Optimizing for “near me” searches is a key marketing tool for businesses to fuel growth since the queries have doubled in volume since 2016. 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine, that’s far more than social media leads. Here are a few local SEO concepts everyone should know about:
Confirm NAP
By that we mean a name, address, and phone number. Make sure this information is consistent across all platforms and exactly matches the information on your website. Something very basic but you would be surprised how many businesses get it wrong.
Set Up Local Listings
The information on the pages for local listing directories ( Google My Business, Bing, Yahoo) should exactly match the NAP on your website. Set up local business listings accordingly. If the business is a franchise or has more than one store use one account for all locations in Google but create separate landing pages for each location on your website.
Be Mobile Friendly
Geolocation services and mobile are inseparable for apparent reasons. On a typical day, 40% of all searches will be on a smartphone and out of that 70% will take action on a purchase within an hour. Mobile responsive websites attract more customers. People on the go use their cellphones for directions or to read reviews about a new place they plan to visit. So make sure to be very specific and accurate with your keyword targeting and have pages that quickly answer your client’s questions.
Get Good Reviews
Reviews tie in with the hummingbird part of the algorithm and affect how high you rank locally. It is the first thing a potential customer will look for to find out more about you. Needless to say, if other users recommend you on Google, Yelp or Facebook people will most likely want to try out your service. 84% of users say they trust the feedback from colleagues or friends. 33% of users have bought another product than the one intended after researching it.
Create Content
We recommend you focus on specific areas that you serve. Participate in local events, post customized videos and create content for your blog at least once a week. If you can add “near me” as a description anywhere you can in your website (headings or meta tags) that would be ideal. Partner up with local news sites, events, and directories that can help you increase your reach.
