3 Key Google Factors to Rank in a Local Search

According to a study, 46% of all Google searches are related to local searches. If you want to see your business rank first in a Local Google search, you need to keep an eye on3 key factors:

1- Relevance

2- Distance

3- Prominence

Knowing well and knowing what their impact on Local SEO is the way to get the best positions on Google in a local search, referring to what your business offers.

Thinking about it, in this post we explain how these factors work and what actions you should take in each of them to optimize the performance of your business.

The Factors That Impact Your Business Position In A Local Google Search And How To Optimize Your Local SEO Strategy.

1. Relevance

How well does your local business match what a consumer is looking for? Relevance determines the best match between local business and a user’s search. Adding complete and detailed business information helps Google better understand your business and position it according to its relevance to the consumer.

Make sure your business is considered relevant when a potential customer searches for what you offer. And the way to do that is by making sure your GMB profile is as complete, detailed and accurate as possible.

Here’s a list of enhancements to add to your Google My Business and optimize your Local SEO:

• Choose the business category correctly. 
• Describe what your business offers. Explore the keywords relevant to your segment.
• Consistent company name. Enter your business name precisely and it should be the same on every platform your business is present (your site, fan page, Tripadvisor, etc).
• Fill in all the information about the establishment in detail. Opening hours, a form of payment, etc.
• Place a marker on Google Maps
• Photos. Add multiple photos of your property, be creative, and not just post photos of the facade; show me your team, how is a workday, etc. Make updates regularly. Avoid photos from databases.
• Don’t have a Google My Business profile? Here’s how to register.

2. Distance

How close are you to the person looking for a particular business? The distance is the physical space between each potential search result and the location used in the search. If a user doesn’t specify a location in the search, Google will calculate the distance based on what is known about that user’s location.

Keep in mind that relevance will be the strongest sign. If a business is farther away from a searcher’s location but is more likely to have what it is looking for than the nearest business, Google ranks it in a better position in local search results.

The success of the Distance factor has to do with how much information you provide. Anything to help users and Google know where your business is located. Keep your location information up to date on Facebook, Expedia, Tripadvisor, your website, etc.

Have a business with multiple locations? A great way to improve the local search rankings for each of these sites is to create dedicated pages for them on your site, remembering to inform their location.

3. Prominence

How well known is your business? Prominence refers to the popularity of a company. It is measured based on the web information Google has about a business (such as links, articles, and directories). Your position in the web results is also included. Thus, SEO practices also apply to local search optimization.

This is the factor where the company has greater freedom of movement to lead the competition in local search.

Here’s a list of enhancements to optimize your local Business SEO:

• Optimize your profile on Google My Business. We have already shown how to do it on the first topic.
• Link building. Like general SEO, links are an influential sign for local SEO. Define your link strategy on these three factors: Link Authority;

Local relevance (sources near you) and Number of links. Connect with other local business owners. Attend and sponsor local events. Send press releases when something remarkable happens to your business.

• On-Page Refer to the influencing factors on the page you are trying to rank. 
• Local quotes. They relate to how well your business information can be verified by other online sources. Quotes may come from other companies, review sites, or social media platforms. The more often your site details appear on the web, the more credible your site will appear – and the better your local SEO will be.
• Behavior on the site. How people interact when browsing your site. You can start by monitoring: Click Rate, Bounce Rate, and Page Time and Call Button Clicks.
• Be Mobile-Friendly. Have a mobile-friendly site. A survey by Bright Local found that 89% of consumers use their mobile phones to find local businesses.
• Get reviews online. Not only on Google Reviews, but also on other relevant online review sites in the market. Positive, high-quality customer reviews improve your company’s visibility and increase the likelihood of a potential customer visiting your business. Check out 13 statistics about the importance of online reviews you need to know now!

Manage your reviews online. It is not enough to have a relevant volume of reviews, it is essential to manage them. In addition to showing potential customers that you care about your customers, which increases their trust in a business, managing reviews is essential to extracting valuable insights that will help improve the delivered experience and, consequently, get better ratings. Check out Online Assessment Management: Essential Practice for Your Local Business.

Visibility on social networks. Engagement around your brand on social networks is well-liked by Google. Seek to promote your content – photos/videos, company news, and updates, etc. As well as share the best testimonials and answer your fans. 

By Felipe Arruda – Marketing Strategist