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Local search or SEO is one of the most important factors in any digital service’s marketing plan. As marketing experts Moz outline, local SEO marketing is one of the most important factors in the Google algorithm, and any cogent marketing strategy should be underpinned by locals. Like all search engine factors, local has changed over the past few years. Understanding the key principles that underpin good quality modern local SEO is key to forming a good strategy.
Local signals
The most important factor in local SEO is mastering Google My Business (GMB) signals. Google My Business is rapidly becoming the central place for custom searches online; consumers are often moving through the Google ranking immediately, making GMB listings incredibly important. The key factor behind this is business information. According to Google themselves, having up-to-date business information will improve your visibility more than any other factor.
Smart linking
Another crucial type of signal concerns linking. In the ever-smarter era of modern searches, content is king. Having good quality, high standard work that other services and blogs naturally link to is absolutely crucial in any marketing strategy. This is especially important in local SEO– having local businesses and digital services link to your website helps to develop the authenticity and natural brand voice of your service, and the role it has within the local search.
On-page optimization
Perhaps the least straightforward and most technical of local search demands is on-page optimization. According to the Search Engine Journal, E-A-T signals – Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness – are the backbone of any website and form a crucial part of the local search picture. Why? Good quality and content and up-to-date information create the foundation for proper local search; it’s simple and brings in good organic ranking. However, on-page signals, like proper markup, formatting, and meta tags, give that technical depth to your webpage or service. This, in turn, can help to elevate your webpage and its importance to another level and establish you firmly at the top of a local search hierarchy. It shows you are tech-savvy and progressive in the SEO stakes.
Update trends
Local SEO thrives in a local community. A buzz, or vibe, can help to lift the message of the business; it helps to create good news in the local community, and that can be turned into clicks. One of the most important factors on keeping the audience engaged online concerns updating content – and, it’s not as simple as simply providing more content on-demand.
According to Moz, one of the cornerstones of a proper local SEO content strategy is timing. Getting in line with national events and news is important; however, avoiding seasonal posts can be just as influential. Content should typically be updated after six months, rather than on a more frequent basis. This helps to create proper spacing between one post and the next and can help to improve the image of your business in terms of providing high quality, detailed content, rather than anything that could be seen to be approaching the level of spam or considered frivolous in any way.
A good local search strategy begins with simple steps and expands to a more in-depth technical level. That’s the mark of good quality service and will help you to take a good position in the local search stakes. Timing your content properly so it doesn’t become overbearing on your consumer base or the algorithm is important; however, diligence underlines everything – let your information become outdated at your own peril.
