Why Local SEO Is Important For Your Business?
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Tom Watts
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August 8th, 2016
I get asked this question all the time. Usually, client's don't understand why local SEO is beneficial for their business, and they're unsure of the difference between local SEO and regular SEO.
In my last post here, I outlined what domain authority is and also gave you a brief rundown of how to improve your SEO.
BUT, local SEO is a little different.
Ever since the Pigeon update back in 2014, Google has been focusing more and more on displaying relevant results locally than ever before.
You've probably noticed this already, but when you google "plumber" for example, it'll only show you the plumbers nearest you - not the plumbers with the best SEO in the world.
This makes sense and is smart on Google's part - although it has annoyed a lot of businesses with international customers.
So it would also make sense that you need to employ tactics to make sure your business isn't left out of local search results, right?
You don't need to know the exact ins and outs of Google's changes and algorithms; but what you do need to know, is that they're going to keep tweaking the algorithms to show more and more local results.
So, if you have a business that sells locally, there's no time like the present to start focusing on local SEO.
Here's what you need to know;
N.A.P.
No, I'm not telling you to take a short afternoon snooze. I'm in fact referring to the acronym which encases the three most important factors in local SEO:
- Name
- Address
- Phone
This is a commonly known phrase among SEOs and is one you need to learn.
You see, there are lot's of things you can do to improve SEO. Some of them can be a little sketchy, and others questionable at best - but spreading your name, address and phone number... well what's wrong with that?
Google expects to see your name, address and phone number, because it legitimizes your business. It shows them you are a business, you have a place of business, and you can be contacted there.
This makes your business seem authentic to them and so they're likely to rank you higher in the results.
The most important thing to remember is to make sure that all of the information is always 100% correct, and 100% consistent. If you write your address different ways sometimes - stop.
Pick all of your information during filling out that first listing, and copy and paste it somewhere. Then, when you go to fill out other listings, go back and use that same exact information.
That's great, but how do you use that in SEO?
Build Citations
Building citations is really quite simple.
Here's how you have to think of it; you've heard of yp.com, yelp.com and all other kinds of directories and review sites right? Well, how many of those do you think there are? 20? Maybe even 50? Wrong.
There are literally thousands of these sites. Please where you can list your business for free, and reassure Google that you have a name, address and phone number for your business.
What's even better, is that these places are incredibly easy to find. Do a quick Google search of "citation building" or "get list of citations" and you'll find plenty of places capable of finding every possible directory available to you.
I use a Canadian company named WhiteSpark - but they are a little pricey, so maybe not the best choice if you plan on going solo, but well worth the price if you want to do it right.
Complete Your Listings
The quality of your listings is as important, if not more important, than even filling them in in the first place.
Make sure you fill in every possible piece of information you can and make sure all of the information is correct! (Especially the N.A.P.)
Got a Facebook page? Make sure the information there is as complete as possible too.
Got LinkedIn? Same there.
Got Google+? Same there.
You get the idea.
The great thing about this tactic is that it's a double edged sword.
Yes, you're adding your business to directories and review sites to gain links and show google your N.A.P. - but, now you're also in those directories and people can find your business that way too.
And guess what? Those directory listings can show up in Google search results too - try it. Go and google a "service" that you would find in your local area. Keep it simple like "plumber" or "electrician" and you'll find those results contain directory listing sites too.
Building citations and using your N.A.P. also help with showing up on Google maps - but that's a whole other kettle of fish that we'll save for later.