7 ways to improve local SEO & attract new businesses

Local search engine optimisation differs greatly from the organic improvements we perform on our websites. It is always a good idea to stay on top of the most recent strategies for maximising your local SEO and getting ahead of your competition to increase the exposure of your business.

When you work for a company that relies on being relevant to customers in its immediate vicinity, you must understand how to maximise your presence in local search results and the MapPack. This column will provide you with seven tips for improving local SEO, increasing local exposure, and gaining new clients.

Top Ways to Improve Your Local SEO

-Keep an eye on what your competitors are doing.
-Change a Google Product Listing to Increase Exposure.
-While You Can, Use Google Business Messages.
-Update Your GMB to Include All Newly Available Attributes.
-Participate in Local Marketplaces and Forums.
-Don’t Forget About Other Search Engines.
-Maintain a Close Eye on Your Reputation.

1. Keep an eye on your competitors: The questions and answers feature in Google My Business (GMB) is a fantastic tool for establishing new businesses. If you use it correctly for your own company, it can help convert consumers who are otherwise undecided.

How does GMB Q&A work?

You may notice a “Ask a Question” option on your Google My Business profile. When consumers click, they are directed to a screen where they may submit a question.

The following section is crucial. The inquiry is not forwarded to the profile’s owner. It is added to the profile. That is, it is visible to anybody who comes across a Google My Business listing. You will be able to view a question made to your competitors Google My Business listing once it has been placed. And after the question is answered, that information – as well as the engagement – is there for anyone to view in the future.

How does this help build a new business?

These inquiries are an excellent approach to get new customers from local searches. People who have never visited that business before but are in your target market are likely to ask questions. They are already engaged with the brand, but they want a little more information before committing to a visit.

To create your Own Listing

You may utilise this chance on your own GMB profile to speak with a possible local consumer who is farther down the conversion funnel. If they have discovered you and are considering you enough to ask some questions, a meaningful response may be all that is required to see them come through your doors.

This sort of study can put you one step ahead of your local rivals, especially if the questions they were given were slightly negative in tone.

On a Competitor’s Listing: Consider the queries that your rivals’ consumers and potential customers are posing. Fill up the details on your own profile and website with this.

If you see that other pizza shops in your neighbourhood are frequently questioned about the availability of gluten-free pizza, for example, you should make sure that you promote your gluten-free product.

Consider the following question: “Do you still listen to loud music?”

If a potential restaurant patron sees that question asked of another establishment, it instantly causes them to evaluate the setting in which they will be enjoying their meal.

It may make them question if they will be able to enjoy the scheduled catch-up with their friends over dinner. Answer the questions that your rivals are being asked on your own website and GMB profile before anybody else does. Customers will enjoy a meal surrounded by calm, ambient music, as stated in your description. This might provide you with a substantial edge over your competition when it comes to gaining new business in your geographic area. When you answer a potential customer’s query before they ever ask it.

When you answer a potential customer’s query before they ever ask it, you show that you understand their requirements and desires. Google allows companies with GMB accounts to add product information. Potential consumers can see this in both mobile and desktop search results.

2. Improve Google Product Listing to increase brand visibility

Google allows companies with GMB accounts to add product information. Potential consumers can see this in both mobile and desktop search results. The listings display in the GMB profile on Maps in a carousel-style, and in Search in both a carousel and under the Products tab. Users can click on the product cards for additional information, contact the number, or browse the website in either format.

GMB Product Listings: How Do They Work?
It is simple to add your items to a Google My Business profile. Simply go into your Google My Business login, select Add a product, and follow the instructions.

If you are signed into the Google account linked with your GMB profile, you may add the product directly from the SERPs by clicking on your listing. It is simple to add products. However, you do not have control over the order in which they appear on the carousel.

Google will show them in the order in which they were submitted or updated. You must be strategic if you want to modify the order of the Products. By making even modest changes to a product, it will be moved to the top of the carousel. If you want to move a product to the front of the carousel, make a simple adjustment to it and the carousel order will change appropriately.

How does this help build a new business?
You may want to highlight particular goods above others for a number of reasons. For example, you may have an excess inventory at one of your locations. Bringing that stock to the forefront of the GMB listing for that location will assist local customers to it. It will enable you to better target certain items to appropriate consumers based on their location.

Seasonal goods, for example, maybe best served first. Perhaps the location of your auto repair company is primed for an unseasonal snowfall. Make changes to your snow tyre listings to move them to the top of the carousel. This might increase the visibility of your goods at just the correct time for a new client in your target area to see them.

3. Take advantage of Google Business Messages while you can

Google My Business accounts can include features that allow companies to communicate with consumers directly from the SERPs. This feature has been available in Google My Business since 2017, and on Google Maps since 2018. However, it has only lately found its way to PC. If you own a GMB profile, you should see the option to Turn on messaging under the Messages page on your desktop dashboard.

You may then configure elements such as an initial auto-responder to be sent out when a visitor uses this service for the first time. Google advises that you respond to all communications within 24 hours to ensure that the service is timely. If you do not, Google may cancel your account’s messaging function.

How Does This Help Build New Business?

Not everyone has the time (or interest) to phone a company with which they have yet to do business. Allowing potential local consumers to message you directly from your Google My Business profile is a great way to streamline discussions with them.

If you reply immediately, your chances of converting that potential customer is substantially improved. This is especially useful for small firms that do not have centralised call centres or message systems. It might be another contact point that demonstrates customization of the business based on the consumer’s location. Consider the offerings, services, and tone of voice that would be most appealing to your consumers in that region. This is your chance to demonstrate how well you know your consumers once more.

Make advantage of the local name for the area in where your firm is located. Discuss the specific events and causes that you support in the region. Any further evidence that your firm especially services the local community might help to underline your relevance to the possible client who has contacted you. It would be a waste of time not to connect with your potential consumers in this manner now that you have an option and opportunity.

Update your GMB with all relevant newly available attributes

Google’s My Business property’s features are constantly being updated. As new features are now available, make sure you maintain your listing is entirely completed with them.

How does it work?

Google My Business is constantly updated with new features that your company may be able to employ. However, not all new features are available to all types of businesses. Whether or not you may get fresh updates depends on whatever category is chosen as your main in GMB. Visit Google’s GMB announcements page to stay up to date on what new features are available and who is eligible for them.

How does this help build new Business?

Early acceptance of any new Google My Business change will put you ahead of the competition. Although these characteristics will not necessarily influence your map pack rankings, they might make your business more appealing to prospective local consumers.

For example, in September 2020, Google made it easy for businesses to add Health and Safety characteristics. Customers must wear masks, and temperature checks are necessary, according to the characteristics. Customers who are concerned about COVID-19 safety during their visit to the site may find these features comforting.

If your company have these characteristics but your rival does not, it is possible that you will gain the consumer.

This is especially beneficial for local establishments that have lately experienced a reduction in visitation owing to lockdowns and pandemic worries. You may be able to entice anxious customers back into your businesses by detailing health and safety precautions implemented at your locations. The assurance that you are concerned about their health and safety may be enough to persuade them to pay you a visit.

5. Join Local Marketplaces and Forums

Understanding what your audience is looking for is the key to effectively marketing your local business. Spending time where your target market is is a wonderful approach to understand them.

This includes the internet. Make sure to list your company in local directories and forums. This is not so much for the conventional citation advantage as it is to be there among your target clients and hear what they have to say.

How does it work

Online marketplaces

Look for markets related to your area and items on sites such as Facebook. You don’t have to interact with the audience to learn more about who they are and what they respond to. You may learn more about your local audience’s preferences by paying attention to what they say about pricing, quality, delivery, and product source.

Forums

If you own pizza business in your city, you should join Reddit subreddits for your city and study the discussions regarding eateries in your region.

What are your local customers saying about your competitors? Are they weary of pizza joints and desperate for someone to introduce something new to the neighbourhood?

Perhaps they are excited about local small businesses and want to do more to support them.

How Does This Help Build New Business?

This type of data may assist you to adapt your search marketing approach, tone of voice, and other aspects. Go to locations where your target audience members are openly discussing your local region. Discover what they expect from their local companies.

You may even communicate with your audience on these sites if you’re feeling bold. This must be done with tact and authenticity. Most individuals do not want their information to be mined without their permission. When requesting feedback on these sites, be upfront and honest. The more you can observe and learn from your audience, the more probable it is that you will be able to offer items and services to which they will respond favourably.

6. Don’t neglect other search engines

Google is not the only search engine to be concerned about. There are others as well, which may be the first port of call for users seeking information about local companies.

Why is it important?

Google may account for the great bulk of organic traffic to your website. Remember that you may not be monitoring all of the ways clients find you through search. Your profile being in the SERPs may not result in a click. As a result, it will not appear in your site analytics software.

So, unless you track impressions across several search engines, you won’t know if your company has been viewed on Bing or DuckDuckGo. Apple Maps powers DuckDuckGo’s maps. As a result, if you want your company to show in the DuckDuckGo local map pack, you must have an Apple Maps Connect profile set up.

Similarly, Bing Places is used by Bing to enable their local map feature. Creating and enhancing a Google My Business listing will not help you get organic exposure on Bing. Other search engines’ popularity is growing with time, and for certain regions, Google is not the major search engine utilised.

If you have physical storefronts or company locations outside of the United States, you should research which search engines are popular in those areas. Make use of the local map feature provided by these other search engines.

How Does This Help Build New Business?

Again, being where your rivals are not will serve you well. If your rivals do not appear in DuckDuckGo’s Apple Maps results, you will be significantly more likely to earn the business of local searchers who use that platform.

7. Keep an eye on your reputation

You could be paying careful attention to the reviews published on sites like TripAdvisor. You even check your Google My Business listing on a regular basis.

But are you staying on top of some of the other areas in the SERPs that may be providing potential consumers with an outsider’s perspective on your company?

What Should You Look Out For?

Local search queries in the top and centre of the funnel, such as [auto mechanic telford], might return a range of features in the SERPs. Review and Directory Websites that are prominently featured.

The top carousel has listings for big directories, social networking sites, and specialised directories. This provides potential consumers with information about your firm — and maybe even reviews — on sites you may not even be aware of.

Apart from any false information about your firm on these sites, what have customers, previous workers, or even rivals said about you?

Although you have little control over which questions show in the “People also ask” area, it is vital to try to impact the perspective of individuals who may click on this query.

Create a page that addresses this question and strive to rank it. When someone interested in your local business clicks on this inquiry, they will at the very least read your response centred on “quality service,” “not compromising by utilising cheap components,” and “highly-skilled experts who you pay handsomely for their knowledge.”