Last Update May 18, 2025 @ 1:29 am

Imagine picking up a call from what seems to be your bank, a trusted supplier, or even a government agency. The voice on the other end is urgent, professional, and convincing. But in reality, it’s a scam—an AI-generated fraud designed to manipulate you into revealing sensitive business information.

Voice search scam calls are becoming a major security threat for businesses. These scams leverage advanced technology, such as deepfake voices and caller ID spoofing, to trick employees into making payments or handing over confidential data. As cybercriminals refine their tactics, business owners must understand the risks and know how to protect themselves.

This article explores how voice search scam calls work, their impact on businesses, red flags to watch for, and the best ways to prevent falling victim to them.

What Are Voice Search Scam Calls?

How Scammers Exploit Voice Technology

Scammers have found a new way to commit fraud using voice search and AI-driven technology. These scams involve:

• Caller ID Spoofing: Fraudsters manipulate phone numbers to appear legitimate.
• AI-Generated Voices: Deepfake technology enables scammers to mimic real people.
• Social Engineering: Attackers use psychological tricks to convince employees to share sensitive data.

Common Tactics Used in Voice Scam Calls

Scammers use several strategies to gain access to business information:

• Impersonating Authorities: Fraudsters pretend to be banks, suppliers, or government officials.
• Creating a Sense of Urgency: They claim that immediate action is required to avoid penalties or financial loss.
• Requesting Sensitive Data: Callers may ask for login credentials, payment details, or verification codes.

Case Studies of Business Losses

• A finance manager at a medium-sized company transferred a significant amount of money after receiving a call from someone who sounded like their CEO.
• A small business was tricked into providing banking details over the phone, leading to unauthorized transactions.

These real-world examples highlight the growing sophistication of voice search scam calls.

The Evolution of Voice Phishing (Vishing) and Its Impact on Businesses

From Simple Phone Scams to AI-Driven Attacks

Phishing attacks started with emails, evolved into SMS-based scams (smishing), and are now increasingly using voice search technology (vishing). Criminals no longer need to rely on human impersonation—they can use AI-generated voices to mimic trusted contacts.

The Role of AI and Deepfake Technology

• Voice Cloning: Scammers record a few seconds of a person’s voice and use AI to generate realistic speech patterns.
• Automated Call Scripts: Fraudsters use pre-programmed voice responses to sound more authentic.
• Speech Synthesis: AI software can replicate specific accents, tones, and speech styles.

High-Profile Cases of Voice Search Scam Calls

• In 2019, fraudsters used AI voice technology to impersonate a company executive and steal $243,000.
• Scammers have successfully tricked businesses into paying fake invoices by pretending to be suppliers.

Businesses must stay alert as these scams continue to evolve.

Recognizing the Signs of Voice Search Scam Calls

Key Red Flags to Watch For

• Unsolicited Requests: Calls asking for financial transactions or sensitive data out of the blue.
• Time-Sensitive Demands: Scammers pressure victims to act quickly without verification.
• Odd or Robotic Speech Patterns: AI-generated voices may have unnatural pauses or slightly off pronunciations.

Understanding Caller ID Spoofing

Caller ID spoofing makes fraudulent calls appear legitimate. If a call from a known business contact feels suspicious, hang up and call back using a verified number.

How to Verify Caller Authenticity

• Ask for Identifying Information: Request details that only the real person would know.
• Call Back Using an Official Number: Never trust the number displayed on caller ID.
• Listen for Audio Clues: Deepfake voices may lack natural inflection or emotion.

Preventative Measures for Business Owners

1. Train Employees to Identify Scam Calls

• Educate staff about common vishing techniques.
• Conduct simulated phishing exercises to test their awareness.
• Encourage a “trust but verify” approach for phone requests.

2. Implement Strong Verification Protocols

• Use multi-factor authentication for all financial transactions.
• Establish a call-back policy—employees must verify all sensitive requests before acting.
• Develop internal security codes for financial approvals.

3. Leverage Technology to Block Scam Calls

• Invest in call-filtering software to detect spoofed numbers.
• Use AI-powered fraud detection systems.
• Activate call-recording features to analyze suspicious interactions.

4. Conduct Regular Security Audits

• Review phone security policies every few months.
• Update staff training programs to address new threats.
• Work with cybersecurity experts to improve fraud detection.

How to Respond to a Suspected Voice Search Scam Call

Immediate Actions to Take

• Stay Calm and Don’t Provide Information. Hang up if the caller pressures you.
• Avoid Clicking Links or Dialing Numbers Provided by Callers. If a call claims to be from a service provider, verify it independently.

Reporting the Scam

• Notify company leadership or the IT department.
• Report fraudulent calls to the appropriate cybersecurity agencies.
• Block the scam number and warn employees.

Documenting the Call

• Note down the time, date, and caller details.
• Record any unusual phrases or demands for future reference.
• Keep a log of scam attempts for internal training.

Legal and Regulatory Framework for Business Protection

Existing Laws Against Voice Scam Calls

Various regulations help combat telephony fraud, including:

• Privacy and Data Protection Laws to safeguard business information.
• Telecom Regulations that impose fines on scam callers.
• Cybercrime Legislation targeting fraudulent voice-based scams.

Business Owners’ Responsibilities

• Maintain compliance with data security policies.
• Regularly train employees on legal responsibilities.
• Report all scam attempts to regulatory authorities.

Consequences of Ignoring Security Measures

Failure to prevent vishing scams can result in:

• Financial losses from fraudulent transactions.
• Data breaches lead to reputational damage.
• Potential legal penalties for failing to secure sensitive data.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What should I do if I receive a suspicious call?

• Do not engage.
• Hang up and verify the caller independently.
• Report the incident to your IT department or a cybersecurity agency.

How can employees recognize a voice scam?

• Watch for urgency or fear tactics.
• Verify requests through another communication channel.
• Be cautious of robotic or unnatural voice patterns.

What tools help prevent voice phishing attacks?

• AI-based call filtering software.
• Multi-factor authentication systems.
• Voice recognition security measures.

Can businesses take legal action if scammed?

• Yes, businesses can report fraud to authorities.
• Legal action may recover lost funds in certain cases.
• Regulatory agencies may impose penalties on fraudulent operators.

Conclusion: Staying Vigilant Against Voice Search Scam Calls

Voice search scam calls pose a real danger to businesses. With AI-powered scams on the rise, companies must stay ahead by recognizing red flags, training employees, and implementing strong security measures.

By staying informed, using advanced call-filtering technologies, and enforcing verification protocols, businesses can protect themselves from costly scams. Awareness and proactive security are the best defenses against this growing cyber threat.

The post Voice Search Scam Calls: How Business Owners Can Stay Safe first appeared on SEO Optimizers.

Last Update Aug 14, 2024 @ 5:06 pm

You need a strong internet presence if you want your firm to succeed. Connecting with and reaching your target audience through online visibility and awareness will allow you to effectively compete in the market. Additionally, you need top-notch local SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Reaching out to your area’s audience is simple with local SEO mastery. Your products and services will more likely appear in their search results, and you have a better chance to attract potential customers. So let’s examine how to improve local SEO and support the expansion of your company more closely.

Understand local SEO basics

When people look online for a service or a product in their area, Google Search doesn’t recommend businesses at random. Rather, it indexes and ranks the websites of local businesses according to their relevance. The higher your local Google ranking, the more potential customers will see your business.

Luckily, there’s a set of rules and guidelines that can help your business rank higher. Local SEO refers to optimizing your website for the audience in your geographical area. Quality local search optimization ensures that your business appears prominently in search engine results and attracts local customers. Your business will show up whenever they look for products or services nearby.

Why does it matter?

You can probably already see many benefits of optimizing your website. With local SEO, you’ll be able to:

• Increase your business’s visibility. Your business will appear in the top results when people search for relevant keywords.
• Gain competitive advantage. You’ll give your business the edge it needs in today’s market.
• Gain relevance. Google Search recommends the most relevant results – by being there at the top, you signal your business is highly relevant.
• Attract more traffic to your website. You’ll generate more qualified leads and boost your conversion rates as people who find you this way are likely already interested in making a purchase.
• Build trust and credibility. Being in top results signals to potential customers that you’re a reliable and trusted business.

Claim and optimize Google My Business listing

The first step toward local SEO mastery is to claim your Google My Business listing if you already haven’t. This feature provides all the relevant information about your business online. What’s more, having a compelling listing will attract new customers. Here is how to create an effective listing:

1. Claim ownership of your listing. Follow the prompts on the Google My Business website to verify that you own your business.
2. Fill in your listing. Add all the relevant information to your GMB profile. First, complete the fields with your business name, address, and contact information (phone number, email, etc.). But don’t neglect to state your work hours and website URL and describe your products and services.
3. Encourage customers to review your business. Ask satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on your listing. It helps build trust and enhances your reputation. Also, show that their effort matters by responding to their comments.
4. Include photos. Go a step further and add photos to help customers visualize your business. Add high-quality photos of your premises, product images, team photos, etc.
5. Keep your listing up to date. Update all the relevant information to show your business is active and relevant.

Online reviews and reputation management

Online reviews have a big impact on how customers regard your brand. They influence consumers’ purchasing decisions and can help you build your online reputation. Therefore, it’s a smart move to encourage satisfied clients to write favorable evaluations. But it’s also important to have a plan in place for dealing with negative reviews. Here’s how to use testimonials to establish a great online reputation:

• Request positive reviews from your clients. Most satisfied clients won’t have a problem leaving positive reviews. However, you ought to support them and offer something in exchange. You could, for example, send follow-up emails or provide incentives in exchange for feedback.
• Be professional. How you deal with negative reviews matters as much as how many glowing reviews you get. Even if you think the review is unfair, respond professionally. That shows you appreciate feedback and can take both praise and criticism.
• Resolve negative feedback. If possible, try to address customer’s complaints. Turning a negative experience into a positive one showcases excellent customer service and commitment.
• Check your business’s reviews on different platforms. Monitor your business’s reviews on Google, Yelp, social media, etc. Set up notifications for incoming reviews so you can respond on time.

Localize your website content and on-page optimization

So far, we’ve discussed how to make your business visible and reputable across the web. But now we need to go home to your company’s website. On-page optimization is vital for businesses of all sizes. If you want to localize your website, you must employ local SEO strategies.

Local keywords

Use location-specific keywords throughout your website content to target users searching for services in your area. Consider, for a moment, a website for a moving company. For most movers, geographical location is important – they want to find and attract a local audience. So, SEO for relocation companies should focus on location-specific words such as “Atlanta moving services” for a moving company operating in this city. That improves their visibility and attracts more local customers.

Location-specific landing pages

Tailor your landing pages to different geographic locations you serve. Each page should include relevant keywords, service offerings, and contact information specific to that area.

Meta tags and headers

Local keywords should go deeper than specific landing pages. So, optimize meta tags, headers, and image alt text with local keywords to improve your website’s relevance for local searches.

Build local citations and backlinks

Local citations and backlinks are the backbone of your website’s local SEO. However, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and building this net requires time, effort, and cooperation.

Listing your company in local directories should to be your initial step. Provide correct business information to directories like Yelp, the Yellow Pages, etc. Naturally, check that all of the information is correct and consistent with each listing.

The next step is to establish local alliances. For instance, collaborate with organizations, local companies, and influencers. This will help you integrate into the neighborhood and obtain backlinks from pertinent websites. Through charitable endeavors, sponsorships, and community events, you can also make contacts and get mentions. This is called deep linking – a type of linking that can significantly affect your local search engine rating.

Also, make sure your target audience finds your content valuable. Make engaging and educational posts encouraging other websites to link to you. Show your expertise and enthusiasm with infographics, videos, etc.

Local SEO is like a puzzle. All parts are linked to each other. For example, your website’s URL on Google My Business optimizes your listing there, but it’s also a useful link leading to your website.

Lastly, monitor your backlink profile regularly. Make sure all your links are high-quality and relevant. Get rid of any that are spammy or irrelevant. Keep your backlinks healthy and effective.

Use social media for local engagement

Companies and their audience meet, engage, and form meaningful connections on social media. An effective online presence is impossible to imagine without social media. So, don’t be afraid to leverage social media to boost your local search engine optimization by:

• Optimizing your profiles: Ensure that the information on your social media profiles is correct and consistent. Make sure your readers can easily locate any information they require, including your website and address. To draw in local clients, use keywords that are relevant to your area.
• Participate in local communities: Connect with your audience in Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, and Twitter chats that are specific to your area and industry. Share your work and offer insights.
• Select hashtags depending on location: Look through the most popular hashtags in your region. Then, to attract potential clients, incorporate these hashtags into your posts.
• Share local content: Share content that demonstrates your engagement and sense of community. Show your dedication by supporting local causes, charities, and events.

Of course, if you don’t have much experience, local SEO can be challenging. But, many useful online resources can provide valuable tips. Depending on your industry, you can find industry-specific resources tailored to your needs. For instance, moving companies can find a wealth of tips and advice on optimizing for local search and engaging with local audiences in the blog section of moversdev.com, or they can contract their services. MoversDevelopment is a New York-based company specializing in SEO for moving companies. Their long experience makes them a valuable resource for all things SEO for moving companies everywhere.

Mobile optimization and voice search for local SEO

Most people use their smartphones to search for businesses ‘near me,’ making mobile responsiveness a top priority for local SEO optimization. If you neglect this aspect of your SEO strategy, you will lose a lot of potential customers. Here’s how to ensure your business reaches your target audience on their favorite devices:

1. Focus on responsive design. Ensure that navigating your website is simple on a range of screen sizes. Your website should work on any device.
2. Increase your page load speed. Your website’s pages should load in a matter of seconds. Thus, avoid using large photos. To make your website load more quickly, use browser caching and make your scripts simpler.
3. Incrporate voice search. Ensure that voice queries are possible on your website. In your content, use simple language that is easy for your target audience to understand.
4. Create local content. Respond to inquiries from local users and give important information. Use keywords and phrases that are unique to the area in your writing.

Evaluate your local SEO performance

SEO rules often change. You must regularly track and analyze your local SEO performance to make sure everything is working properly. The data you get will help you see what works and adapt to new trends. Even if everything is going well, you can still find ways to improve. So, when assessing your local SEO, pay attention to:

• Key metrics. Always check the most important metrics, such as local search rankings, website traffic from local searches, conversion rates for local leads, etc.
• Use analytics tools. Google Analytics and Google Search Console are analytics tools that help you track and analyze your website’s performance in local search. They provide you with data on user behavior, keyword performance, and website traffic.
• Assess results. Regularly evaluate your local SEO results. Look for patterns and trends in the data you get. Then, set your objectives based on these insights.

Conclusion

Every kind of business requires local SEO mastery. Our advice can help you expand and increase the visibility of your company in local search results. But remember that local SEO is a continuous effort. To achieve the desired results, you must invest time, expertise, and effort. In order to succeed over the long run, regular monitoring and optimization are also necessary. Thus, begin making the most of your online presence right now, and see how local search results for your company grow!

FAQs

1. What is local SEO? Why is it important?
   Local SEO mastery entails optimizing a business’ online presence. The main goal is to draw in more clients locally. It’s crucial since it raises awareness of your company and encourages customers to visit its physical locations.
2. Can I optimize my Google My Business listing for better local SEO?
   You certainly can. Fill in all the fields with the correct data. Include your phone number, address, business name, and working hours. Incorporate images, blog entries, and client testimonials into your listing to raise your company’s profile in local search results.
3. Why are local citations important in terms of SEO?
   They are important since they raise the authority and trustworthiness of your company in local search. Anytime a website or another platform mentions your company, it enhances your recognition and reputation.
4. How does social media help with local SEO?
   Social media sites facilitate local networking. You can interact with neighborhood communities, distribute regional content, and build deep connections.
5. How can I track and analyze my local SEO?
   There are numerous tools you can use for this, but the most popular ones are Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Analyze your most important metrics and base your judgments on your results.

The post Local SEO Mastery: Elevating Your Business in Local Search Results first appeared on SEO Optimizers.

Last Update May 18, 2025 @ 5:04 am

Learn all about local SEO

Want to learn about local SEO? The above video shows why Local SEO is important when searching for a business or service. Google personalizes results based on a business’ location. There are different ways to get more traffic using local SEO strategies. Find out how local SEO is ranked on Google Maps and Yelp as well as the impact that Yelp has on local SEO.

How does Google personalize results?

Google personalizes results based on location, even if we’re in the same city Google’s going to personalize them slightly depending on the geo-location one is exactly in. If a business is trying to capture an audience and it is in a highly dense population city where a lot of people are searching for services or products, it makes sense to get them in Google Maps and have a way to get free traffic. This is a great way to run ads but getting in for free just by having a listing on Google Maps is going to be the best long-term strategy.

Is a physical location necessary?

One could just be a service-based business operating in Los Angeles but helping people all over the world, proving that there is no need for a physical location. Once a website is optimized, a listing can be created on Google Maps or Yelp. With this an address can be hidden, so no one sees the physical location of a company.

How do reviews affect a business?

It helps to showcase reviews that people have written about a business. This serves as a portfolio and builds trust in users coming to its website or browsing around the internet. It is a form of proof of the business’s credibility.

What kind of traffic optimizes local SEO?

One ultimately gets free traffic from listings. If it’s targeted traffic it is gonna result in more leads, phone calls, emails, form submissions, and purchases directly from a business’ website. Ultimately, we’re looking to get targeted traffic for a business that’s going to convert and become leads or clients. This way local SEO is optimized and has a presence in a physical location or in a radius of where one is located.

How to create multiple locations in different places?

One could have and create more locations in different places and build a presence. This is done by building physical locations, ranking, and getting those on websites like Google Maps, Apple Maps, Bing Maps, yellowpages.com, and Mapquest. The most popular are Google Maps and Yelp. Google Maps is always going to be the best because every industry is different depending on the type of niche while Yelp focuses on restaurants.

How to verify a listing?

Having a presence on Google Maps is going to help drive more awareness. The way to get on Google Maps is to sign up for an account on Google My Business, which is a free website. Once signed up to Google my Business, an account can be created, where information such as the address, website, hours, or operations of a company is added. What will happen next is they’re going to mail the company a postcard to make sure an address is included. Once the postcard has been received, the listing is verified, and the address is hidden.

Why hide a physical location?

Google will show a city-state but they’re not going to show a physical address because Google wants to make sure that no one has a physical location there. In this case, a location can still be hidden, or a residential address could be used without the need for a PO box. If a company used it, Google would see it as a red flag and defend the company’s account because too many people have done that in the past and Google wants it to have a location. This means if one has a physical location without operating there or having people coming to it, the location can be hidden and made into a service-based business while still getting listed on Google Maps through Google my Business.

How does Google My Business work?

When using Google My Business, it’s going to ask for a description of the business, which should consist of words and keywords. Optimizing a website means optimizing for Google by putting keywords in different areas that Google’s looking at. This is the same for Google Maps, which searches in different areas to put keywords and lets them know what a business is, such as what cities it services or what products or services it offers.

What kind of details should Google be provided with?

The more details Google is provided with, the clearer the keywords that are related to a brand can be added, which let it become more relevant to Google searches. This lets Google know the keywords that a business wants to target, so it makes sense to fill out details, such as its address, website, and images.

How to properly upload images to Google?

Images are essential, which is why it is necessary to name them with keywords before they are uploaded. Google then reads the file names of the images, so it helps to name them using descriptive keywords. People want to look at images that are appealing to the eye, so it is necessary to add ones that clearly present a company’s products.

How do multiple listings build trust?

One needs to win Google‘s trust by having multiple listings. A normal business would have listings all over the web. The more places one is listed on, the more trust Google’s going to have that a company is credible because it doesn’t want to rank just anybody and accidentally send someone to the wrong person or a scammer, which unfortunately happens often.

How are multiple listings built?

Building listings must be a consistent process. This means when creating an account on Google, Yelp, and Facebook, one needs to have the same hours of operation on each platform or else Google will get confused and won’t know what hours are accurate or if a company has a different address or phone number. If an address, phone number, or hours are changed, they must be changed across the web, and it should be made sure that everything is consistent.

Are rankings important on Google Maps?

Ranking on Google Maps does not depend on reviews, what they do is build trust from people when they visit it. A five-star review shows clients are fully satisfied with a product or service, which will raise the likelihood of a company being chosen among competitors in the same industry as it. Even more important than reviews is getting listed in other third-party directories. Getting reviews should not be the goal because that won’t get a company ranking as most people think.

How to double-check the accuracy of information?

To make sure that all information details are the same across the web is for a person to search for a business phone number in Google. The person sees what shows up and makes sure that the information is consistent. This is done by checking that the name, address, and phone number of a business are accurately displayed. To double-check, one can search for a phone number and address as well as the company‘s name and see what pops up.

How important is competition for SEO?

Important for SEO is to spy on competition because if competitors are ranking on the first page of Google Maps, they’re doing something right and their strategy should be mimicked. An easy way to do so is to Google search for their business phone number and see all websites that list them. Then a listing should be created on the same websites. If a competitor has a better business bureau or is on the chamber of commerce, it makes sense to sign up a company for either or both. If they’re on yellowpages.com, then an account for the company should be created on it.

What are some ways to rise to the level of competitors?

Creating listings is the best way to grow to the level of competitors or rise even higher than them. It’s also the easiest way to find other directories. Another thing one can do is search in Google for local SEO chambers, local SEO meetings, or searching Google for events related to a business.

How to build citations?

There are a lot of different ways to build citations using Google Maps. As a start, it makes sense to look at the competition, see exactly what they’re doing, and copy their strategy. One can also write a press release. Anytime a press release is written one is always going to put a business name, address, and phone number which helps to rank it locally. Websites like PRWeb can be used to write a press release. If PRWeb is paid a few hundred dollars, it‘ll distribute it to hundreds of websites.

What strategies are used on Yelp and Trip Advisor?

The strategies used for Yelp and Trip Advisor are similar to those for Google Maps. They work well in terms of generating traffic and leads as well as gaining overall visibility. One doesn‘t need to have a physical location to be able to get listings done. What a lot of people don’t know is one can create a listing and then hide their address, while still getting ranked on Yelp and Google Maps. The company can still rank locally and not have people knocking on its door when services are offered digitally and not at a physical location.

How to create an account for Yelp?

To create an account for Yelp, one can sign up on business.yelp.com and make sure to thoroughly fill out the about me, about the business, and the history sections. In addition, it is important to categorize images before uploading them and make sure business information is consistent, visible, and transparent on Google Maps, Yelp, and the business’ website. This way it will be easy for people to reach out to the business.

What features does Yelp have?

There is no need to run ads on Yelp. Yelp gets a percentage of the money that a client spends. It is a free way to get real estate, extra badges, and notifications where clients or potential leads know that when they go to a business’ website and spend a certain amount, they’ll get an actual deal back from Yelp. This means one is getting free advertisements on the platform. Another feature to be aware of on Yelp is how fast one responds to messages, which is shown at the top of the business’ profile. The faster one responds, the higher the ranking of the business is on the platform.

The post How to Rank #1 on Google Maps & Yelp with Local SEO first appeared on SEO Optimizers.

Last Update Sep 1, 2022 @ 9:49 am

Google Maps and Yelp have been playing an important role in the growth of business worldwide. Google Maps shows your business’s details and location on a map. People can use such information to come to your business or contact you. Yelp is a review website where customers leave reviews about your services or products, and new customers can use it to find your business.

Google Maps and Yelp are the most preferred navigation and review sites; hence, ranking highly on these sites could be a good thing for your business. Google is the most used search engine in the world, and if you are ranked high on Google Maps, a quick search of your business’s name means you appear first on the result.

If you want to rank number one on Google Maps and Yelp, you need to understand why having a local SEO is important and the strategies you need to use to become number one on Google Maps and Yelp.

Importance of Local SEO

When you search for a business or service on Google, Google will personalize the results according to your location, which is usually within a 15-mile radius. Geolocation helps personalize the search results of any keyword showing your business or services that are close to you. For example, if you are looking for a mechanic in New York, type the word mechanic on Google, and the search results will show the New York mechanic closest to your location.

A local SEO is an easy way to get free traffic for your business. When you have a listing on Google Maps or Yelp, you get free traffic when searching your business online. Free traffic will also lead to conversion, where customers will start to contact you using our contacts listed on Google Maps or Yelp.

Google Maps Strategies

Here are steps to take to get the most out of google maps strategies.

Create an Account

Google Maps is the most popular SEO, and many businesses will always start by listing on Google Maps. You first need to create an account on Google My Business, sign up for the service and enter your details. The account is free; therefore, avoid people who will ask you to pay a fee so that they can place your business on Google Maps.

Fill in the Details

The details will include the business name, address, hours of operation, email address, and phone number, among other things. You can hide if you do not want customers to show up at your address. You should note that Google wants you to have a physical address; hence, without it, you cannot create a listing on Google Maps.

Ensure that you complete filling in the details, paying close attention to keywords. If you have images, you can add them to your account to help customers find your business easily. You should also add third-party directories to build more trust; for example, if you are a lawyer, you should link your account to any other website that lists you as a lawyer.

Get Positive Reviews

Getting reviews on Google Maps is also very important because it can help you get a high ranking. To get reviews, offer good services or products to people, and you will start getting positive reviews that convince other customers to trust your business. You should also ensure your information is consistent, ensuring Google Maps displays the same information every day.

Look at Your Competition

You should also pay attention to your competition and see what they are doing right. If there is a business that has a higher rank than yours, check their details and see what they have included in their account that might be missing in yours. Your keywords should also contain niche directories, and if possible, you can write a press release for your business listing on Google Maps.

Yelp Strategies

As established, getting reviews on yelp is crucial for your business. However, you can apply some specific strategies to give your business an edge.

Create an Account

Yelp is a review website, and some of the strategies you used to rank number one on Google Maps can work on Yelp too. You need to create your business account on Yelp and ensure you fill in all the details. You can also add images, fill in the correct details in the correct section, and ensure all the details are consistent.

Get Positive Reviews

Reviews play a big role on Yelp, but they do not play a huge role in ensuring you get a number one ranking. Reviews will build trust but do not stress about getting many reviews; a few positive reviews can help build trust with customers. You will be prompted to advertise your business on Yelp, but you do not need to run ads on Yelp to get a high ranking.

Offer Deals and Reply to Messages Quickly

You should offer deals to potential customers and ensure you respond to messages as quickly as possible. Download the Yelp for Business app to ensure you can respond to the messages from anywhere. Yelp shows how fast you reply to messages; therefore, if you leave messages unreplied for hours, you will not get a high ranking.

Final Thoughts

Ranking number one on Google Maps and Yelp can help your business grow by increasing customer search traffic and converting them into sales. You can use the strategies above to improve your ranking on Google Maps and Yelp and reach number one in your location.

The post How To Rank #1 on Google Maps and Yelp With Local SEO first appeared on SEO Optimizers.

Last Update Jun 27, 2021 @ 2:07 pm

To say that Google Maps is an immensely popular mapping app would be a gross understatement. From being the most popular smartphone app in 2013 to having over 2 billion Android users in 2017, it’s inescapable.

In February 2021, more than half of US mobile users accessed it, only reaffirming its everlasting, massive reach.

In turn, as mobile traffic continues to surge, a new type of marketing emerged; Google Maps marketing. It was the natural response to shifting market trends, audience behavior, and Google’s own intention to facilitate geo-specific searches.

For small businesses striving to captivate local audiences, this proved to be invaluable – as statistics show. Nonetheless, as potent as this asset is, it is not without challenges. Thus, let us explore Google Maps marketing in some depth.

What is Google Maps marketing?

First and foremost, let us briefly define the term itself. As the name suggests, “Google Maps marketing” refers to marketing practices aimed at increasing one’s visibility in Google Maps. To do so, they focus on Google My Business (GMB) profile optimization and adjacent endeavors, like paid local search ads.

Moreover, as we’ll cover below, they typically overlap with local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and synergize with social media strategies. Lastly, they usually focus on local ranking, which Google explains as follows:

“Local results are based primarily on relevance, distance, and prominence. A combination of these factors helps us find the best match for your search.”

Google then continues to define these 3 terms as such:

1. Relevance: “Relevance refers to how well a local Business Profile matches what someone is searching for.”
2. Distance: “Distance considers how far each potential search result is from the location term used in a search.”
3. Prominence: “Prominence refers to how well known a business is. Some places are more prominent in the offline world, and search results try to reflect this in local ranking. […]  Prominence is also based on information that Google has about a business, from across the web, like links, articles, and directories.”

Finally, to highlight the value of local searches, let us cite some of the findings Search Engine Journal reported on:

• 50% of all mobile local searches resulted in physical store visits within one day.
• 50% of all mobile local searches seek local businesses’ Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) information.
• 78% of all mobile local searches resulted in offline purchases.

Understandably, then, Google Maps marketing can be an incredibly effective, lucrative investment. But using it effectively is no easy feat, so let us proceed to explore just how you may do so.

Using Google Maps marketing to attract local customers

As highlighted above, Google Maps marketing primarily focuses on local ranking. Thus, in this section, we’ll delve into the 2 fundamentals of it; organic GMB optimization and paid local search ads.

#1 Optimize your GMB profile

Understandably, this will be the largest section of this article, as GMB is the spearhead of all Google Maps marketing. Through an optimized profile, GMB will help you rank higher in local searches and edge ahead of the competition.

Put differently, an optimized GMB is the definitive way to use Google Maps marketing to attract local customers. To do so, you may follow these steps:

1.     Create your GMB profile.

Initially, you should create a GMB profile if you don’t have one. It is free, and the process is quick and easy. Do note, however, that Google may have already created a business listing for you. In that case, you may proceed to claim it.

2.     Add your business information.

If one does not exist yet, you will need to create one with your business info. This will include:

• Your Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) information
• Your opening and closing hours
• Your official website
• Your business category
• A SAB declaration in the case of service-area businesses

This step is extremely important, as conflicting information across different sources can be very costly.

Most notably, customers may grow distrustful, and Google may penalize your ranking. Thus, you should make sure all your information is identical, from content to format, across the internet:

• Your GMB profile
• Your main website
• Social media profiles
• Other business listings

3.     Claim and verify your GMB profile.

Having reviewed your business information, you should then claim and verify your GMB profile.

The verification process will confirm you are the owner of your business, so you may then finalize your business info. Local businesses will typically verify by mail, although Google notes that “[s]ome businesses, like service area businesses, can verify by email, phone, or Search Console”.

4.     Add a compelling, substantive business description.

Then, you may proceed to add a brief description of your business. This step is equally crucial as regards GMB optimization, so you should ensure your description is impeccable:

• Introduce your business by name as early as possible for clarity.
• Summarize your products and/or services in a compelling way that resonates with your audience.
• Explain concisely how you differ from your competitors.
• Provide social credit such as awards, if applicable, to build trust.
• Add relevant keywords to enhance your SEO, but avoid keyword stuffing.
• Add a call to action, such as a call to contact or visit you, to entice audiences.

5.     Add attributes.

Having done so, you may then add attributes to attract local customers more effectively. These may include such perks as free Wi-Fi or such factors as your business being black-owned or LGBTQ-friendly.

6.     Enrich your profile with photos.

Next, you should add photos to your GMB profile to enrich it. In essence, this practice is the same in principle as using captivating images in blog posts and social media posts. Indeed, Google notes that “[b]usinesses with photos are more likely to receive requests for driving directions to their location, as well as clicks through to their websites, than businesses that don’t have photos”.

Google specifically notes 3 types of photos you may use:

• Your logo. Your logo drives brand recognition, and maintaining a visually consistent customer journey across all channels is highly advisable. Thus, you should ensure you use the same logo across your online profiles and listings.
• A cover photo. Much like social media, your cover photo will further consolidate your brand image. It will show up at the top of your GMB profile, so you could opt for a clear, well-lit photo that will attract local customers. Do note, however, that Google “doesn’t guarantee the cover photo will show up as the first image for your business”.
• Business photos. Finally, Google advises using business photos “to highlight features of your business to attract and inform customers”. You may expand this, however, to include events, campaign-specific material, and other photos your audience might engage with.

7.     Ask for reviews.

Finally, while this point relates to GMB activity rather than your profile, it is imperative all the same. Among other benefits, reviews function as very powerful social credit.

Among other interesting findings, Bryan Caplan finds that “[n]early 9 out of 10 consumers read reviews for local businesses before making a purchase”. Moreover, in the aforelinked article, Google hints that reviews “can help new people find you online”.

Thus, we may safely argue that soliciting reviews is crucial to using Google Maps marketing to attract local customers.

#2 Use paid Google Maps ads to attract local customers

Having covered the organic part of Google Maps marketing, the paid part may also deserve your consideration.

Of course, as with SEO, paid ads will not substitute for organic traffic, but only augment it.

Local search ads are a direct counterpart to Google.com ads. That is, they are standard Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads that appear above organic Google Maps search results. They will be labeled as ads for transparency, and you’ll be charged a standard cost-per-click (CPC) for:

• Get location detail clicks
• Get direction clicks
• Mobile clicks-to-call clicks
• Website clicks

Naturally, Google Maps ads use location targeting, so they will only appear for location-relevant searches. Here, it is notable that both GMB posts and local search ads will appear for searches for products as well.

Therefore, assuming your keyword choices are optimal, you should attract local customers who phrase their searches in different ways, like:

• “best [product or service] near me”
• “[product or service] in [location]”
• “best [business category] near me”

Finally, to engage in local search ads, you will need to enable location extensions. This process is also very simple, as Google clarifies:

• “Click Ads & extensions in the page menu on the left, then click Extensions at the top of the page.
• Click the blue plus button, then click + Location extensions.”

Should you be using the GMB API, you may follow the process outlined in this article instead.

Using Google Maps marketing to attract local customers; complementary practices

As highlighted above, Google Maps marketing also overlaps with other marketing practices. The two most notable ones are local SEO and social media marketing, as many local businesses already engage in both. As such, let us also explore how you may use them to further augment your Google Maps presence.

#1 Using local SEO in tandem with Google Maps marketing

Initially, local SEO and Google Maps marketing overlap somewhat by definition. Both seek to enhance local search visibility, and both do so in similar ways. Local SEO also delves into on-page and off-page practices, however, which may also bear mentioning.

Among them, consider 2 notable ones; location pages and local backlinks.

1.     Create Location pages

Should you own a service-area or multi-location business, Location pages can offer immense value to you.

Otherwise known as local landing pages, Location pages are a way to rank for location-specific keywords. However, despite the name, they do not use geographic markers, so they don’t directly rank for geographically-specific searches themselves.

Thus, you may create this type of page to promote your business to different areas using locally valuable keywords.

There is some rightful debate over this subject, however, as some fear Google will view them as doorway pages.

That is indeed the case if Google identifies identical pages that offer no value to visitors and only target keywords. However, you may design Location pages properly to ensure this does not occur:

• Use unique content. As Location pages address different locations, your location-specific content should reflect the difference in its uniqueness.
• List your services. You may naturally list your services to provide visitors with value; you may, however, further diversify your content by listing location-specific services.
• Embed a Google map. Embedding a Google map to each Location page should also help clarify your location and, by extension, your intentions.

2.     Seek local backlinks

Next, as with reviews, one cannot use Google Maps marketing to attract local customers and not consider local backlinks. Whether Follow or NoFollow, local backlinks help increase local visibility further and act as social credit themselves. Finally, they do enhance local SEO on the whole, as Google stated.

To acquire local backlinks, you may craft locally valuable content. Consider local history, landmarks, events, and other information local audiences will appreciate and find valuable.

Approach such topics with care, and craft deep, insightful, informative, or otherwise enticing content in accord with SEO guidelines. Finally, promote it to local sites; as with all backlinks, simply asking for them can often suffice.

#2 Aligning your social media strategies with Google Maps marketing

Finally, you may combine your social media strategies with Google Maps marketing to attract local customers.

It’s highly likely you’re using both to similar ends, so you may do so with minimal effort. Among others, consider the following ways to do so.

1.     Cross-post your most valuable content

Many local businesses use their GMB profiles very similarly to social media profiles. Consider captivating photos, engaging posts, and other content you may promote on your GMB profile. Thus, you may simply cross-post content between GMB and social media platforms, maximizing your reach without crafting more unique content.

Of course, as with social media platform cross-posting, you should account for inherent platform differences. For example, Instagram now has its own type of SEO you must adhere to. Similarly, Twitter may not support visual content as well, but it does facilitate bite-sized text content better than most.

2.     Promote your GMB profile

Conversely, you may engage in the simple practice of promoting your GMB profile on your social media platforms.

Linking to it through content aside, you may provide it to location-related questions you may get. Should you have optimized it, it should also link to your main website the way social media content often does.

As such, you will be creating a more solid customer journey for your audiences, through different touchpoints and entry points.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it has never been easier or more effective to use Google Maps marketing to attract local customers. You may begin by optimizing your GMB profile, which will also serve as a healthy foundation for local SEO.

Then, as with SEO campaigns, you may augment your efforts through paid local search ads. In addition, you may leverage local SEO to drive more organic traffic to your website and acquire local backlinks.

Finally, you can align your social media campaigns with Google Maps marketing, by cross-posting content and promoting your GMB profile. Hopefully, this article shed some light on exactly how you may do so and help your business thrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long does the GMB postcard verification process take?

A: It typically takes a few days for Google’s postcard to arrive. Mail delays may occur for many reasons, such as due to obstacles related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Q: Which is the most common Google Maps marketing oversight for small businesses?

A: Citation inconsistency. It has been the case since 2014, according to SearchEngineLand, and continues to plague small businesses today.

Q: Do my social media signals affect my local SEO?

A: Not directly. Despite the popularity of this misconception, John Mueller, Google’s own Senior Webmaster Trends Analyst, has frequently opposed this notion. For example, on the EDGE on the Web podcast, he clarified that “Social media shares of a page and other social “applause” metrics simply don’t play into ranking”. The way social signals affect SEO is indirect; social media engagement builds backlinks, which are a ranking factor.

Q: Is it necessary to engage in local SEO for effective Google Maps marketing?

A: Not strictly so. The fundamental core they share is your GMB profile, but they can otherwise function independently. However, they do synergize very well, as highlighted above, so ideally, you should engage in both.

Q: Am I the only one who can create a GMB profile for my business?

A: No. Anyone can do so, but they should not be able to claim it. Google itself may sometimes generate business profiles as well. In both cases, you should click on the “own this business?” link to claim the profile.

Photo used

https://www.pexels.com/photo/red-and-white-labeled-box-5444631/

The post Using Google Maps Marketing to Attract Local Customers first appeared on SEO Optimizers.

Last Update May 16, 2021 @ 12:26 pm

An online presence is more important than ever for businesses. Eighty-seven percent of the U.S. population actively use the internet, according to We Are Social’s latest Digital 2020 report on the country. The average American spends over 6 hours and 42 minutes on the web. Most of that time is usually spent on search engines, like Google and Yahoo.

The Local Difference

When it comes to attracting more customers and keeping loyal ones, the more specific you are, the better. About four in five customers use search engines to look for local information like nearby restaurants, stores, and services. This is according to Google and Ipsos’ joint research of over 4,500 respondents about their online search habits.

The study found that half of the consumers who conducted local searches ended up visiting a business within the day. It also saw that most customers want advertisements tailored to their city or nearby area.

So how can your business increase its local presence online?

The Power of Google My Business

First-page search results often get the most clicks. An effective way to achieve this is creating a Google My Business (GMB) listing. It’s a free-to-use application that the search engine provides to help owners manage and verify their company’s information on Google.

A properly-managed GMB listing appears on the first page of search results when a customer looks for its products or services. This can appear as an entry of a top-three to five list, also known as a “local pack.” This list will show your contact information and location on Google Maps.

A more specific search, like your company name, can show your full information on the upper-right hand corner of the first page. This section also shows pictures of your business taken by yourself or by customers.

Not only does Google My Business help you get more clicks, but it also enables you to gain more attention from your local customers.

This is why GMB listings are a significant part of your local SEO strategy. But it’s not as simple as registering your company and calling it a day. Much like a Shopify web design alone isn’t enough to improve traffic and sales for your online store, the business listing won’t be effective without optimization.

Here’s how to do it.

Create or Claim Your Listing

If you don’t have a listing yet, search for your business name or address on Google first. If you have an established company, there may already be a listing on Google. All you have to do is claim it by clicking claim your listing” button. If you haven’t found records yet, go to the Google My Business page, click on “Manage now,” and tap on “Add your business to Google.”

Fill it Out

You’ll be presented with a form with a few fields to answer, like your complete business name, address, contact details, business category, and official website. Make sure the information you fill out is exactly the same as the one on your website and social media. This way, you won’t end up with conflicting information that confuses your customers.

Verify Your Listing

Once you’ve saved your GMB profile, you need to verify it with Google. This ensures you own the business on the address you inserted. There are many ways to verify your listing, but a surefire way to do it is through the mail. Click on “verify now” and select the mail option. Double-check if the information and address written on the postcard are correct, and press send.

In about two weeks, you’ll receive the card with a verification code in the mail. Sign in to your GMB profile, click on “verify location” or “verify now,” input the code on the postcard, and submit it. In a few hours, your Google My Business listing should be live.

Set the Hours

After you’ve verified your listing, log in to your GMB dashboard. Add your operating hours and special hours as well if your business takes breaks on holidays. More than half of customers visit a business after they do their online research. As such, you need to make sure they know when’s the best time to swing by your location.

Write an Optimized Description

Next, click on “Add a business description.” This section allows you to present a short summary of your business. It should show what makes your company unique in just 750 characters. Introduce your company name, sum up your services and products, mention awards, certifications, or special mentions, and finish off with a call-to-action to contact you or visit your location. This section is also where a lot of the optimization comes from.

A skilled outsourced SEO provider can insert keywords that your target audience uses to search for your products and services into your GMB description. This can increase the chances of your business being featured on the first page of your customers’ Google search results.

Add Attribute

The attributes section allows you to let your customers know what your business offers related to or outside of your products and services like accessible parking, free wi-fi, restroom, air conditioning, drive-thru, and more. Your customers may also add attributes themselves, but you can always choose which ones are relevant to your business.

Upload Professional and Interesting Business Photos

Your listing will have a gallery of photos featuring your business at the Click on post, add photos/videos, and upload essential images, like your logo and your storefront. It’s also ideal to upload photos of your operations.

You can set a picture as your logo by selecting it, clicking on “more” on the top right corner, and click on “set as logo.” To keep your listing looking clean and professional, add a cover photo. Use a professionally-taken photos of your storefront or your employees.

Post Important Updates

Got important updates or a promo coming up for your customers? Apart from posting them on your usual social media pages, you can also publish your new events on your Google My Business page. With a call-to-action button, you have a maximum of 70 characters for your post. So keep it short and captivating to get those clicks.

Get Reviews and Respond to Them Immediately

After your customers visit your place, ask if they’re OK to review your place on Google. This is because 6 percent of customers read a business’s online reviews before visiting its website and location.

You should also reply to reviews when you can. If they’re positive, thank the reviewers. If they’re negative, ask the customer about the problem and what your company could’ve done better. This shows that customer service is a priority for your business. Almost 45 percent of customers are more likely to visit a business again if the owner replied to negative reviews.

Monitor Your Progress

Like Google Ads and Search Console, GMB also has a built-in monitoring tool called Google My Business Insights. This shows you how many people have seen your Google My Business listing, and the demographics of your customers who view and review your listings.

It also goes into more in-depth information, like how many people find your listings through an organic or direct search and which Google platform they found you on (e.g., maps, search, and the like), how many customers requested directions to your place from Google Maps, how many people clicked on your website, and other relevant details.

Organic views happen when customers see your listing while searching for products or services you offer. Direct views happen when customers see your listing upon searching for your business name, address, or contact information. You can use this data to inform your digital marketing strategies.

For example, if you see an uptick in customers that view and review your listing from neighborhoods or places outside your target market, consider targeting people in that area for your next ad campaign. If you find that your listings are not getting enough organic traffic, shore up your SEO efforts.

Companies old and new are taking their businesses online, often through local search engine optimization or SEO. One of the first tools a local SEO campaign uses is Google My Business. It displays your company at the top of the search engine’s results for free. But you need to take extra steps to ensure customers find your listing easily and quickly.

Use these different methods as a guide to optimizing your Google My Business profile. Some may take a lot of effort to do correctly, like responding to reviews and writing attractive posts and descriptions. But they’re necessary to fully optimize your listings. And isn’t it always satisfying to attract and engage with more customers without breaking the bank?

The post How to Optimize Your Google My Business Listing first appeared on SEO Optimizers.

Last Update Oct 17, 2022 @ 9:12 pm

We are almost halfway through 2020! Even though digital marketing began back in the 1990s, it is not going anywhere as of yet. In fact, various advancements over the years have evolved it further to make the practice easier and even more useful.

Businesses all over the world are hustling to make themselves known by using advanced marketing strategies. SEO is an intrinsic part of any marketing campaign, and one aspect of it which cannot be overlooked is the local SEO.

Local seo is the component that works on promoting your business geographically.

Improving it will make it easier for people in your vicinity to find you, and bring you a lot more business from local relevant searches.

According to Think with Google, 2018 saw a whopping 900% increase in searches that contain ‘near me, today/tonight’ from the past two years.

In addition to that, conversion after local searches is much higher. Safari Digital reports about 72% of users to visit a store within 8km of where they were searching.

Even if you have just started your business, or already an established brand offline, you might be struggling to climb the search engine result pages. Hang in there, as you are in for some tried and tested tips to dominate your local market super fast.

Want your business to be in these top spots (aka snack pack)? Read on to know how you can achieve this.

Design a mobile-friendly website

The initial step even before you start working on Local SEO is to have a website that is optimized for the mobile phone.

Local searches are often carried in a hurry, which is why people use their smartphone the most to search for something nearby.

According to Junto, 61% of people who search on mobile are more likely to contact a local business that has a mobile-friendly site.

Use Google’s tool for checking whether your site is mobile-friendly or not.

Focus on optimizing your Google My Business listing

The foundation of Local organic SEO is Google My Business. It is an innovative tool that allows business owners to list their companies. It guides people who are looking for something with the related business and services nearby.

Without claiming your GMB profile and optimizing it well, you can never nail Local SEO. Don’t commit the same mistake as 56% of business owners, who, according to Safari Digital, have not claimed their GMB listing.

Make sure you put accurate information regarding your business. Double-check the physical address, as it is the most essential info according to 52% participants of Bright Local’s survey.

A discrepancy in name and address will negatively impact on citations, rankings, and will even confuse search engines.

Other than that, add a detailed description with keywords. Do add images of your store or office, opening and closing hours, and posts that announce events or discounts.

Read up the terms and conditions of Google My Business carefully to avoid violating any of them unknowingly in the future.

Optimize your website homepage according to Local SEO

One crucial step in local SEO is optimizing your business website accordingly. Here, you should add your NAP (name, address, and phone number) so that local customers who are directed to your site can quickly contact you.

Your homepage content should revolve around your location, and the name of your city should be mentioned a few times in the web copy.

Schema markup addition

Schema is the HTML code that is added to a website’s <head> part to help the search engines understand what the site is about. Schema markup affects how the site will be represented in search engine result pages.

For this, you need to have a schema code for a local business for your website. You can use an online schema generator tool to get the code, which you can then paste in <head> section of your website builder.

Schema markup addition will instantly improve your ranking in the local search results by increasing CTR.

The key to adding keywords

You can find the perfect keywords to rank on using google search bar’s auto-complete, or by using free and paid keyword finding tools.

Narrow down your search by analyzing the keywords your competitor is ranking on, and also related long-tail keyphrases. Create a google sheet by sorting out every keyword’s search volume, competition, and difficulty.

Once you have a list ready, begin your on-page SEO by adding these keywords in the URL, H1 tags, Title tags, and Meta description.

Finding keywords is relatively easy; however, using them all in only the title or meta description is not possible. Specifically, long-tail keywords, whose click-through rate is higher than generic keywords, cannot fit in basic descriptions.

So how should you go about it?

You can do so by adding a blog to your website. Write helpful, engaging content related to your business, and that’s how all those highly searched keywords can be added to your site. Don’t forget to keep in mind the do’s and don’ts of SEO while creating blog posts.

Let’s say you are offering plumbing services in Vancouver. You could publish content related to quick plumbing fixes, signs your kitchen/bathroom needs plumbing work, or even suggest types of fixtures and pipes.

Anyone in your locality who searches for this advice will easily find your services on the first page of the search engine. Additionally, it will help you build a lot of backlinks.

Build high-quality backlinks

Backlinks or inbound links have a profound effect on your local search ranking. Having a strong backlink profile translates to a highly optimized local SEO.

You can get quality backlinks by creating useful content for your target audience that is share-worthy. Make sure to add content related to local news, events to improve SEO. Also, use location names and locally used terms frequently in such content so that nearby customers get attracted.

You can also publish guest blogs on other websites to give interesting insights and establish yourself as an expert in your niche.

As every guest post of yours will show a link of yours, it may give you direct sales. Generally, people want to hire or buy from trusted industry experts.

One can find blogs that accept guest posts by searching words such as [location]+guest post or [location]+write for us.

Hiring local SEO professionals

Optimizing local SEO is not a quick and simple process. It requires a systematic, detailed approach as well as constant campaign tracking. If your business’s hectic schedule is creating a hurdle in optimizing your local SEO, consider hiring an expert to get behind the wheel instead.

However, I would like to add a word of advice here. Locals experts have a better understanding and experience of your area’s market position. They know the relevant location’s restrictions and regulations. Therefore, they will get your business on the map more effectively. For instance, SEO experts in Seattle can best handle your local SEO if your company relies heavily on Seattle based clients.

Analyzing competitors’ citations and building your own

Citations are crucially influential as they are one of the topmost ranking factors.

They are basically the mentions of your business on other websites. Build citations on business directories like Yelp, Glassdoor, and Foursquare. For added citations, use social networks, blogs, and other websites whose mention will add value.

A winning strategy in this regard is analyzing your competitor’s sources of citation. Tools like Whitespark can significantly help you with that. Keep your NAP consistent to avoid mismatched citations.

Ask for customer reviews and ratings.

Reviews signal customer’s trust towards your brand, and you should dedicate much of your efforts to fetching some good ones. Engage with your customers by staying active. Respond to their questions and reviews. According to the Moz Blog, Google reviews profoundly impact Google’s local rankings.

Pay special attention to the negative reviews and satisfy the customer by responding personally. You can, later on, ask them to update their comment on the listing, if their issue is resolved successfully. Remember Wendy Piersall’s saying that Google only loves you when everyone else loves you first.

Final Thoughts

By now, we have explained most of the tips that can help you get to the top of SERP locally. Devise your marketing campaign according to these, and witness an assured increase in leads and sales as a result of optimizing Local SEO.

The post Local SEO Tips: 9 Ways to Rank on Google Maps first appeared on SEO Optimizers.

Last Update May 16, 2024 @ 12:16 pm

Did you know that 97% of consumers search online for a local business? Even better, 88% of consumers who do a local search on their smartphone visit or call a store within a day?

Yes, it’s evident that consumers are increasingly searching for businesses near them. But the important thing to note is that if your name doesn’t show up in these search results, you can be pretty sure that you’re missing out on the opportunity to reel in more customers as well as more sales and $$$.

Local search is one of the most profitable ways for a business to interact with customers during their buying journey. But with SEO algorithms changing so often, you need to be on top of current trends. So if you haven’t brushed up on your local SEO skills this year, now’s the time to hop on board.

What’s the big deal about Local SEO?

Many of you are probably thinking that my website is already SEO optimized, so I’m in good hands. But hang on, local and regular or organic SEO are not the same. Organic SEO focuses on optimizing a website or landing page so that it shows up on search engines. Strategies include relevant keywords, high-quality content, exceptional site performance, seamless UI/UX, and much more. It’s the ideal approach for online stores that aim to drive traffic to their website.

To learn more about how to boost your current SEO campaign, read New SEO Trends To Help You Rank On Google In 2020.

On the other hand, local SEO focuses on the geographical component of a search by optimizing the location of a local brick and mortar business. Organic SEO is still essential, but by developing good local SEO as well, your brand has a greater chance of getting noticed, especially by individuals who are on the go and are in search of nearby shops.

So how does local SEO work?

SEO, whether it’s organic or local, works on a suite of search algorithms set by Google. However, for local SEO, Google uses an entirely different set of ranking factors to rank local search results, such as:

• The location of the individual who is searching
• NAP citations
• The presence of the business in Google My Business listings
• The use of keywords in Google My Business profile, title tags, and online reviews
• Google Maps star rating
• Sentiment of online reviews
• Number of “check-ins” at that location
• Shares on social media

But local SEO algorithms can change from time to time. For this reason, some companies turn to digital agencies such as Growth Proton to handle their local SEO. While they focus on running the business, these agencies improve local visibility and the probability of making new customers.

Your step-by-step guide for a better local SEO

We’ve compiled a checklist for you to master your local SEO campaign. So let’s dive right in.

1. NAP citations

NAP (Name, Address, and Phone number) citations provide the essential information a consumer needs to know to contact the business. More importantly, it’s an important SEO ranking signal.

Google uses NAPs to confirm that all the data about a business is accurate. Moreover, it’s also one of the top SERP signals. That is why you need to ensure NAP citations are consistent everywhere, on and off your website. Remember, build citations only for businesses with real physical locations.

Tip: Use clickable phone numbers

Make it simpler for customers to contact you. In fact, Google rewards sites that offer this feature. So the easier it is to use the NAP information, the better it is for SERP rankings. Consider converting your business’s phone number into a link.

2. Get registered on online directories

Companies can appear in many local searches for free, so one of the first things to check off on your local SEO checklist is listing on search engines. In fact, they’re the ideal place to market your local business. But it’s crucial that you use their built-in features so that your business stands out immensely and helps drive more local traffic.

Input all the essential details about your business into a spreadsheet so that you can easily copy and paste them into each account. This assures that the information is always consistent. Any discrepancies in the data will be picked up by search engines, resulting in lower rankings. So check that all your information across every listing is accurate.

Begin with the most used search engines such as:

• Google dominates the share of mobile search traffic- over 85% globally. So it’s offering the biggest free online exposure for your business. Needless to say, a successful local SEO campaign starts with a Google My Business listing.
• Bing is the second most commonly used search engine in the U.S.
• Yahoo! Local is in the number three spot. However, it offers free and paid listing services.

You can expand your reach by listing your business in other places such as Yelp, Yellow Book, Facebook, and much more. Get a list of more online directories here.

Tip: Consider listing on review sites

Yelp is one of the most popular online review platforms. It’s the go-to site for consumers to get an honest insight into any business. In fact, 77% of online shoppers rely on reviews before making a purchase.

Maintaining a presence on review sites can make it easier for customers to decide what kind of service you provide. By replying to customer reviews and resolving their problems, you can help build a positive image as well as boost online reputation and authority. 

Moreover, it’s also an excellent online directory for companies to use for marketing and advertising. Often, photos and brief blurbs about the business are uploaded.

3. Optimize for the Google 3-Pack

When users conduct local searches, Google displays the top three results for local SERP depending on the user’s location. These are, in fact, Google My Business listings relevant to the location from where a person submits the query. So if a person searched “coffee shops near me,” three shops near to the user’s current location would be displayed. And if the same search is performed a few blocks away, it will bring up completely different results or the same results but in a different order.

The aim is to appear in the Google 3-Pack. It’s an excellent way to draw attention to your business and facilitate engagement with consumers. Moreover, Google 3-Pack displays the address and business hours rather than the phone number, making it easier for mobile users to navigate to your location- and increase sales.

Tip: Optimize your listing

This ensures your business appears higher in search results by:

• Verifying the name and address to ensure they’re correct
• Providing contact information such as phone number and email address
• Listing opening hours
• Adding Map location point and directions
• Placing a link to your website
• Making sure all the information is correct and up to date
• Uploading photos to give your audience an insight into your business, including staff members, products, places of business, etc.
• Providing customer reviews

Remember, search results for a local business usually show up with a map of the local area as well as the above information. When all the data is available and accurate, it makes your business look reliable and legitimate, which plays a critical role in your local search result rankings.

4. List your business on map services

86% of consumers use Google Maps to search for local stores and nearby businesses. There are two major map services, Google and Apple Maps. Make sure your business links to both of them so that people can easily and quickly locate your business. Most phones come pre-installed with the app, and millions of people use the map app daily.

So the first thing is to get your business on the map. So search for your business in Maps, add it to Maps, and claim the listing. Remember that the status of your business’s ranking on Maps correlates directly to the completeness and accuracy of your information you list in online directories. For example, the more information you provide to Google, the more accurately it will be provided to the right audience on Google Maps.

Tip: Add links to Map Directions

You need to show people where your business is and how to get there. If you provide a link to Google Maps on your website, you are providing Google with additional information about your business, including its geolocation. And since location-based results are becoming more prominent in Google search, it’s a great way to boost rankings. Moreover, Google Maps comes pre-installed on every Android device. But almost 70% of iPhone users say it’s their favorite map app.

5. Optimize on-page SEO elements

Every aspect of your page needs to use keywords, whether that’s the page title, URL, page header, internal links, page content, etc.

Let’s break down the SEO checklist for local businesses a bit further:

URLs

You want people to remember your website easily. So make it simple and short. An URL with many digits and letters is not only difficult to remember, but it’s also confusing for people and search engines to understand what to expect on the page. So your local business can really benefit by using SEO-friendly URLs by making them appear more relevant to a search.

Title tags

A title tag is a preview of a page. It’s the first thing your audience sees in search results when looking for a local business. So place the keyword at the front of the title tag to make your business stand out in search engines as well as staying relevant to a consumer’s search.

The title should be an accurate reflection of your page. So make sure the content on the page is relevant to the title. For example, if the title is “10 Tasks to Automate to Save Your Business,” then it should be a list, not a lengthy block of text. 

Meta description

Use keywords in the meta description to help your audience understand what your page is about.

Tip: Follow Google’s guidelines

Keep the title tag and meta description within the set limits. If they are too long, essential information will get cut off, leaving customers wondering about what to expect.

6. Generate backlinks

To capture the right audience, you need to get discovered. And backlinks are a great way to build a reputable online presence as well as generate more traffic to your site. The value of the backlinks is vital for local organic ranking and local pack ranking. So the higher the profile and credibility of the source publication, the greater the value of the link, such as .edu, .gov, and .org sites.

It’s imperative to cultivate local links to boost your visibility. This implies to efforts online as well as offline. You can raise online organic rank by creating outstanding content that attracts readers. Writing about local and industry news can help you win big points in the SERPs. Google rewards fresh, updated content. So even if nothing new has happened, comment on how local events or news could influence the industry.

While local online backlinks can help boost online visibility and increase traffic, offline efforts can also increase brand awareness and broaden your consumer base. This includes sponsoring local events, getting active in outreach programs, donating time and resources at community initiatives, and much more. Becoming a supporter of the local community is in itself great for your business.

Tip: Reel in the power of social media

Another easy way to boost online visibility of your local business is to build and maintain a strong presence on social media platforms. And with a network of loyal followers and local influencers, you can attract the attention and pique the interest of a wider audience.

7. Mobile optimization

Local search and mobile search are practically related. How many of you have searched for reviews, directions, or contact information for a local business while on the go? With 84% of all “near me” searches are on mobile, it’s obvious that your site needs to be mobile-friendly.

In fact, Google favors mobile-first indexing. So customize your design and content so that it fits on smaller devices, whether it’s images or forms. Make it easier for people to consume longer content by using bold headings, bullet points, and numbered lists. Add big CTA buttons. More importantly, utilize mobile phone capabilities in your favor, such as GPS, click-to-call functionality, QR codes, etc.

Tip: Make sure your website loads quickly

People on the move need answers fast. If your webpage doesn’t load within 2 seconds (though Google aims for under half a second), you’re losing customers. Your slow loading page could pretty much kill off your SEO campaign. And yes, speed also plays a significant role in SERP rankings.

Final thoughts

You may feel overwhelmed by this comprehensive checklist. But with a step-by-step approach, you can focus on the most important aspects of local SEO. And the best news is that your efforts can bring about vast improvements.

So it’s time to work on improving your local SEO rankings, capture the right audience, and boost conversions.

Ready to get started?

The post Your Complete Checklist to Master Local SEO first appeared on SEO Optimizers.

Last Update May 16, 2021 @ 12:21 pm

Whether you’re a local flower shop or a national doughnuts chain, the secret to attracting more customers is to create a local SEO strategy that ranks your business higher with search engines. Since the emergence of the Hummingbird Update, local results are more elaborated, relevant, geo-targeted, and customized. Google is smarter than ever!

And considering that over 85% of people rely on the Internet to find more about local organizations you can lose valuable leads if you lack local SEO. Buyers consider the Internet a reliable source of information when they search for products or brands. But if you don’t invest in local SEO, your organization doesn’t appear in local search results, so your clients won’t find you trustworthy. The only way you can drive local leads is to have a top-notch SEO strategy in place.

Here are some local SEO techniques that can help any brand get on edge over its competitors.

Get on Google My Business (A.K.A. Places)

When you want Google Local Pack to display your business, you need to create listings on Google My Business to build a strong presence on Google Maps and Google+. You may not know, but Google My Business helps local ventures become searchable and visible online, in the area where the organization operates.

Create and claim the listing if you don’t have one.

When you create the Google My Business Page, follow the next steps:

• Add a complete and unique description of the company, and links to your official website and social media pages
• Select the relevant primary category for the business and the appropriate sub-categories.
• Upload pictures of the headquarters, products, and team
• Add a local phone number
• Include the physical location of the company, the same one you list on your website and local directories
• Share opening and closing hours
• Add your business’ logo

Update NAP

To display your organization on top of Google local search result page, you need to use precise NAP. What does NAP stand for? Name, Address and Phone number.

Companies must ensure that Google properly locates their physical company address, to display it on local search results. 46% of Google searches are for local companies, so businesses need to update NAP on their website’s homepage to rank higher in Google search results.

How can you improve your NAP data?

• Share on the website the correct name, address, and phone number (example:  Company Name: T-White LTD, Address: 2481 Blair Court, Concordia, MO 64020, Geo coordinates, 38.940778, -93.514036, Phone 660-463-9710, Country code 1)
• Ensure you know the online locations where your business contact information is present
• Create NPL listings on reliable online resources like Google My Business, Yellow Pages, Yelp, and Merchant Circles.
• Ensure the same NAP data is listed on all business listings
• Add a schema mark-up on NAP data to help search engines understand it properly

Building quality links is the need of the hour

Link building is a fundamental factor for local SEO. You can use various strategies to build quality links, but it’s essential to identify the right ones to avoid spamming. High-quality links create reliability and relevancy among the prospects who search for local companies on local business listings.

What strategies can you use to achieve this endeavor?

• Get only links relevant to your organization. If you sell flower arrangements in London, get your company linked from websites focused on weddings, fashion, and event planning in London.
• Get links from high DA and high authority websites that drive plenty of traffic
• Use locally relevant keywords for anchor texts to get your local business listing higher in rankings
• Offer local rewards
• Organize local events to connect with customers and relevant people in your industry
• Publish local interviews on your website and share them on social media

Optimize your website for “Near Me” searches to boost prospects retention

“Near me” searches have increased more than 500% in the last years. When Internet users conduct local searches, they usually add the phrase “near me” to the keyword they search.

How can you optimize your website for “near me” searches?

• Get positive customer reviews
• Research your online competitors and identify the differences in ranking
• Get many local links
• Your anchor texts should include the name of the city and area in it

TripAdvisor optimized its web page for “near me” queries by using phrases like “accommodation type + near me” phrases in their anchor texts.

Blog content should target local audiences

Blogging is a great medium to reach your public. It allows you to create content that specifically targets your local clients and generate a better return on investment.  Blogging provides timely information to your audience and allows the local algorithms of Google to identify and promote content on a freshness basis. It’s effective in boosting the prominence score of a website.

You need to create a user-friendly blog to increase the chances to rank higher on local search pages. Regularly blogging also helps you create a powerful social media presence for your organization.

How to create blog content that targets your local customers?

• Write on topics your local clients are interested in. How-to, news, evergreen, and controversial articles are resources people turn to when they want to find more about a certain subject
• Use professional tools like Writing Judge, Yoast SEO, WOW Grade, and Canva to craft blogs that boost traffic, and rank on Google.
• Add related posts links and tags to improve the topical keyword associations in posts
• Hire writing services to deliver original and actionable content
• Create a content calendar
• Article titles should provide solutions to problems your audience highlighted
• Identify your target audience

Integrate voice search

At present over 50% of consumers use voice search to look for a local business, and it’s expected more people to use this function in the future. Because search devices are more popular than ever, people use them to conduct searches. “Where can I find muffins near me?” A sentence like this will be key for Google to understand the query and provide relevant search results. People will use full grammatically correct sentences to utter a question, so your website has to respond to it if you want it to rank high in searches

Can you optimize your website for voice searches? Yes, you can if you follow these strategies.

• Create a list of natural, medium tail keyword strings
• Write blog posts that resolve the queries from keyword strings
• Create AMP pages and optimize the website for mobile
• All pages should have natural language
• Use words and phrases people actually use
• Submit your sitemap to Bing and Google, to allow search bots to crawl your web pages
• List correct NAP data
• Enter the same address in Yelp and Google My Business because different ones confuse the search engine algorithms

Bottom line

We listed some powerful strategies you can use to optimize local SEO, so it’s the moment to implement them to see results.

The post Using Local SEO to Rank Businesses in Google Maps first appeared on SEO Optimizers.

Last Update May 16, 2021 @ 12:25 pm

So, you’ve got a business that is selling a product or service to a local audience. The keyword is ‘local.’ Your game plan should be to appear in the top three search results of Google Map listings to increase your sign-ups, visitations, and conversions.

This is extremely important for restaurants, salons, clinics, and similar businesses that want more qualified leads. The fact is that most online users search for businesses on Google and pick the top results. Businesses that don’t appear on the top results or don’t have a Google My Business page are missing out big time.

Your business’s position on Google Map listings will become all the more important in the coming months when people will rely more on ‘near-me’ queries or when they use voice search on mobile devices.

Important Statistics You Should Bear in Mind

Did you know that 82% of smartphone searches for businesses online using ‘near me’ queries? 90% of those same users are more likely to click on the first set of results instead of scrolling down. That is how important Google Maps has become. It gives your business the necessary exposure it needs to attract high-quality prospects. All entrepreneurs will agree that gaining exposure is the key to success.

Businesses can gain by taking advantage of their target audiences’ access to Google Maps. It makes your business more accessible, allowing users to make more informed decisions when buying something.

Ranking on Google Maps also adds to your legitimacy and credibility, after all, Google is trusted by users everywhere. If it’s on Google, then it has to be reliable – as flawed as that logic may sound to you, but that’s just how it is.

Getting listed and ranking on Google Maps makes your information easy to find for users. This means they can connect with ease. Google’s ever-evolving Maps has been getting easier for users to use. For starters, you don’t need a degree in programming to get there. You just have to follow the best practices. 

How Do I Get My Business on Google Maps?

To rank on Google Maps, you first have to get your business listed there.

To do this:

1. Search for the business in Maps.

2. If the business shows up in results, claim the listing.

3. If the business does not appear, add it as a place to Maps, now claim the new listing.

To claim your listing and make the necessary changes to rank higher, you will need a Google My Business account.

Prepare to give the necessary business information to Google to create your Google My Business Account and claiming your listing. Once this is done, you are now free to control the information about your business name, address, and more. If you find any information to be missing, this is your chance to put it there.

Make sure to enter the URL of your business to give users another outlet to search for information and interacting with you.

Google will verify that you are indeed who you claim you are through its verification procedure. You will receive a PIN that allows you to confirm that it is your business. One of the methods is that Google sends a postcard to the physical address. You may also get a text or phone call for the business. In case your business listing has been validated in the Google Search Console, the verification process is more instantaneous.

How to Rank High on Google Maps

Once you’ve claimed your business listing, you should waste no time in trying to improve your Google Maps SEO ranking. Google Maps will only increase your ranking based on the accuracy and completeness of the listing. Not many businesses take advantage of having a Google My Business listing, make sure you take advantage.

The first thing you should do is to fill in the following details:

Business Operation Timings

Update the business hours in your GMB page because it will prove to be extremely useful to customers. This information is used by Google maps to let the customer know whether your business is open or closed at the time they searched for your business. This will help the customer decide when to visit you.

Update Address

Google makes it very clear that you should provide the complete address and will verify your details. Things such as the address, telephone number, and website address assist Google in providing a more accurate picture of your business. 

Don’t Use Duplicate Information

It may seem tempting to use the same information for multiple businesses and locations, but this isn’t a good practice because Google penalizes such businesses. Make sure to not reuse the same old information and to update your details with precise information.

Add Questions and Answers Page

This works a lot like the FAQ page on websites to answer the frequently-asked questions. These questions help users get answers without having to contact your sales team. You could hire a copywriting service provider to write creative Q/A pages.

Include Photos

Make sure to include high-quality photos on your Google My Business page to perform much better than business owners and marketers who don’t use pictures. Photos are a great way to earn customer trust and generate more clicks. Try to capture photos of people buying your product or browsing the web. This builds credibility. 

Specify the category of your business and details in the description. Make sure to take high-quality pictures of your establishment and upload it. Your business description should include a verified status, profile picture, reviews, and replies to reviews. If you have acquired ratings, make sure to place them in there too.

Beyond the basics, you can follow the seven easy and proven steps to reach the top three spots on Google Maps.

1. Use SEO in Google Maps

This is extremely important and will determine your Google Maps ranking. If you want more customers to connect with your business, then it is important to use the right keywords with your business. It’s like SEO for your website, but it is more refined and specific to your GMB page. You can list local SEO keywords because they will boost your Google Maps and Google Places ranking.

You can also use your website to your advantage. This can be done by using local keywords and embedding a Google Map on it. Your website should be responsive and functional as well.

2. Add Credibility Through Reviews

Companies with positive reviews can rank higher on Google Maps. You can encourage your users to fill up the Google review form by clicking on “More information” in your Google Maps listing to get a link. These links should be shared on social media and your landing page to increase the probability of reviews.

If you get a negative review, don’t fret. You can still turn this around if you handle it quickly and politely. Make sure to stay calm and refrain from giving false promises. It is very important to handle things professionally if you don’t have the answer. If you don’t know what went wrong, it is better to admit defeat. Try to refund the product or provide a free replacement as compensation.

While positive reviews are good, a few negative reviews can’t hurt your business. If anything, negative reviews make your positive reviews more believable and trustworthy. After all, everyone knows you can’t please everyone and there’s always going to be ups and downs.

3. Create Citations and Local Relevance

A citation is a record of your NAP, which is a collection of your business name, phone number, and address. Google relies on citations to validate your business location. In many ways, citations are the equivalent of backlinks in SEO. The more relevant citation sources you add to your business, the higher it will start to rank.

The best place to start is to find directories and websites that are specific to your area or the ones that target your specific business. For example, if you’re a restaurant in New York, then publishing your restaurant on sources specific to New York restaurants would improve your overall location authority and relevance factor.

The more location authority you have, the higher you will rank in Google Maps. It is also important to fill out the business category. You can further refine your ranking by using subcategories in Google Places. This is a good idea if your business sells several products in different categories.

4. Markup Your Google Map with Schema

Another important step is to include NAP for your business on the website. It is important to make the address compatible with the Schema language. This is the structural protocol adopted by most search engines, including Google and Yahoo, to determine certain datasets in web pages.

Optimizing NAP details with Schema lets you send a high-quality signal to search engines about the authority and relevancy of your businesses’ location. This is one of the fastest ways to climb up Google Maps in rankings.

5. Use SEO Optimized Content

The same rules of SEO apply here. You have to make sure any links you add to your GMP page are relevant and contribute to user experience. This means that your landing page should be authoritative as well. Use appropriate keywords, related geo modifiers, relevant keywords, geo-tagged images, and LSI keywords throughout your page multiple times.

6. Acquire More Social Signals

Social signals are used as a cue by search engines and Google Maps to increase your ranking on listings. These include the number of likes your website has, its overall shares, how often people talk about, and whether you’re running any ads on different platforms such as Facebook. Try to create posts on Facebook that encourage discussion about your products and services.

This sends a high-quality signal to Google that your business is sparking debate and discussion. It could go a long way in boosting your ranks.

7. Optimize Your Website

Prospects will visit your website before making a purchase. This makes it important to use a good dashboard and interface that makes user interaction worthwhile. Basic things such as loading speed and easy-to-use menus will affect your rankings as well. This also helps drive traffic to your blog.

Here are a few elements you should optimize on your landing page:

H1 Tag: The H1 tag should say your business name, category, and the area where you are operating out of. If you run a restaurant in Los Angeles, your landing page should have an H1 header as follows: “Los Angeles Restaurant: Restaurant Name in LA”. This title tag is a great way to help Google decide the relevancy of your page.

Description Tag: Moving on from the H1 tag, the next key element is the description tag. It is important to use the basic rules of SEO. A good example would be the following: “Top restaurant in Los Angeles cooking delicious food with fresh ingredients. Get in touch with us now to ask questions!” Notice the use of the term ‘restaurant’ and ‘Los Angeles’ in the description?

You can further refine the Meta description so that it resonates not only with your audience but also gets picked up by Google.

Onsite Content: Your website should give a fully fleshed out experience to users visiting it from the GMB page. This means having an active blog that shares valuable information and tips with users. If you are a restaurant, don’t be afraid to share tips about food and recipes. Consider hiring professional blog writers to handle this bit for you.

Build Strong Backlinks: Your website should have a good number of high-quality backlinks. This sends a strong signal to Google that there are enough websites with high domain authority that are willing to link back to you.

The post Why Is It Important to Rank on the Top of Google Maps for Traffic? first appeared on SEO Optimizers.

Last Update May 16, 2021 @ 12:19 pm

Did you know that 64% of local customers count on Google to look for local businesses, and 50% of them end up visiting the store on the same day? So, if you thought so far that local SEO was not going to help you, the reality is different. You are losing a lot of opportunities by not using it properly. A customer’s experience with a brand does not start when he sets foot in a store. His adventure begins when he finds the store online and starts reading the story behind the brand.

Therefore, local SEO will help you create a memorable experience for your customers and increase your engagement rate. So, if you are just starting a new business and you want to become visible on the local market, then local SEO is the way to go. Keep reading this article and discover more about this marketing strategy and why you should implement it right away.

What Is Local SEO?

Local SEO is a type of SEO that focuses on optimizing a website so that your site ranks better on search engine results.

What you need to cover is:

• content creating
• embedding links
• on-page optimization
• keywords

Every part of these SEO efforts needs to have local intent.

The question that probably comes to your mind first is, why is this so important? The following reasons will clear your doubts.

It Will Rank You Higher On Google

Nowadays, whenever we have a question or a problem, we head straight to Google. 64% of local customers use Google and other search engines as the primary way to find local businesses. People usually trust Google. So if it recommends a specific solution, they will give it a go.

That is why local SEO is so important. If you do it right, your page will rank higher on this search engine.

To give you an example, let’s say that you have a bathroom remodeling business. If you optimize your website right when people type in “bathroom remodeling near me” your website should come up in the top results.

It Gives Valuable Information To Your Customers

Local SEO can provide your potential customers with information that will get them to visit your business.

Jason Perry, a digital marketer at IsAccurate and expert for SEO, explains why local SEO is essential, “The information you add to your website or your Google business account can benefit your business by providing value to your customers. People like to be informed before they make a decision.”

For example, if you have a pet-friendly restaurant, when a user searches for such a restaurant, a local search will display yours as one of the best options.

Not only will you attract new customers, but you’ll also give them all the critical information that they need about your business.

Build Credibility

Adding information about your business is a part of SEO strategy. The more information you provide online, the more credible will your business seem.

When somebody comes across your website for the first time, they’ll feel more comfortable to visit your business if they can find valuable information.

Reviews and testimonials play an important part in local SEO and in convincing the potential customers to trust your business.

Actively work on your online presence and how you present yourself on the internet to create an image of a reliable and trustworthy business.

It Gives You A Free Advertising Opportunity

One of the SEO techniques is adding links to your content that will lead people to your products. For example, you can write a blog post and subtly add a link that will motivate your readers to visit your shop and purchase something.

People are overwhelmed with paid ads and overused marketing tactics, so embedding the links into content in a non-invasive way is the way to go.

Another plus is that it costs you nothing. All you need is to create some blog posts, or social media posts and incorporate links into them.

In case you are having trouble with incorporating the links naturally in your posts, you can turn to writing and editing services.

Here are some great options:

• GrabMyEssay and BestEssayEducation – These online writing services cooperate with professionals who are experts in writing. Based on their experience, they’ll know how to embed wording that you can later add links to.

• Grammarly and TrustMyPaper – Editing your content can signal if there is a word or a phrase (that you added because of the link) that doesn’t fit into that context. These services can help you spot those inconsistencies.

• HemingwayApp and Studicus – Whether you need an editor app to polish your content or you need both an editor and writer, try out these services to make sure that everything is written and incorporated entirely.

• Readable and Thesaurus – Once you’ve added the links, you should check if your content is still legible. If you need to make some changes, use Thesaurus to find more suitable words and phrases (by searching for synonyms, for example).

It Motivates Potential Customers To Take Action

Adding information such as your email address or phone number will improve your SEO. But more importantly, it will stimulate the users to get in touch with your business.

Some people don’t feel trusting towards online recommendations. That is why displaying your phone number on the screen will get them to take action and give you a call.

Drive potential customers’ decisions toward your business by giving them the data about your business. The more they know, the easier it will be for them to build a trusting relationship with your business.

Some Final Thoughts

It is quite evident that local SEO can benefit your business in more than one way. In this digital world, you need to adapt to the needs of customers and their preferences. Based on the fact that people often opt for online searchers, you should cover that area with local SEO. Don’t pass on this opportunity to attract new customers to your business.

The post Why Local SEO Is Important For Your Business first appeared on SEO Optimizers.

Jeff Djevdet (cc)

Errors in business happen, but when you take the wrong direction — even in good faith — that makes customers feel deceived, you risk to never see them again.

Hurting customers may risk you business and reputation, but every error can be amended if you work hard on earning your customers’ trust back.

How? Here is the guide.

What To Do To Win Your Customers Back

Get in touch with your customers and announce a change in business ethics

Quinn Dombrowski (cc)

When it’s your business ethics to bring trouble — for example, you shipped your products for a fee when you stated it would be free shipping, or you use a cheaper shipping method when customer paid for a more expensive one — your whole customer base is affected, even though only a few of your customers were hurt by your practices.

What you can do in this case is to change your business ethics, announce it publicly on your website and get in touch with all customers via newsletter, offer an apology for your past bad practices and explain how exactly you are going to implement the new practices.

Offer your hurt customers ways you can fix the issue you created

If the problem involved individual customers, contact them to apologize and offer them to fix the issues you created, either intentionally or not.

You may add an apology bonus, like a discount, a gift or a custom order.

Apologize personally if you can

Email customers individually to offer personal apologies. Even better if you can do it via phone or in person.

Don’t underestimate the power of the human touch — customers who feel they are cared for are more likely to stick to a brand than customers who feel like they’re just a number in your database.

In addition to personal apology, make it public if the issue affected a big slice of your customer base.

Discontinue the hurting practices

Whether you get in touch with your customers or not, by all means stop doing anything that hurts them.

Not doing so may create a negative image around your brand and risk you business in the long run.

Work on practices that will meet the favor of your customers (new and old)

What do your customers want? When are they happiest? What past initiatives, practices or messages did create the most content in your client base?

Ask yourself questions. Analyze your data. Do more of what your current customers love and create more products or services on the same line to attract new buyers or users.

Whenever a controversy is raised, work to fix it immediately and always leave an open channel with your client base.

Ultimately, when you do wrong, all you can do is take responsibility and fix all the fixable.

If the customer is still unhappy for personal reasons, that’s something that doesn’t involve you — it’s a simple matter of likes and dislikes and you can do nothing about it.

For more discussion and ideas:

• 3 Ways to Win Back Unhappy Customers by Karl Walinskas
• How to Win Back Lost Customers by Dave Mattson

Have you ever seen controversy raise in your relationship with your customers? How did you fix it?

Share your wisdom and experience in the comments below.

The post Business Failures? How To Win Customers Back first appeared on SEO Optimizers.

Are you still wondering what domain extension to choose for your new blog or your new project?

Registrars tend to stress the benefits of a certain TLD over another in terms of SEO, but should you listen to that advice?

Actually, NO. There are plenty of myths around the role of TLDs and domain names in SEO and I wrote this post to dispel the most known and talked to help you make informed decisions and avoid damage to your branding and SEO.

TLD Doesn’t Make Ranking

It has been debated over and over in the years, but Google has always denied any benefits of a certain TLD over another in terms of SEO.

Last time it was in July 2015, when John Mueller said on Google+ to clear any doubts and misconceptions: “if you spot a domain name on a new TLD that you really like, you’re keen on using it for longer, and understand there’s no magical SEO bonus, then go for it.”

Also, on the Google blog, Mueller adds:

Q: Will a .BRAND TLD be given any more or less weight than a .com?
A: No. Those TLDs will be treated the same as a other gTLDs. They will require the same geotargeting settings and configuration, and they won’t have more weight or influence in the way we crawl, index, or rank URLs.

Your chosen TLD won’t make or miss any future Google rankings for your website. What it really takes for you to rank is to work smart on your content, marketing and networking efforts.

As Neil Patel says in his blog, “The major factor in whether TLDs have an effect on SEO is whether the domain contains keywords. Of course, you and I know that Exact Match Domain names risk getting penalized.”

What really makes the difference, indeed, is keywords in your domain name, regardless of extension. In fact, Google has been penalizing EMDs (exact match domains) since 2012, so you should by all means avoid exact keyword domain names (like cheap-payday-loans.com) and instead focus on branding (think google.com, walmart.com, etc.).

When Does A TLD Count?

The problem may arise when certain TLDs — as well as certain IPs — are blacklisted or look suspicious because of spamming (mostly email spam), but in general the domain extension of your site does not play major role in your SEO efforts. gTLDs and the new TLDs are no exception. As long as you play it white hat and don’t spam, you’re fine to go.

Ensure that your site is on an IP that is not associated with spam and thus is not blacklisted. You can use WhatIsMyIPAddress.com to find out if your site IP is blacklisted.

Beware of free TLDs, however — because these have been massively used for spam and infection (like CO.CC and CZ.CC), Google has these in blacklist so your website would never get a chance to rank. Always research news about your chosen free TLD to see if it makes a viable choice while you wait to buy standard TLD.

The post Are TLDs Really Relevant for SEO? first appeared on SEO Optimizers.

As businesses and customers look for each other online, local search is becoming an increasingly important part of that process. Are you wondering why? Here are some clues:

1. Search is moving away from desktop

2015 was the year when an important milestone was reached in Internet search. Even though rumor had it as early as 2014 that mobile search volume would exceed that of desktop, it was in 2015 that the number of mobile searches officially surpassed the number of desktop searches.

One of the reasons why this fundamental shift in Internet use is significant is the fact that it reflects the changing needs of Internet users. Mobile users perform their searches on the go, often because they have a very specific and immediate needs that need to be met. For example, shoppers frequently check and compare prices online before they decide which brick-and-mortar store they will visit. Or, a person looking for a place to eat can look up nearby restaurants, check out their reviews and availability.

As you can notice, there is a strong correlation not only between mobile users’ search queries and their immediate needs, but also between their searches and their location (town or neighborhood). And as the era of smart wearable devices that support Internet search is dawning, local searches that are based on users’ hyper-specific location (moving location) could start gaining more and more popularity and importance.

2. Traffic from local searches converts better

Google has now evolved to the point where it can provide specific search results that are suitable for the person who is performing a search. Of course, under the condition that the person is logged into their Google account. Search results are personalized according to several factors, two of which are the person’s search history and their geographic location.

Simply put, Google takes all the information it has collected about the user’s preferences, combines it with the user’s location and then matches this information with businesses in the local area to deliver results that best suit user’s needs.

From the user perspective, these results are highly relevant, timely and so useful that users can immediately act upon them. At the same time, the traffic personalized search results send to business websites is more targeted and therefore tends to convert better.

3. Google supports local business

If you take a look at Google’s history of providing free tools, you will notice they’ve been around for a while. Tools like Analytics and Webmaster Tools (now rebranded as Search Console) find the most use with individuals, small businesses and all sorts of organizations that are challenged by a limited access to resources.

Some people say Google has been so generous because it is inclined towards smaller and newer companies and it systematically helps them to establish online presence and market themselves. But without solid argumentation or an official statement on Google’s part, this remains as a mere speculation. However, Google has recently released their search algorithm update targeted particularly at smaller, local businesses.

Known publicly as the Pigeon Update, the change was intended to give more visibility to local businesses in search engine results. In the past, when displaying results, Google gave preference to major brands. So, for example, if you were looking for a place to eat a good hamburger, you would be referred to the nearest McDonalds. Now, you’ll get to pick from small but popular burger places in your neighborhood that you hadn’t even known existed.

4. Google is constantly redefining search results to serve users better

As previously mentioned, Google’s Pigeon Update redefined the importance of local search results in such a way that they’re now being incorporated into and shown parallel to traditional search results. If you’re wondering what has made Google change its course so dramatically, the answer is probably – users.

In the face of changing user behavior, Google is making sure to accommodate its users’ needs. At the moment, fifty-nine percent of all searches are now performed with local intent and around half of all mobile searches are conducted in order to find information about a local business, such as business hours or directions to a store.

5. There is less competition in local search than in global search

With millions of new websites popping up every year and hundreds of businesses growing into enterprises, small companies have an increasingly hard time getting noticed online. They have fewer resources to invest into search optimization than big brands, so their potential benefit from search engines continues to decline.

What this means is that business owners now have to target narrower areas and smaller niches where it’s easier to get their brand in front of prospects. So, even though their company might not show up as one of the top businesses in their country, it stands a good chance of being among the top companies in their town or neighborhood. This way, they can gain desired exposure that can lead to new sales opportunities.

Conclusion

As the Internet continues to evolve, search engines will definitely keep evolving with it. And at this moment, it seems that local search could gain even greater importance in connecting search engine users with relevant results and helping businesses increase their visibility. One thing is definitely for sure: local search is no longer an option, but a necessity.

Author Bio: Taylor Moore is a freelance copywriter with a passion for small business and retail marketing. For more talk on content marketing, conversion optimization, branding and customer service, follow her @taylormtweets