Local SEO has become a top priority for many companies. Last year, Google published a study showing a 500% increase in “near me” searches, and Google also stated that it had seen a 900% increase in mobile searches for “near me today or tonight” over the same period. And 82% of smartphone shoppers perform “near me” searches.
Clearly, ‘near me’ searches are a trend that brands cannot ignore. But it’s just one aspect of local SEO, something that’s becoming increasingly important to a wide range of companies. The gap between online and offline interactions along the consumer journey is narrowing every year. Local SEO is shaping up as one of the most important lead generation strategies for brands that want to convert search queries into customers walking through the door.
The importance of location-based research
The 2014 Google Pigeon update fundamentally changed the way people find businesses in their area by connecting Google’s local algorithm more deeply to its primary search algorithm Improved Google’s ability to measure business locations and users Reduced the local batch of results to three listings , and local search results in Google. It’s important to understand how Google’s algorithm handles local queries, but the most significant change over the past few years has been user search habits. Mobile has totally changed where and how people interact with search, so understanding the target audience’s search habits is crucial.
“Near me” searches should be a priority for most brands because they generally have a strong buying intent and indicate that users are in a hurry to get what they’re looking for. To truly understand the role that mobile plays in modern research, it is necessary to identify the small problems that it solves for users. Location and mobile-based search has made it possible to locate users at the most specific moments of need. To take advantage of these moments, you need to know why your target audience turned to search in the first place and what specific problem they are trying to solve.
There are only three lists in the local packages now, and Google does very well at serving the most relevant results for individual queries. So you really need to determine what people are searching for and make sure that Google has this information about your business. And as voice technology plays a bigger role in local SEO, things are going to get more competitive.
How to improve local search engines
Optimize your website for local search
Your website is the centerpiece of your entire online presence and this is also important for site-based SEO. While Google Maps provides users with all the essential details about your business, it doesn’t give you any space to deliver branded messages or other information that people need.
Use the LocalBusiness Scheme
Schema markup offers Google more information about your business at the code level, helping it deliver the content to the most relevant audience. This also applies to location-based search. You can use the LocalBusiness scheme to provide Google with in-depth details about your business and users with more information such as opening times during the holiday season or price ranges for your products.
Make sure your Google Business account is 100% complete
Google wants to make sure that it provides the most relevant results to local searchers and gives them all the information they need to make a decision about a business such as location, opening times, reviews etc. This means that you give this data first to the search giant through Google. Business account This should be 100% complete.
Build a strong profile for positive reviews
Comments are huge when it comes to location-based searches, and this is one of the quickest ways users can differentiate you from the competition. A strong profile of positive Google reviews is one of the most important factors when it comes to converting local search into real leads, especially if you are a brand that users don’t already know and trust.
Get quotes and references to brands
Google takes citations and references to brands into account using its own local listing algorithm. A quote is when another website mentions your brand without actually linking to your site. These are not as strong as links from reputable local sources but give Google confidence that you are a real businessman that business people are talking about.