Getting ranked in Google’s local search results is very important if your business offers products or services in a particular local area. For the local results, Google uses a different ranking algorithm than for the regular organic results.
How can you make sure that your website gets listed in the local results in relevant areas? Google has published official information on how to get listed for relevant searches in your area:
1. Make sure that your data is complete
Local results favor the most relevant results for each search, and businesses with complete and accurate information are easier to match with the right searches.
Make sure that you’ve entered all of your business information in Google My Business, so customers know more about what you do, where you are, and when they can visit you. Instructions on how to edit your business data can be found here.
2. Provide as much information as possible
Provide information like (but not limited to) your physical address, phone number, and category. Make sure to keep this information updated as your business changes.
3. Verify your business locations
Verify your business locations to give them the best opportunity to appear for users across Google products, like Maps and Search. Instructions on how to verify your business can be found here.
4. Keep your opening hours accurate
Entering and updating your opening hours, including special hours for holidays and special events, lets potential customers know when you’re available and gives them confidence that when they travel to your location, it will be open. Updated opening hours Google that your business is still in business. You can update your opening hours here.
5. Respond to reviews
Interact with customers by responding to reviews that they leave about your business. Responding to reviews shows that you value your customers and the feedback that they leave about your business. High-quality, positive reviews from your customers will improve your business’s visibility and increase the likelihood that a potential customer will visit your location. Further information can be found here.
6. Add photos to show your goods and services
Adding photos to your listings shows people your goods and services, and can help you tell the story of your business. Accurate and appealing pictures may also show potential customers that your business offers what they’re searching for. Learn how to add photos here.
Google uses different factors to determine the local rankings
Local results are based primarily on relevance, distance, and prominence. These factors are combined to help find the best match for your search.
For example, Google algorithms might decide that a business that’s farther away from your location is more likely to have what you’re looking for than a business that’s closer and therefore rank it higher in local results.
- Relevance refers to how well a local listing matches what someone is searching for. Adding complete and detailed business information can help Google better understand your business and match your listing to relevant searches.
- Distance is another factor. How far is each potential search result from the location term used in a search? If a user doesn’t specify a location in their search, Google will calculate distance based on what’s known about their location.
- 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. For example, famous museums, landmark hotels, or well-known store brands that are familiar to many people are also likely to be prominent in local search results.
Traditional factors such as links are also important
Prominence is also based on information that Google has about a business from across the web (like links, articles, and directories). Google review count and score are factored into local search ranking: more reviews and positive ratings will probably improve a business’s local ranking.
Your position in web results is also a factor, so SEO best practices also apply to local search optimization.
Article by Axandra SEO software
photo credit: makemelocal Team making planning with sticky notes via photopin (license)
