We often view the internet as a tool for reaching far and wide, learning all about what’s happening on the other side of the world with the click of a mouse. While that’s true, it’s important for businesses to think local, too.

Research has shown that 88% consumers search for local information on their smart phone, while 84% do so on their computer or tablet. Therefore, appearing as high as possible on local search results is crucial for improving brand awareness and encouraging custom, so here’s how to do it.

1. Have a physical location

This doesn’t sound much like an actionable instruction, but it’s important – if you don’t have an address that customers can visit, you won’t be included in local results. If your product or service is sold by third parties at various locations, it may not be appropriate to put your head office in the local listings.

Distance from the centre of the city is a ranking factor, which is why exploiting virtual office space can be a temptation. However, Google does make note of virtual addresses where hundreds or even thousands of businesses are registered, so if you are illegitimately exploiting virtual office space, you run the risk of being removed from local search results.

2. Set up your My Business account accurately

To have any chance of getting in the local results, you need to tell Google about your business by setting up a My Business account.

First, type your business name into the search box on Google Maps, then make sure all the details are correct, being sure to match them exactly with those on your website.

If you don’t find a Google Maps listing for your business, select ‘Add a missing place to Google Maps’ and follow the instructions to establish your local presence.

After filling in your information, Google will send a postcard to your address with a PIN on it to confirm your location, which you can do using the Google+ account it sets up for you. If you don’t do this, your local listing will not be publicly available in Google’s local results.

3. Build your Google+ page

Now use Google+ to build a strong online shop window. First, you need some copy with clout – a few simple, relevant lines about your business, keeping your target audience in mind. What makes your business special? Whatever it is, stick it in there and, as always, triple-check for spelling mistakes.

A picture paints a thousand words, so choose yours carefully – whether it’s of your team, your products or your workspace. Be sure they look professional and do your business justice.

Finally, add your opening times, phone number and web address. A comprehensive listing – allowing, for example, smart phone users to just straight to your website or give you a call – will outperform one with missing information.

4. Build citations

Directories and citations are a key part of local SEO. This is where local SEO differs from more traditional SEO. In order for Google to validate that you are a legitimate local business, they must find you listed in the main local business directories.

To give your listing even more credibility, make sure your business NAP (Name, Address & Phone Number) is accurately featured in respected directories, like Yell, 118, Yelp and Thompson Local. This can take a while, but sites such as Moz Local can help you keep your citations in sync.

Search engines use the NAP as a measuring stick of accuracy for your business’s existence. You must strive to make sure that every point of data in the NAP aligns perfectly on all third party directories.

5. Encourage your customers to leave reviews

We all rely on reviews, so it makes sense to get your customers to shout about your business. In today’s digital landscape, consumers trust online reviews almost as much as a personal recommendation, so utilising Google reviews can greatly benefit your enquiries. High-quality, descriptive reviews on your Google+ account, together with those on other directories and review sites, will help you be more visible than your competitors.

So, you’ve started to appear in local searches. What now? Make sure you stay there by keeping your listing alive with updates, being sure to stay on top of changes to contact details or opening times, while sharing social posts, adding photos and responding to reviews. You can also use Insights and Google Analytics to monitor your customers’ behaviours and assess your performance, allowing you to experiment and maximise results.

 

By Daniel Nolan, managing director at theEword

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