When you are looking to improve your local SEO, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. These include your location, Google My Business, and Structured data markup.
Structured data mark-up
Structured data mark-up helps search engines understand your content better. It can also help increase your click-through rate and your visibility. But what is structured data mark-up and how does it work?
Structured data mark-up uses standardized concepts and relationships to communicate information to search engines. The resulting code can be incorporated into a website’s HTML, allowing the site to be indexed and ranked for future searches.
Search engines like Google and Bing index millions of web pages every day. They use this information to create quality results. When a user searches for specific terms, search engines aim to deliver the most relevant results. These results are referred to as “rich snippets” because they display additional product information and include product price.
If your business is not showing up in rich snippets, you may want to consider adding structured data mark-up. You can do this by using a tool from Google.
Citations
Citations are a vital part of local SEO. They boost your rankings and drive more customers to your website. In addition, citations maintain the consistency of your business information across the web.
There are many different kinds of citations. Some are structured and others are unstructured. Structured citations are usually found in directory listings.
Unstructured citations are more difficult to obtain. They can be found in blog posts, press mentions, and industry-specific sites. These are not always a part of a local SEO strategy, but they still play a critical role in boosting local listings.
A structured citation is a company’s NAP (name, address, and phone number) data in a specified format. It’s usually available on company websites, directory listings, or social media profiles.
A citation is important to local SEO because it keeps your company’s name, address, and phone number consistent. Google uses citations to validate the legitimacy of a business’s listing. Having inaccurate or incomplete data can hurt your ranking.
Review signals
Review signals are an important part of local SEO. Reviews give a business validity and show that consumers trust the business. These reviews can be used as keywords, which will help the business to rank better in Google.
The number of reviews left by a customer can be a huge factor in a businesses ranking. When a business has many positive reviews it will be more likely to appear in the local pack results.
Obtaining customer reviews is a long-term process. A business can improve their rankings in local search by responding to reviews and encouraging customers to leave more. Businesses should also offer solutions to those who are dissatisfied.
Review signals have less of an effect on organic listings. However, they are important in local packs. Users’ proximity to a physical address and other known information about the searcher will also influence a business’ ranking.
User’s location
Local SEO is about optimizing your digital footprint for local searches. The goal is to show up higher in Google’s local search results. By using common local SEO tactics, such as acquiring citations and crafting locally-relevant content, you can improve your ranking and increase your traffic.
One of the most obvious local SEO techniques is to make sure your website has a good Google My Business listing. It is also important to link to your location pages. You can do this through the contact section of your main site or in a dedicated location page. This will help your site get indexed and pass on link equity from high-performing pages.
Another local SEO trick is to include a map or other local elements on your page. Maps are important in local SEO, as they can tell search engines where your business is located. For example, if you have a pizza restaurant in a specific city, you may want to include the name of that city, along with driving directions to your location.
Google My Business
Google My Business (GMB) is a free tool that helps businesses connect with local customers. It can also help improve your business’s search engine rankings. With a few simple tips, you can keep your GMB listing fresh even during tough times.
The first thing you’ll need to do is verify your business. This can be done online or in person. You can also ask your customers to leave reviews. Getting a high volume of positive feedback can help your Google rankings.
Next, you’ll need to create a profile. You’ll need to include your business’s name, address, and phone number. These items are important for your local SEO. If your business is in multiple locations, it’s also helpful to note these locations.
Finally, you’ll want to make sure you have an optimized URL. A properly optimized URL can improve your Google rankings.