The face of search continues to change, particularly with regard to Google local search. We’ve noticed that Google has been moving into the instant provision of answers and those answers may not necessarily be found on websites in the traditional manner. Google now want to present as much information as they can about a local business directly in the search result. This means that the need for searchers to click through to a business’s website may decrease over time. You may have noticed more richer information appearing in the search results such as photos, reviews, opening times, busy times, critic lists on which the business is included etc. There’s also an increase in the ability to transact with the business from within the SERP (Search engine results page). This is especially evident in the hospitality sector.
We’ve also noticed more ads appearing above the fold. (The fold is that golden space on the browser window that is instantly visible on log on). Marketers in the US (the home of digital rollouts and beta testing) have been reporting on the prevalence of hybrid type ads and local units. They are seeing them in the hospitality space in particular, and some home services verticals on the U.S. West Coast. (A vertical market is one where businesses and marketers cater to the needs of a specific group of people within an industry.) It’s predicted that within a couple of years, these hybrid ad formats will roll out to every geographic market in the world.
The difference between local SEO and general SEO is that Google is focusing on producing localised results (i.e. results near the searcher). This gives your business an opportunity to appear alongside larger organisations when someone searches for your business type in your locale. There is a different algorithm at work here, that ranks the business listings included in the system, the visual unit that appears between the ads and organic website results. This algorithm uses ranking factors that are not normally used for the typical organic market ie business listing data, reviews, locality as regards the searcher etc.
So how will this affect your local business search results? It may become more difficult to rank in
larger areas (think of solicitors for example). A strategy might be the use of case studies in which case you could mention the location of the case study (for the targeted geographic area). This would require the set up of a specific landing page targeted at the specific search term and locality.
As we have mentioned to our clients, reviews are becoming increasingly important so some form of strategy needs to be undertaken to gain reviews. To out rank a larger competitor, your business will require more higher quality reviews that can function as signals to the search engines.
Focus on prominent review sites such as Google and Facebook for the review juice. We routinely
see Google pulling Facebook reviews into the knowledge panels for local businesses in all types of industries. Apart from providing signals to the search engines, good reviews will encourage more customers to buy from you.
In summary, to rank in the local Google search listings, focus on reviews and start to set up specific landing pages that talk about case studies relevant to the target key phrase and location. This will help you reach more customers, attract more sales and increase revenues. Happy selling.
