Local Search Marketing involves developing strategies to ensure that potential customers can find your products or services when searching the web for similar items.
Proper local SEO strategies can help your business make its mark in Google Maps by appearing among the first three results for any query.
Local Business Structured Data
When running a local business, visibility is everything. Google provides searchers with all kinds of information about your company through rich snippets in their search results pages – an effective way of increasing website visits for local companies.
Key to getting your business information into search results snippets is adding Local Business Structured Data to your HTML code, which helps search engines understand and rank you higher in searches.
Filing out markups for businesses can be daunting. At their core are NAP (Name, Address and Phone Number) and local business hours. Additional properties might include social media handles, reviews and geolocation data.
Call Tracking with a Local Area Code
Call tracking is a useful way to monitor the success of your marketing campaigns by assigning users with unique phone numbers when they click your ads, fill out lead forms or call your business.
Utilizing local area codes is an ideal way to provide call tracking without harming SEO, and provides search engines with proof that your business exists where it claims it does.
Many businesses worry that using local numbers on their Google My Business listing will harm SEO; however, if done properly it shouldn’t.
Local Listings
An accurate local business listing is one of the cornerstones of local search marketing, providing significant visibility and sales growth potential when managed effectively.
Make sure your NAP (name, address and phone number) remains consistent across all business profiles to avoid confusing search bots and resulting in lower local SEO rankings.
Be sure that each forward-facing department in multi-department businesses, like salons, car dealerships or medical facilities has its own phone number and address; Google wants your listings to be as accurate as possible.
Maintaining an up-to-date and responsive Google Business Profile will not only boost its standing but also your local SEO ranking. Be sure to reply quickly to reviews, add relevant photos, and change contact info as quickly as possible.
Building a Network
Building networks is an essential aspect of local search marketing. This can be especially effective for multi-location businesses as it allows you to connect with those in the area who require your services.
As you build your network, always strive to add value and add something valuable for others – this mindset forms the basis of long-lasting and meaningful relationships.
Your relationships will demonstrate this point in various ways; whether people call only when they need something from you, or ask you for favors out of nowhere – every connection must be meaningful if they’re going to remain meaningful relationships.
Monitoring Online Reviews
Monitoring online reviews is an integral component of local search marketing, helping ensure a positive brand reputation and mitigating any negative feedback before it escalates into an issue that needs immediate resolution. Negative comments must be addressed immediately so as to prevent potential crises forming.
Review monitoring tools make the review process faster and less time consuming, enabling you to respond to reviews on a schedule that best suits your business.
Start by compiling a list of sites to monitor, and creating an active review generation strategy on those platforms most relevant for your business. Also consider looking into what strategies your competitors are employing to gain reviews for themselves.
