Using Google Search Local SEO

Local SEO improves how a business shows up in the unpaid Google results tied to Google Places and Google Maps. Like portland SEO, it is a long process, but it leans on paid placements and location signals rather than only backlinks. Business owners and others who want a higher spot in the free results all compete through those placements.

How do you pick the right location for local SEO?

Start by analyzing the keywords and keyword phrases that best describe your business, then study the search queries behind them. Listings should be optimized for popular queries because higher placement on those result pages means more hits from people looking for similar products or services. Optimizing for popular searches is also cheaper than paying for placements on the most expensive search engines.

Which keywords should a local business target?

Keywords are one or more words used to locate items in an internet search, and they must be relevant to the business or service. The three major classifications are country, metropolitan area, and state. A shoe seller in San Francisco would use specific keywords like “Singer,” “Shoe,” and “SF.”

How does Google help local businesses get found?

Google offers tools like Google Places Pages, Google Maps, and Google Neighborhood that let a business optimize its location on the web and raise Google Places visibility by boosting ranking on search results pages. Google uses those result pages to gather information from searchers that result in clicks. Google also provides an easy way for users to discover local listings in the Google Places business section, along with Google Maps, Google Flight Search, and Google Ride Finder.

What features in Google Search improve local rankings?

Google Search now incorporates moz directories, which supply unique, low-cost backlinks that improve local search ranking factors. Google’s approach to local SEO is to give users a way to locate specific, relevant websites, including both highly ranked sites and low-ranked sites that are themselves highly ranked in local search engines.

How does the supplemental “Inclusions” section help?

The supplemental search feature lists every website on the web that has included your chosen keyword as one or more of its inclusions. Sites that Google considers an “inclusion” are highlighted in yellow text on the Google search results page.

Why is this approach useful for new businesses?

New businesses without an established web presence can test products and services on a limited scale before expanding into online marketing. Google’s supplemental search feature works hand in hand with moz local data aggregators, giving businesses a way to monitor competitors, see which features are improving visibility and rankings, and gather information about competitor sites and popular keywords.

Related coverage

• The Importance of Local SEO in Search Optimization
• Local SEO Strategies That Drive Foot Traffic to Your Physical Storefront