Local SEO 101October 28, 2015

Cori Shirk, Seer InteractiveTemple University - Intro to Search Engine Marketing

How many of you have ever used Google to find something nearby?

Local SEO =

A little bit about me...● I work at Seer Interactive here in Philly

○ ...with your teacher!

● I’ve been doing local search for about 3 ½ years○ ...and I’m a huge nerd about it (proof → )

● I majored in music in college○ ...and I didn’t even know what “SEO” was

when I was in school, so you guys are already way ahead of where I was!

P.S. Keep in touch! coris@seerinteractive.com, @corishirk

What is Local SEO?

Short Answer

What is Local SEO?● It’s being where your customer is searching● It’s understanding your customer’s needs at different stages in their

purchase journey, and marketing to each stage● It’s the bridge between real world businesses and the internet

Anatomy of a Local SERP1. Local Ads

2. Local Results

3. Localized Organic Results

Types of Local Search QueriesExplicit: “hotel in Philadelphia”

● You tell Google you want local results by including a local modifier (i.e. a city or a neighborhood)

● Usually indicate that the user is farther down in the purchase funnel and is ready to visit a location

Implicit: “hotel”

● Google assumes you want local results based on the type of thing you’re looking for ● Usually indicate that the user is still top-of-the-funnel and browsing options

How does Google decide which businesses to show in local results?

For once, the world does revolve around you.

For once, the world does revolve around you.

You want to find businesses near you. Google knows that, so it will rank businesses nearby wherever it is you’re searching.

● Google My Business signals○ Google local listings

● External signals○ Consistent address data across the web

● On-page signals○ Consistent address data, locally relevant

keywords, website authority● Link signals● User reviews of a business

○ On Google and around the web● Social signals● User behavior

○ Bounce rate, click-through rate

There Are Some Other Factors That Come Into Play, Though.

NAPs are important!

Business NameBusiness AddressLocal business Phone number

} NAP

Google Doesn’t Know What Happens Offline● It needs to find ways to translate real-world actions into data that it can

make sense of

● Your NAP is how search engines understand what your business is and where it’s located.

● The more times the NAP shows up online, the better search engines understand your business, and the higher your chances are of ranking.

● Consistency is important! Your NAP should reflect your business online exactly how it is offline.

NAP

Common NAP Problems● Keyword stuffing in business name

○ “Qdoba Temple” vs just “Qdoba”

● Official names vs common names○ “Temple University” vs just “Temple”

● Call tracking numbers● Moved addresses● Rebranding / Renaming

Local ListingAn online profile that contains business information like a business’ name, address, phone number, and other details.

Any instance of a business’ NAP online.

All listings are citations, but not all citations are listings. The more citations you have, the better search engines understand your business, and the more likely you are to rank.

Citation

What are some popular local listing websites?

Local Listings

Google My BusinessThe name of the platform businesses use to manage their business information on Google, used for both small businesses and large chains.

● Google My Business listings (a.k.a. Google+ local pages) are the pages that rank in local search results.

● Businesses can provide the following info:○ Name○ Address○ Phone number ○ Photos○ A description of the business○ Hours○ Website

How else can Google translate real-world activity to data that it can understand online?

Google My BusinessThe name of the platform businesses use to manage their business information on Google, used for both small businesses and large chains.

● Google My Business listings (a.k.a. Google+ local pages) are the pages that rank in local search results.

● Businesses can provide the following info:○ Name○ Address○ Phone number ○ Photos○ A description of the business○ Hours○ Website

Google My BusinessThe name of the platform businesses use to manage their business information on Google, used for both small businesses and large chains.

● Google My Business listings (a.k.a. Google+ local pages) are the pages that rank in local search results.

● Businesses can provide the following info:○ Name○ Address○ Phone number ○ Photos○ A description of the business○ Hours○ Website

Local Search “Conversions” That Impact RankingsClicks for Driving Directions

● Tell Google that you (the user) are satisfied with the search results, and that you intend to visit the business

● Strong signal that online behavior will carry into an offline action

Reviews

● Tell Google that you did in fact visit that business, and if your experience was satisfactory● Bring that offline behavior back online & translate it to data (1-5 star standard rating system)

Influential Review Sites

When do you leave reviews online?

Getting Positive Reviews● Ask customers for them in-store● Follow up with an email reminder● Link to each store’s local listings on each store’s page on your website

Provide a great experience for your customers, from the minute they

search for your service to the minute they walk out your door.

How many of you have clients that would want to show up when people are searching Google to find a store?

Good vs Bad UX“motorcycle gear”

“ BHLDN NYC” vs “David’s Bridal Westminster CO”

“Forever 21 Philadelphia PA”

“ice dam removal CT”

http://firedamagerepair-247.net/locations

http://www.rotorooter.com/locations

On-Page Local SEO● First impression (i.e. good design) matters.● Use relevant and locally-centric keywords in your page copy and your

meta tags, but don’t overdo it. Keep it natural. ● Include your NAP ● Use Schema markup to highlight important data to search engines

Schema MarkupCode that helps search engines understand what your website is about, and therefore return better results to users.

● Think of Schema as a highlighter you can use to show important things to search engines

● Use Schema markup for:○ Your NAP○ Reviews○ Your logo○ Local events you’re hosting○ Localized product/ service offerings

“events in Philadelphia”

Links to Your Website From Other Local Websites● Like citations, local links are confirmation for Google that your business

operates in a real location in the real world● Links help Google understand real-world activity● You can get links from:

○ Local listings○ Press releases○ Local news coverage○ Other businesses you work with

● Google My Business signals○ Google local listings

● External signals○ Consistent address data across the web

● On-page signals○ Consistent address data, locally relevant

keywords, website authority● Link signals● User reviews of a business

○ On Google and around the web● Social signals● User behavior

○ Bounce rate, click-through rate

Local Search Ranking Factors

Google My Business Page Finderhttp://www.michaelcottam.com/google-business-page-finder/