The whole world of SEO or search engine optimization can be confusing to learn and understand. If you want to rank higher on Google the first step is knowing what ranking factors go into ranking high locally. In this article, we will cover the top local ranking factors to help boost your SEO and get you discovered online faster using Google Business.
There is a lot more value in a properly set up Google Business page than people realize, so don’t click off yet. If your goal is to rank higher locally, then Google Business is your solution.
1. Maintaining a Consistent Image Online
One of the most important things that Google picks up on is consistency. Google as a whole favors companies and websites that maintain a consistent image across the internet. So what exactly does it mean to stay consistent online?
It essentially means keeping accurate and up-to-date information across the internet, but specifically on Google Business. Google Business is basically a mini Facebook page for your website. When you search for a business on Google you will notice a sidebar on the right of the screen with information about that business such as contact information and a link to their website. Consistently updating your Google Business page will help your company rank higher locally.
One great feature of Google Business is the ability to post relevant blogs related to your company and industry. Regular helpful content will encourage people to follow you and check back when you post something new. Some other things to remember to do include updating your company’s hours as they change and responding to any and all reviews you receive.
Google Business is an important tool and not all business owners realize that. To get the most out of your GMB page, you want to fill out as much information as possible. The more current information you feed Google, the easier they can rank you and the more they understand your company.
2. How Far Away the Searcher is
If you want to rank higher locally, the distance that the searcher is from your business plays a huge role in that. In other words, the closer the searcher is, the higher you are likely to rank. Google uses the address imputed when verifying a Google Business Page to determine where that company will rank locally.
So what does this tell you? Since the distance to the business plays such a huge role in ranking locally, you want to be sure you’re marketing to your area. Niching down the area you do most of your promotion in is important because it’s an easier way to get discovered and gives you a much better chance of ranking locally.
3. Making Sure Your Business is Verified
This may seem like a no-brainer, but some argue it to be one of the top factors that determine how your company ranks, and I would have to agree with that. When creating a GMB page it is important to optimize it to its fullest potential and that includes making sure it is verified. Failure to verify your business online will result in your company not being ranked at all. In other words, you could successfully complete every single other step, but unless your company is verified your business will not be ranked anywhere on Google.
Verification is an important and even simple step compared to some of the others. Whatever you do, do not skip over this part.
4. How a User Interacts With Your Google Business
Another word for this is User Behavior which is essentially how much a visitor to your GMB page engages with it. There are several ways that visitors can engage with a Google Business page including website clicks, photo viewing, following for content, and sharing the link with others.
How much users interact and engage with your Google Business page will aid in determining how well your company will rank locally on Google. Since user engagement is such an important thing, you as a business owner will want to do everything you can to make your Google Business page as interesting as possible. You want it to be something that grabs the viewer’s attention and encourages them to spend more time looking at it. This can be achieved through using quality photos and updating them regularly, posting interesting blog posts relevant to your business, and ensuring all information uploaded is current and correct.
Wrapping it Up
Learning to rank well and implement an SEO strategy is confusing at first but with time it will get easier and easier. Ranking locally should be a priority for most businesses and the best way to do that is through Google Business.
Google Business is a tool and when used correctly it can be the difference between website traffic and having none. There are a lot of factors that go into ranking higher locally but these are a few that really stood out to us and are a good place to start. It’s time to log on to Google Business!
Frequently Asked Questions
People new to SEO and figuring out how to rank higher on Google oftentimes have a lot of questions and understandably so! Here are some commonly asked questions along with their answers.
Q: How much does Google Business Cost?
A: It is completely free to create a GMB account as well as list your company through it.
Q: What else can I do to improve my GMB?
A: Two more things you can do are set up a Q&A section similar to this one where customers can ask you business-related questions, and make sure that your GMB listing can be found on Google Maps so customers can find it easier.
Q: What would you say are the main things to focus on at first when it comes to Local SEO?
A: No matter what, prioritize your Google Business listing and optimize it fully, and maintain a consistent presence online with only accurate and up-to-date information.