Google’s algorithm to rank local search results can vary, depending on the kinds of signals, making it slightly difficult to understand where your efforts should be dedicated. It is important to understand the various local SEO ranking factors to help your business rank relatively well in SERPs. It is important to note that local SEO ranking factors typically vary from the traditional SEO we are mostly acquainted with.
As businesses are trying to include SEO considering how vital it is to boost brand name, the ranking factor is tagging along with it. However, the competition is on the rise, as businesses are striving harder. The growing importance of dominating search result pages is only becoming all the more crucial. Local SEO ranking factors are coming into effect as more small businesses are realizing the soaring competition they are surrounded with. A comprehensive local SEO campaign can boost your capacity to connect with local audiences.
Here are several ways you can boost your local SEO ranking factors.
1. Google My Business
Google My Business is one of the major local SEO factors that dominates local SERPs. It is a free tool offered by Google that provides users the details about local businesses via Google maps. Accurately setting up your “Google My Business” is crucial to attract the attention of both Google and your potential customers. For several local businesses, Google My Business listings have stood as a pivotal option, sometimes even more crucial than a website itself.
This is because GMB (Google My Business) is often the first thing people will come across while scrolling for the company on Google. It makes it essential for your business to be verified in the first place. Major search algorithms typically use signals like contact information, proximity among many others to locate where your business is listed. It allows businesses to send data about their respective entity to the entity database of Google almost immediately. The major Google my business ranking factors are business category, its physical address, and the primary keyword in the business name.
2. Local Pack
Local pack is a group of local business listings that occurs as a response to relevant search queries either for the products or the services they offer. A local pack is especially built of Google Business Profiles (GBP), and its local seo highly depend on the proximity of address to the search point. Unlike organic SERPs that are usually procured from the index website of Google, Local pack listings are extracted from Google My Business. For a better view, when you search for a local business on Google, it returns results from potential businesses that more or less fit your search query.
3. Reviews
Before making any purchase, potential customers often scavenge through online reviews, to determine whether they are making the right decision or not. Positive reviews don’t just propel the decision-making process, but also highly contribute to several local search ranking factors.
The businesses that receive frequent positive reviews online have benefited more with ranking increments, than those who haven’t. Positive reviews often lead Google to understand that customers are glad with the services provided by the business. Local SEO ranking factors often consider measuring the diversity, frequency and the review quality that the business generates.
4. On-page Signals
There are several on-page factors that are highlighted when websites face analysis for local search ranking factors. The first criteria is the usage of relevant keywords. Search engines often forage through the use of keywords that are relevant and strategically positioned to help your site rank high in on-page SEO. The motive of relevance is extremely crucial for local seo services since the accurate keywords can improve your site’s ranking.
The name, address and phone number (NAP) on different pages also augments on-page ranking and signal factors. It is also important to enhance the mobile-friendliness of your site to boost local SEO ranking factors on-page ranking. This can help your brand stand out, especially by crafting a smooth and effective user experience.
5. Backlink Profile
Backlinks are one of the most integral components for a local business. It is primary that local businesses target attracting links from relevant, local and authoritative websites for an effective outcome. However, it can often be a really difficult challenge to gain backlinks. It is vital to remember that when several other websites link to yours, quality becomes more essential. You can begin making local link welding via local publications, local event pages, local directories, industry publications and more. In definition, backlinks are certain types of links that actually come from other websites that redirect to yours.
6. Local Citations
If you know about yellow pages, you are probably also aware of online directories and citations. Essentially, citations are recent equivalent to yellow pages. In fact, citations are considered very important to acquire consistent information about a business blueprint via the web, alongside helping obtain local backlinks from other admissible websites. In particular, citation ranking factors comprise of your IYP/aggregator NAP consistency, location and citation volume. The consistency NAP has is extremely significant for local SEO ranking factors. Ensure that all information is equally spread across citation listings. Local citations remain beneficial for visibility purposes and user engagement.
7. Behavioral Signals
Google algorithm uses behavioral signals as a way to list ranking order for local search results. Behavioral signals are types of actions that your audience uses to further indicate engagement with local business listings and their websites. There are several behavioral signals most brands are familiar with including CTR (Click Through Rate), Mobile Clicks to Calls, Social Media Check-ins. In definition, CTR usually refers to the number of times users click around a site for various search results. Mobile Click to Call, on the other hand, is a button that users click to directly call the associated business number. Social Media Check-ins are options that allow users to tag the business location they were in.
8. Local Content
Publishing relevant content to your local community can essentially boost your local search rankings. There is no doubt that users engage with brands on subjects that are relevant, relatable and influential. More often than not, search engines help several different websites with unimaginable value to users, further assisting local content to boost local search rankings. Ideally, local content involves articles, graphics, videos, blogs among many others – all thoroughly based on a local area. Many brands use key search terms and location based keywords to draw attention of potential customers. By using these key search terms, businesses can actively magnify local visibility of their brand.
9. Personalization
One specific query can vary in SERPs, according to the devices used. For the same reason, Google tracks the location, language, search history – among many other factors. Personalization is as imperative as any other part of local ranking factors. It comprises various factors, like search location, history and the concerned device. Personalization is a way of seeing the returning results from websites that you are already certainly aware of and might as well have frequently visited.
It is also partly provoked by the location a user particularly searched from, or the language they typically use – among other similar factors. Personalization ranking factors come handy with numerous facets: much like search history, search location, and device. The importance it had varied from one year to another. For instance, personalization was rated roughly about 9 percent consistently from 2013, until about the end of 2017. Since the beginning of 2018, it has climbed down to 7 percent.
Bottom Line
Recognizing and analyzing the different elements that impact your local SEO rankings is only the first step towards walking a longer road ahead. Since the competition is becoming tougher, it is vital to switch to local SEO ranking factors, especially for service style businesses or brands. In case you want a loaded, prolific outcome from local SEO ranking factors, it is better to plan ahead, and have a clear approach towards the goals you are planning to include. It will lead to better search visibility, as well as an augmented business profile.
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