Local Seo on Google more and more relevant

How to gain clients with local SEO

More and more people use navigation systems, and not just in cars, either. Pedestrians now use apps to guide them around the city on foot. Local suppliers can use this opportunity to attract customers in the vicinity.

What are local search requests?

A smart phone is the ideal tool for tourists and other visitors to find the way to their destination quickly and safely. But it’s also extremely useful on a shopping tour in your own city. Free services such as Google Maps show not only routes and transport connections, but also businesses and restaurants. Users who search on the go also get relevant information according to their location. A search for a “pizzeria” prompts Google to show you the nearest pizza restaurants automatically.

Which companies need local SEO?

Google highlights suppliers located close to a user at the point of searching in a special search box. To be found in this way requires a special type of search engine optimization for local search requests. If the website operator uses only classic SEO, however, the site will usually appear in the organic search results. The company’s competition might appear in the local search results at the same time. Businesses offering offline products and services exclusively, such as restaurants, retail stores, lawyers and doctors, need to take this into consideration.

How can I improve my ranking?

Each and every local business should set up a Google MyBusiness profile, because this has a direct influence on local search results. Companies should provide complete, up-to-date and accurate information. In addition to the company name, businesses should also include a company profile, logo, other images, an address, telephone number and the industry. Last but not least, it’s important to add opening hours. This way, every user can tell immediately whether a business is open or closed at the point of searching. The search engine also shows the website as a particularly relevant result if the user can purchase there immediately. Important: this information needs to be kept up-to-date as circumstances change.

Use uniform spellings

A company‘s most important details are its name, address and telephone number. These pieces of information should be displayed identically wherever listed: on the Google MyBusiness profile, all social media profiles, in industry directories and on the website itself, of course. Every individual entry must be changed if the business changes its location. The telephone number should be listed in a uniform way. This could be DIN (e.g. +49 30 12345-67) or E.123 (e.g. +49 30 1234567).

In the meta information on the website, i.e. the page titles and meta descriptions, the location should be listed alongside the brand names. In large cities, it is advantageous to include the suburb as well. Of course, you can’t exceed the maximum number of characters when including this information. A significant ranking factor is attributed to the first title on a web page. This makes it a particularly good place to list the exact location of the business.

Reviews increase relevance

MyBusiness receives reviews from customers. They are very important decision-making aids. Under some circumstances, reviews can drive an interested reader to visit the business for the first time. However, if they are bad, they can deter customers. It is therefore very important to get good reviews, though not necessarily easy. If you don’t want to wait, you could be proactive and you’re your regular customers for a review. If a customer leaves a negative review or a low star rating, you should react in a relaxed and professional way. A prompt and friendly response can work wonders. Other users see that the business values the opinions of its customers. Apart from that, Google’s algorithm can also see that the business communicates with its local customers.

In addition to MyBusiness reviews, there are other portals out there, such as

• Yelp
• KennstDuEinen
• golocal
• Tripadvisor

These entries have an influence and relevance for Google and increase the chances of being found in a local search request using particular keywords.

Industry directories are still relevant

Classic industry directories have lost their significance as Google has gained significant power. Some portals have had to close down in recent years. But those that still remain continue to be relevant as a factor for local SEO, even today.

You can submit a free entry on the following websites:

• Gelbeseiten.de
• Branchenverzeichnis.org
• yellowmap.de
• marktplatz-mittelstand.de
• gewerbeverzeichnis-deutschland.de

Local backlinks improve your reputation

Backlinks (links to your own website from external websites) are generally a very decisive factor for SEO. In the case of a local search request, backlinks from sites located nearby play the most important role. They could be generated through targeted PR work, for example, or as links from promotion partners. Even just naming a company in an article from a local newspaper published online helps, because the search engine recognizes the relevance of the reference.