Local Maps & Local SEO

Local search engine optimization is similar to SEO in that it is also a process affecting the visibility of a website or a web page in a web search engine's unpaid results often referred to as "natural", "organic", or "earned" results.

The simplest way to beginning a Local SEO strategy is to optimize your Google Business Profile. This is a free tool that every business is entitled to, so long as they have a legitimate business that serves clients in a physical location - or - in a specific region.

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73% of Clicks Come From Google Map

The Google Map Pack, as shown above, is the section in Google that generates the most activity. This is also where your prospective buyers are viewing your menu, products, services, reviews, business location, website, and much more. They're using this function to help filter out who they want to do business with - and - who they don't want to do business with.

This is the #1 reason why optimizing this profile is so crucial.

Optimizing Your Google Business Profile

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This process starts with claiming your Google Business Profile to take full control over how it appears in Google. There is a process that helps you start to rank, and outrank your competitors. Google and many of its partners supply a list of ranking factors each year that they deem most effective for getting a map to rank. Year in, and year out, the same factors top the charts.

Proximity: How close are you to the business that has what you're searching for? This is the primary ranking factor. The primary reason is to give you the best possible result in the quickest possible manner.
Local Signals: Do you have anything on your website that supplies local signals? Does your website have a link to the local chamber of commerce, partnering businesses, links to anything local that is natural but satisfies the 3 Rs (real, reliable, and relevant).
Reviews: Everyone with a Google Map is getting reviews, good or bad. Most often, the only time you see a review is when someone has a bad experience and they wish to cause you harm by posting a 1-start review. However, you are fully within your rights to encourage your satisfied customers to supply you with a positive 5-star review. These are great for your Local Map (Google Business Profile).
On-Page Content: Is the content on your website and on the pages of the website containing the proper products, services or solutions for what the person using Google is looking for? If not, that's where Content Writing comes into play. Your On-Page content in the form of text, images and videos are very important to ensure provides the Google User with the best possible result.
Citations or Directory Listings: Are you listed in all of the possible local directories? These aren't entirely important, but they do serve a purpose. They help Google identify that other trustworthy websites are providing a link to your website. This link is a VOTE OF CONFIDENCE that your website is for a real business in a real location that provides real products, services or solutions.
Consumer Behavior: Behavior is another factor that plays into how your Local Map will rank. One way to measure that is by the number of clicks you're generating, and once there is a click, how many other elements are clicked on. This is why it is very important to have your Google Business Profile set up completely and filled out properly.
Personalization: Personalization is a very small ranking factor, but it does play a role. Personalization comes in the form of specific brands you carry, specific dishes your restaurant may offer, or specific services your business may provide. If you're a tow truck company, do you provide "24 Hour Emergency Towing" or "Towing Services" - there is a difference in how Google determines your rank.
Social Signals: How many social media accounts are attached to your website? Do you have social icons your website visitors can click on to view your social media activity? The more, the better. You do have to determine how many platforms you can manage before deciding to list all of the platforms.

Next Steps

If you're finding yourself wondering, how the heck am I supposed to do all of this? Dont' worry about that, we include this in our monthly Local Marketing Service.

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