Local search is exactly what it sounds like; Google searches made in your local area. One of Google’s main factors for surfacing search results to a user is that user’s proximity, as most people aren’t concerned about businesses in places where they aren’t. As searches are made in an area Google tends to understand which ones are the most popular, by virtue of which are clicked on the most and receive the most traffic. This gives the algorithm quantifiable data about what you may be looking for, based simply on what you’re searching for and where you’re doing it. But how does this connect back to your business? Well, as reported by Social Media Today, 86% of consumers rely on the internet to find a local business, and 78% of local mobile searches result in an in-store purchase. More recently, The FinTech Times reported that during Covid-19, 96% of consumers are said to support their local businesses. Not only are smaller local businesses in demand, but users are frequently discovering them through local search and have high odds of making a purchase.
Building SEO takes work, but is certainly not impossible, it just takes some research and a bit of persistence. Firstly you need a keyword plan, which is essentially what words you want Google to associate with you; like ‘hardware store’ or ‘retro diner.’ It’s important to do research into these words using online SEO tools as there are likely others vying for the same Google correlations that you are. You may not be able to simply get ‘hardware store’ but you could try for something more nuanced like ‘family hardware store’ that not only adds character to your business but also connects you with like-minded customers. Deciding on these words is only the beginning though, as you then have to work to build that association within the search algorithm by generating content and using backlinks on your site or others.
In his guide, Jon Zacharias recommends prioritizing content that is focused locally and is in tune with your business. His primary advice is to initiate a blog, writing posts that cover recent events in your local area, have news about your brand, or even contain special offers to those who visit. Incentivize readers to visit your blog with compelling content, attractive visuals, and unique offers that will drive time spent on your site, click through rates, and shares; all of which improve your rankings. Of course, you should also try to incorporate your chosen keywords into these posts wherever possible, but not to the point of confusing a reader as to why you have to say ‘family hardware store’ in every sentence you write.
This next bit of advice may sound counterintuitive, but has found success for Zacharias in his work at digital marketing agency GR0; Jon suggests you write about other local businesses in your area. There is a fine line to ride on this one, as you’re not trying to speak qualitatively about your competitors, and merely may want to reference their activities in relation to what you’re doing. The intent is neither to build them up or to tear them down, but instead are close enough in proximity and category that they are relevant to what you do, but aren’t explicitly your competitors. Your homey hardware store may not offer carpentry, but that isn’t a reason to celebrate a milestone achieved by a local carpenter as he completes his 50th local area home. This is a great way to generate more content in your local area without coming off as ‘SEO spam,’ and instead pave the way toward organic SEO, which is far more valuable. In addition this is also a great avenue for networking, as it can potentially open the door for a collaboration, or even get them to post about your store’s upcoming 10th anniversary.
Important to gaining SEO is also integrating keywords and valuable information onto the pages of your website, sometimes offering short, factual bits of information like an FAQ which Google will surface directly into its results. Beyond that, Zacharias also suggests that if your business has multiple locations in the area, or in different areas, that you create dedicated pages to each one, providing Google with a more specific destination to offer the searcher. This is also important to your business in that it keeps customers informed about where they can access you, which is crucial if you wish to expand your reach geographically.
The final bit of advice included is simple, but may also be overlooked by those who aren’t careful; make use of ‘Google My Business.’ Google can provide a lot of integrated information into search results that doesn’t require a user to click on anything, and instead directly offers an embed of Google Maps with nearby locations, or other similar listings. Google My Business is a free tool that allows you to manage your own listing for how you appear, including that your address, phone number, operating hours, and website link are all up to date. This also gives you an avenue to respond to customer reviews, whether they’re negative or positive. In fact, Zacharias actually suggests that this step is the most important of them all, as using this feature enables you to directly build credibility with the search engine, as it is obviously most trusting in any information Google has verified itself.
Jon Zacharias has spent years working in digital marketing and advertising, and his latest venture GR0 is clear proof of that. He currently works with influencers across all sects to provide meaningful relationships between his clients and their potential audiences, and is constantly working to grow his portfolio. With over 50 employees, GR0 works to help brands improve their SEO rankings on Google and create quality online engagement between them and their customers.
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