GV Explains Local SEO Rankings Services and Strategies


Local SEO is a branch of search engine optimization that focuses on getting your business found on Google and Bing when people type in a search query that includes a geographic reference point. This is especially important for brick and mortar businesses (e.g. retail shops, service providers, restaurants) and healthcare organizations (doctors, dentists, urgent care and surgery centers) that serve a specific geographical area.


Components of Local SEO Services

  • Google My Business (GMB)
  • Bing Places
  • Google Reviews & Customer Engagement
  • Website Optimization for Local Search
  • Don’t just stop at GMB and Bing Places – continue building quality locally driven backlinks to your website including sources like:
    • Yelp
    • TripAdvisor
    • DoorDash
    • YellowPages
    • WhitePages


Why Optimizing with Local SEO is so Important

  • A large percentage of consumers find businesses by searching for them online, with as high as 46% of all searches being driven by local intent.
  • Maps listings are shown on a vast majority of searches with local intent.
  • By optimizing your Google My Business listing and ranking on the first page in your area, you make yourself available to a larger pool of potential customers who are near you and ready to purchase goods or services.


What is a Local Business Listing?

There are two local business listings. GMB (Google My Business) and Bing Places.

To create a GMB business profile, you need to visit the GMB website which you access through signing in with your Google account.

To create a Bing business profile, just visit the Bing Places website and follow the steps.

The goal once you complete the profile is to optimize it so that it appears higher than other relevant profiles on the Google or Bing Maps listings area. Ideally, if you are an attorney, for example, you want to be found in the map pack that appears on most local searches such as ‘Attorneys Near Me’ or ‘Car Accident Attorney Los Angeles’. When fully optimized, your full listing is also able to appear next to regular search results outside of Maps.


Local Business Listing Reviews

Google My Business and Bing Places reviews are a vital part of reaching and remaining in the Local Map Pack. Positive reviews on your business listing help signal trustworthiness to potential customers & clients, and more interaction with your listing on a given search will help tell the maps algorithm your listing is what people want to see when they search for a given term, helping your map rankings. It is important to work asking for reviews into your process when your client or customer is still engaged.


Google My Business Posts

Google Posts lets business owners upload offers, updates, news, or other information. These posts are placed at the bottom of your local business knowledge panel and help indicate to Google that your listing is active and relevant to the service areas listed in your profile. While Google Posts alone will not rank your listing, they are a definitive piece in your overall local SEO plan – bolstering legitimacy, listing activity, customer engagement, and clicks to your website.


Website Optimization for Local Search

There are many different ways you can start optimizing your website with Local SEO in mind, here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • Add local-specific content pages to your website including:
    • Contact pages for each physical location
    • Directions
    • Map Embeds
    • Local related guides
    • Blogs
  • Make sure all of your business info is up to date on your contact page and footer:
    • Include your business address, email, phone number, and hours.
    • Include your website and/or social media
  • Title Tags and Heading tags remain two of the most important on-page SEO factors when looking to rank a page, for both national or local rankings. Make sure the pages you want to rank in local search have fully optimized Headers for your services.
  • Optimize your images with geolocation data to send additional signals to Google’s algorithm


Local Backlinking

By Identifying and acquiring backlinks on authoritative, general & industry-specific websites across the internet, you establish more sources containing your Name, Address, Phone, website, and other information. These citations are either free or paid and are identified using thorough research and in-depth competitor analysis.


GetVisible Local SEO Experts

Regardless of your skill level, local marketing can be difficult to navigate without an expert guide. If you need assistance with Local SEO for your Scottsdale business, contact Get Visible for a free consultation today! #GV #GVExplains

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