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Local SEO has become more important during the past few years. As more customers shift from print, television, radio and other media to the internet, local seo becomes more important to small businesses thriving and surviving.
We'll focus on Google here, but the same basics hold true for Yahoo and Bing. Google has about 65% of traffic, so it makes sense to start there. Local SEO involves three basic factors.
Google Places is our starting point. Those listings with little red flags with a black dot in the middle are Google Places listings. There are up to seven on a page. The flag is dropped on to a Google Map on the same page and shows the physical location of the listed business.
The good news about a Google Places listing is that it's free. Now, that doesn't mean your listing will make the list and display, and the cherished number one position must be earned. Google will not tell us how to get on the list and at the top, but citations and reviews seem to be the factors that will get you there.
Citations are very simple. They're the business name, phone number and address as submitted for the Google Place listing. Other pages from sites such as internet phone directories, a local Chamber of Commerce, industry directories, newspapers and your own website, blog, etc. that list the citation will affect the Places rankings.
Reviews come from services like Yelp and Google themselves. Google searches the internet for reviews about your business. For small businesses like local restaurants, reviews will go a long way to determining whether you make the list and where you rank.
As a small business, you must be listed in Google Places, the listing is free, but getting a high ranking on the list will take some time. That's where the other two factors in local SEO come into play.
You need a website. The website needs to have a good design and the content needs to be what your visitors and customers are looking for when they search. A website is not a requirement for a Google Places listing, but it is a requirement for good results. Your website needs to capture the attention of the visitor and then hold that attention. You have only a few seconds to do that. Make sure everything about the site is clean, well designed and attractive. Visitors love pictures and video. Don't just use text.
Finally, without a local SEO program, you will most likely not rank well in Google Places or for natural or organic listings. Citations need a good plan and strategy followed by consistent action. However, Google Places, citations and reviews are not enough. You need to rank for the keywords that are important to your business in the local market. This requires excellent attention grabbing and engaging content and links for other sites back to that content. Local organic traffic is crucial and to get it, you need to rank in the search engines. It doesn't happen by accident, you need a good local SEO program for your business.
There you have it. Three major factors for local SEO. Get your Google Places listing, create or update your website design and content to capture attention and answer customer questions, and, build your local SEO program. Yes, it takes work. Yes, it will cost you some money. Yes, the results will be worth it.
We'll focus on Google here, but the same basics hold true for Yahoo and Bing. Google has about 65% of traffic, so it makes sense to start there. Local SEO involves three basic factors.
Google Places is our starting point. Those listings with little red flags with a black dot in the middle are Google Places listings. There are up to seven on a page. The flag is dropped on to a Google Map on the same page and shows the physical location of the listed business.
The good news about a Google Places listing is that it's free. Now, that doesn't mean your listing will make the list and display, and the cherished number one position must be earned. Google will not tell us how to get on the list and at the top, but citations and reviews seem to be the factors that will get you there.
Citations are very simple. They're the business name, phone number and address as submitted for the Google Place listing. Other pages from sites such as internet phone directories, a local Chamber of Commerce, industry directories, newspapers and your own website, blog, etc. that list the citation will affect the Places rankings.
Reviews come from services like Yelp and Google themselves. Google searches the internet for reviews about your business. For small businesses like local restaurants, reviews will go a long way to determining whether you make the list and where you rank.
As a small business, you must be listed in Google Places, the listing is free, but getting a high ranking on the list will take some time. That's where the other two factors in local SEO come into play.
You need a website. The website needs to have a good design and the content needs to be what your visitors and customers are looking for when they search. A website is not a requirement for a Google Places listing, but it is a requirement for good results. Your website needs to capture the attention of the visitor and then hold that attention. You have only a few seconds to do that. Make sure everything about the site is clean, well designed and attractive. Visitors love pictures and video. Don't just use text.
Finally, without a local SEO program, you will most likely not rank well in Google Places or for natural or organic listings. Citations need a good plan and strategy followed by consistent action. However, Google Places, citations and reviews are not enough. You need to rank for the keywords that are important to your business in the local market. This requires excellent attention grabbing and engaging content and links for other sites back to that content. Local organic traffic is crucial and to get it, you need to rank in the search engines. It doesn't happen by accident, you need a good local SEO program for your business.
There you have it. Three major factors for local SEO. Get your Google Places listing, create or update your website design and content to capture attention and answer customer questions, and, build your local SEO program. Yes, it takes work. Yes, it will cost you some money. Yes, the results will be worth it.
I am unable to read articles online very often, but I’m glad I did today. This is very well written and your points are well-expressed. Please, don’t ever stop writing. online marketing Toronto
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