How to Rise to the Top of Local Search

Copyright ©2016, StepForth Web Marketing Inc. | WWW.STEPFORTH.COM SEM Summit 2016 | www.semsummit.ca Copyright ©2016, StepForth Web Marketing Inc. | WWW.STEPFORTH.COM SEM Summit 2016 | www.semsummit.ca

How to Rise to the Top of Local SearchBy Ross Dunn, CEO of StepForth Web Marketing Inc.

Co-Founder, First.Dentist Web Design & Marketing

http://www.stepforth.com/

http://first.dentist/



Copyright ©2016, StepForth Web Marketing Inc. | WWW.STEPFORTH.COM SEM Summit 2016 | www.semsummit.ca

Basic Jargon to Know

NAP = name, address, and phone number

Offsite = anything that happens external to your website

Citations = mentions of your business online

Schema = additional information added behind the scenes to text of a web page to provide additional context to search engines

For more info go to schema.org




What Does Successful Local SEO Involve?

= Website

+

The toughest form of SEO I’ve done.

Regular SEO

+ Google My Business+ Links + Citations + Reviews + NAP Consistency+ Schema+ more




What is Local SEO?: The Desktop View

Local Organic

Local Map-Based

Searched whalewatching while inVictoria

After clicking “More places”




What is Local SEO?: The Desktop View

After clicking on the Prince of Whales profile




What is Local SEO?: The Mobile View

Searched whalewatching while inVictoria

The Prince of Whalesprofile page

What’s wrong about this profile?

The picture is not representative of the service.

Stay vigilant! These issues happen.




The Ranking Factors for Local Search

Source: https://moz.com/local-search-ranking-factors Source: http://www.localseoguide.com/guides/2016-local-seo-ranking-factors/ Source: http://blumenthals.com/web-equity-infographic

There are about 50 known – depending on the study




The Ranking Factors for Local Search

Key takeaways to cover:

3) Google My Business

1) Location

2) Your Website 5) Reviews

6) Citations

4) Links



Copyright ©2016, StepForth Web Marketing Inc. | WWW.STEPFORTH.COM SEM Summit 2016 | www.semsummit.ca Copyright ©2016, StepForth Web Marketing Inc. | WWW.STEPFORTH.COM

Key Ranking Factor #1: Location

Searcher’s Proximity

Business in Area




Key Ranking Factor #2: Your Website

A

Have aPlan

∞D

Surprise!Or not...

B

Build& SEO

C

LocalSEO





A) Plan your website with professional advice in tow.

B) Build a mobile-friendly website for your prospects with SEO in mind.

Consider your objectives, what is a conversion, and user experience (next speaker)

Consider your past website (if applicable)

SO much more to say… another time.

Page load speed for desktop/mobile: On mobile if page load is over 4.2s conversion rates fall below 1% (Source)

“47% of consumers expect a web pageto load in 2 seconds or less” … and thatwas an older Akamai study (Source)

https://www.soasta.com/blog/mobile-web-performance-monitoring-conversion-rate/

https://www.akamai.com/us/en/about/news/press/2009-press/akamai-reveals-2-seconds-as-the-new-threshold-of-acceptability-for-ecommerce-web-page-response-times.jsp



http://searchengineland.com/study-consumers-increasingly-turn-mobile-varied-media-combinations-last-mile-200283



C) Enhance SEO with local signalsWhere possible, add city name & province (e.g. Victoria BC) in:

Title Tags META Description Tags Heading 1 tags (H1) Body text (readability!)

Add your local phone number to every page and:

Mark up the phone number with click-to-call schemaCall StepForth for a free consultation now<a href=“tel:+1-250-385-1190”>+1 (250) 385-1190</a>

Add your business address to your website, but remember, NAP Consistency is Key:

Use the exact syntax for your address everywhere on your site and off of your site

TIP: Use what is already on Yellowpages.ca or Google My Business (if applicable)





C) Enhancing SEO with local signals: continued…

D) … the shocking, mind blowing finale… wait for it…

Next, add schema to each page using JSON-LD. It is great because:

Go to bit.ly/jsonld-tips for a great article & a LOT more info

A simple JSON-LD generator: bit.ly/jsonld-gen

It is easier than formatting content with schema.

You can add it anywhere.

Just don’t forget:

The information should also be visible on the page.

Be as specific and accurate as possible with the category.

http://bit.ly/jsonld-tips



http://bit.ly/jsonld-gen







D) Content!

Source: bit.ly/mind-blown561

∞

http://bit.ly/mind-blown561



http://bit.ly/mind-blown561



D) But seriously… CONTENT!

It doesn’t have to be hard:

Look at similar businesses – anywhere

Search news.google.com for related news

Use https://app.lumanu.com/

Plan your content 6+ months in advance, post quality content regularly, and share it.

Hunt Reddit or Quora for questions

Ask clients!

https://app.lumanu.com/




Key Ranking Factor #3: Google My Business

Claim, then maximize all aspects of your profile!

Choose the most accurate categories possible (bit.ly/local-categ)

Use your local number!

Request reviews when appropriate

Use an address format you can stick with.

Use your real business name

Add at least 3 of every photo requested

Add hours and anything else requested.

http://bit.ly/local-categ

http://bit.ly/local-categ




Key Ranking Factor #4: Links

The thought of building links makes many an SEO cringe, and/or…

Lose all composure.

Scene from Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy




Key Ranking Factor #4: Links

Because we’d rather practice link attraction.

BUT, there are some key links all local businesses benefit from:

Why?




Key Ranking Factor #5: Reviews

Reviews, Reviews, Reviews!

Many clients have no problem providing them.

Ask selectively, or else...

Lots? Spread them out!

Suggest rating their favourite restaurant at the same time.

Negative reviews are an opportunity!

Seriously consider a review management system.

If Yelp, link to search results showing your review page.




Key Ranking Factor #5: Reviews

Review management software/systems: Increase your chances of obtaining reviews.

Allow you to control where reviewers are sent.

Simple to setup, manage, and are inexpensive.

Warn you of negative reviews.

Are updated regularly to meet Google guidelines.

Can increase local signals & results!

Increase exposure in non-office areas.

Shameless plug alert! Contact me about ProvenLocal.com

mailto:[email protected]?subject=ProvenLocal%20Inquiry%20from%20Local%20SEO%20Presentation




Key Ranking Factor #6: Citations

Slightly different than just links. Any mention of your business – no link required. Update/add your business in the main Internet Yellow Pages (IYPs) and authoritative sites like:

Verify/submit your business to Factual via bit.ly/factual-ca

Most Important

bit.ly/ypca-submit

TIP: I don’t recommend paying Yellow Pages a penny.A free white-pages listing will suffice.

bit.ly/bellca-submit https://biz.yelp.ca bit.ly/4sq-submit

Submit your business to Industry Canadabit.ly/ic-submit Important

http://bit.ly/factual-ca

http://bit.ly/ypca-submit



http://bit.ly/bellca-submit



https://biz.yelp.ca/

http://bit.ly/4sq-submit

http://bit.ly/ic-submit









Key Ranking Factor #6: Citations

And soooooo many more…

411

Facebook

Bing Places

Web Local

HotFrog

iBegin

n49

GoldBook

MapQuest

Apple Maps

ShopinCanada

eSource Canada

Cylex

Found Locally

YelloYello.com

iGlobal.co

ProfileCanada.com

2FindLocal

ShowMeLocal

My Sheriff

PinBud

Find Here

Yalwa

BrownBook

WorldWeb.com

RateMyArea.com

AboutUs.com

SaleSpider.com

Spoke.com

Tupalo.com




What’s New in Local Search: Possum

Google’s Algorithmic Update on Sept 1st, 2016: “Possum”

Businesses just outside the official city limits can now rank: massive changes ensued!

Similar businesses in the same building are being filtered Note: The filter is removed when users zoom in manually on an area.

Searcher proximity is now more sensitive

Local rankings appear less connected to organic rankings

Want to dig in to the news on this update? Read more: here, and here

Want to see how obsessed us local SEOs are with Google tests? Mike Blumenthal lists the latest observations: bit.ly/localtests

http://searchengineland.com/everything-need-know-googles-possum-algorithm-update-258900

http://www.localsearchforum.com/google-local-important/42988-possum-update-analysis-biggest-google-local-update-since-pigeon-via-joy-hawkins.html

http://bit.ly/localtests

http://bit.ly/localtests




Exploring the Cutting Edge

Everything else up to snuff?Need a BOOST?

Now that’s more like it!




Exploring the Cutting Edge: Yelp

Yelp Tips

Find Facebook followers who are potential Yelpers using Facebook graph search: “people who like <business name> and Yelp” (h/t David Mihm)

Also use Yelp’s internal friend finder to find friends with Yelp accounts. (h/t Darren Shaw)

Advertising on Yelp is $$$$ but it is part of the Google Adwords Display Network... (h/t David Mihm)

Always respond to reviews on Yelp – good or bad.

Request Yelp stickers for your windows to boost reviews & views: bit.ly/yelp-stickers

https://twitter.com/davidmihm


https://twitter.com/DarrenShaw_



http://bit.ly/yelp-stickers




Exploring the Cutting Edge: Google

Google Local Tips

Use wildcards to mine Google Suggest for keywords (h/t Larry Kim)

Multiple location businesses need a page for each location.

To boost local signals offer community advice in a hyperlocal blog.

Be sure to embed the review badge from your review management system on your home page

Try cross-posting with other local business blogs.

Informs writing (verbiage & ideas) & brand use

Each page needs to be locally centric. Consider silos.

https://twitter.com/larrykim




Exploring the Cutting Edge: Out of Time

Additional tips and sources:

Mobile visitors to your website (local is big here) have different needsand expectations. Read this: bit.ly/localmobile-lp

Read these blogs regularly:

If you want to be a local search geek…

Mike Blumenthal’s Blog (blumenthals.com/blog/)

Read these communities/forums regularly:

The SEM Post (www.thesempost.com/?s=local)

Local Search Pros (bit.ly/localsrchpros)

Local Search Forum (bit.ly/localsrchforum)

http://bit.ly/localmobile-lp

http://bit.ly/localmobile-lp

http://blumenthals.com/blog/

http://www.thesempost.com/?s=local

http://bit.ly/localsrchpros

http://bit.ly/localsrchpros

http://bit.ly/localsrchforum

http://bit.ly/localsrchforum




Exploring the Cutting Edge: Out of Time

Have time for a free weekly SEO podcast?

240+ episodes over 7 years

Hosted by Ross Dunn

Co-Hosted by John Carcutt, a fellowveteran of SEO, and Director of SEOand Social Media for AdvanceLocal – which owns several USnewspapers

Download via iTunes at www.seo101radio.com (more episodes there)or direct from cranberry.fm/shows/seo-101

For Dentists, check out the First.Dentist Dental Web Marketing Podcast

bit.ly/dentalpodcast Hosted by Ross Dunn & Michael Lambe:

http://www.seo101radio.com/

http://cranberry.fm/shows/seo-101

http://bit.ly/dentalpodcast






And that concludes my presentation.

You can reach me via: [email protected](250) 385-1190

mailto:[email protected]

