your listing will appear.
There has been anecdotal evidence that having a verified Google Places listing, tied to a Google Plus account can improve your results in organic searches as well.
Getting listed on Google Places is a pretty straightforward process, though optimization and high rankings could require professional expertise.
The benefits of Google Places can be summarized very simply:
• Improved visibility in Google’s search results.
• Your business will appear on Google maps.
• Google Places is absolutely free, unlike a Yellow Pages listing.
By including a media-rich Google Places page to your local marketing efforts, you’re likely to see more foot and phone inquiries into your business.
Positive reviews can drive your listing up the search engine results, and make your business more profitable.
Mobile phone users will discover your business listing straightaway.
The financial benefits of making it so stress-free for customers to discover your business locally is that you will make more money than you did before your business was listed on Google Places.