Jay LeonardLocal SEO – search engine optimization – continues to increase in importance as more people turn to the internet for a diverse range of inquiries. Small to medium-sized businesses stand to benefit greatly from this growing sector if their digital presence is correctly optimized.
Local SEO is unique in that users searching for local businesses are often looking to make “moment of interest connections.” This immediate conversion intent necessitates optimized digital visibility in order to improve sales and customer acquisition. Restaurants are the top business type in local search. As shown below in the local consumer study graph, general stores, hotels, retail shops and doctors/dentists round out the top five.
The primary ranking factors within local search include: on-page SEO, search listings, directory citations and reviews. On-page SEO refers to your own website – ensuring all text, images, links, codes and design are accurately optimized. Search listings and directory citations deal more with external sites – especially the major search engines: Google, Bing and Yahoo. We have more information on how to improve your ranking by way of these factors here.
Search Engine Watch reports that 85% of consumers read reviews for local businesses. With consumers placing increased trust in these “personal” digital recommendations, it makes it more important for local businesses to synergize online and offline experiences. A negative review can not only affect your overall rating, but also cause you to lose traffic and a potential conversion.
Of course, the good news from the local consumer survey is that more reviews are being read before a decision is made. Over 60% of consumers say they read between two and six online reviews before forming an opinion on the business. This gives you the opportunity to make your case in various ways – for instance, through relevant images.
Reviews are also intertwined with social efforts when it comes to increasing local search ranking. The melding of search and social on Google+ provides an excellent example. The social network is partnered with Zagat to provide businesses with a score – along with the inclusion of user opinions and photos. Therefore, consumers who utilize Google+ and search on Google can see a more comprehensive picture of the business, as well as connections with reviewers.
A presence on other social networks can be helpful for local businesses. A less formal review setting like Facebook allows users to see which of their friends like certain businesses and who is interacting with their pages. Similarly on Twitter, followers of local businesses can form opinions based on customer feedback and mentions, along with photos, linking and hashtags.
Across all review sites and social networks, transparency is ideal. Utmost visibility means that local businesses can no longer delete these bad reviews or comments and expect the problems to disappear. Consumers will see them and will share how they’re dealt with – the digital age brings a new concept of responsibility. Unless it is absolutely false or spam, we recommend addressing the issues and responding quickly to reassure current and potential customers that you’re on top of it. The same goes for positive remarks as well – thank them and build a loyal following.
For more in-depth information on Local SEO, download our Learn report today: “Deconstructing Universal Search: Local SEO.”
Contact ZOG Digital for an SEO audit.
This article was written for Business 2 Community by Jay Leonard.
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Nice article. I can say that a good local search strategy, which includes promoting reviews on line, has increased many of our clients revenue. Some over a million dollars a year! This is clearly an area small business owners need to zone in on. Thank you for the information!
As an inbound marketing agency, we have noticed a huge increase in results with businesses that we’ve developed a strong online reputation for. This includes ensuring the positive reviews are being submitted in the right places, and any ‘negative’ comments that may arise are dealt with professionally. Although no one likes to see negative comments about their business, they are bound to happen as it’s hard to please everyone. However, negative comments are an an excellent opportunity to show other prospects how you deal with issues when they arise – you either deal with them professionally or not! It’s also important to be aware of any comment, positive or negative, that is being said about your business online so you can respond in a timely manner. Couldn’t agree more with this article that you can “no longer sweep bad reviews under the rug”!
Thanks for the feedback Mike and Joel! Reviews are definitely an important part of a local SEO strategy.