WHAT RETAILERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LOCAL SEO
Submitted By;
Kayleigh Toyra: Content Strategist
Kayleigh Toyra: Content Strategist
FROM THE STREET CORNER TO THE WORLD WIDE WEB, EVERYBODY IS GOING LOCAL. FIND OUT WHAT LOCAL SEO IS, AND HOW IT CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS INCREASE BOTH ITS LOCAL AND NATIONAL REACH.
What Is Local SEO?People are being encouraged to shop local and buy local produce. This keeps business growth within a local economy, sustains local families, and is ultimately better for our environment.
With this emphasis being placed on local shopping, an increasing number of internet searchers are looking for local businesses online. In addition, more of these localized searches are being carried out on mobile, by users who are already in your local area — therefore, much more likely to actually become paying customers. Local SEO is a brilliant way to market your business on the internet, using a few simple techniques to reach customers. It’s all about promoting your products and services to local customers just at the right time — when they are already looking for them. |
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Local SEO: The Customer Journey
Your customer, Tom, is searching for a furniture shop to buy a new bed from. Typing ‘buy bed furniture’ on Google returns a plethora of options and businesses to purchase furniture from. But Tom is overwhelmed with choice, can’t imagine the dimensions, and really wants to go and look at beds in person.
By searching for ‘bed shop near me’ on Google Maps, Tom is immediately shown a live map with furniture shops near his current location. Clicking on each shop reveals more information – opening times, the store’s website — the ones that stand out have tons and tons of positive Google reviews.
Tom takes his local search further, by choosing the most interesting store nearby and looking them up on Facebook. He can see reviews left by other Facebook users, perhaps even his friends, giving him an even more authentic impression of the store.
Even the shop’s Facebook Page timeline helps him make a decision: they are currently advertising an in-store sale, and their well-advertised free store parking will make it easy for Tom to get there.
He gets in his car and clicks on the Google Maps navigation directions, checks in at the store, makes a purchase, and is later encouraged to leave a review on Google Pages. A week later he leaves a review on your furniture store Facebook page with a photo of his bed in its new home....
By searching for ‘bed shop near me’ on Google Maps, Tom is immediately shown a live map with furniture shops near his current location. Clicking on each shop reveals more information – opening times, the store’s website — the ones that stand out have tons and tons of positive Google reviews.
Tom takes his local search further, by choosing the most interesting store nearby and looking them up on Facebook. He can see reviews left by other Facebook users, perhaps even his friends, giving him an even more authentic impression of the store.
Even the shop’s Facebook Page timeline helps him make a decision: they are currently advertising an in-store sale, and their well-advertised free store parking will make it easy for Tom to get there.
He gets in his car and clicks on the Google Maps navigation directions, checks in at the store, makes a purchase, and is later encouraged to leave a review on Google Pages. A week later he leaves a review on your furniture store Facebook page with a photo of his bed in its new home....
Lessons:
- Local SEO needs to also take into account the customer journey on adjacent platforms like Facebook
- Google Maps listings must be accurate and up-to-date so as not to risk annoying the user (incorrect opening times and phone numbers can be hugely frustrating)
- Stores need reviews in order to capitalize on social proof: in organic search results, on Google Maps, and on social media. Reviews don’t all have to be glowing 5-stars, but there does need to be a few standout positive ones
Local Search Is Huge
Even as far back as 2013, data showed that 78% of local mobile searches result in an offline purchase. This is a huge figure, and in 2014 Google’s “Pigeon” update formally recognized the significance of local SEO in its algorithms. Now, 50% of smartphone users who do a local search visit a store within one day. This is compared to 34% of consumers who search on their tablet or computer.
Google gives a high prominence to local businesses featured within it’s ‘3-Pack’. These are the featured searches which appear in the top spot in 93% of all local searches. (Here’s how your brand can get into a featured snippet with a mixture of technical fixes and content).
However, you can’t rely solely on your local listing to work magic for you. When people click on links to your business in Google, they need to be able to access your website properly and quickly find what they are looking for (a menu, a salesroom address, a phone number, a map, a catalog etc.). Data has shown that a whopping 50% of shoppers will use an alternative website if the first one is mobile-friendly, regardless of whether they like other elements of the business.
Google gives a high prominence to local businesses featured within it’s ‘3-Pack’. These are the featured searches which appear in the top spot in 93% of all local searches. (Here’s how your brand can get into a featured snippet with a mixture of technical fixes and content).
However, you can’t rely solely on your local listing to work magic for you. When people click on links to your business in Google, they need to be able to access your website properly and quickly find what they are looking for (a menu, a salesroom address, a phone number, a map, a catalog etc.). Data has shown that a whopping 50% of shoppers will use an alternative website if the first one is mobile-friendly, regardless of whether they like other elements of the business.
Real-time information about local stores
When people are searching for local businesses, they want practical information. Easy access to accurate data is their primary concern, and this is reflected in its local search ranking factors. Keeping business information up to date and timely is not just recommended — it’s essential.
This includes your store’s address, opening hours, direct telephone number and web address for more information. Make note of any opening hour anomalies or closures, and take advantage of structured data and Google Maps to help mark up your listing as closed/open, busy, child-friendly etc.
This includes your store’s address, opening hours, direct telephone number and web address for more information. Make note of any opening hour anomalies or closures, and take advantage of structured data and Google Maps to help mark up your listing as closed/open, busy, child-friendly etc.
Social proof from existing customers
Not only do local search results give people real-time access to accurate data, but they offer them an insight into any social proof surrounding the business.
Always give the opportunity for customers to leave reviews of their customer experience online, and engage with your Google and social media reviews. From a search perspective, reviews are great — but they also help with developing solid customer relationships. Gathering reviews needs to be part of your customer care strategy.
Always give the opportunity for customers to leave reviews of their customer experience online, and engage with your Google and social media reviews. From a search perspective, reviews are great — but they also help with developing solid customer relationships. Gathering reviews needs to be part of your customer care strategy.
Google My Business
Make sure your furniture business has signed up for its free Google My Business listing. Every business is entitled to a listing, and is an absolute must-have for those with physical locations and stores.
You can use your Google My Business listing to share helpful information with your customers (e.g. opening hours and updated pictures of showrooms), and now you can even upload short videos to help showcase your brand further. Remind people to leave reviews on Google by sending them email requests or even text messages, but don’t pester someone into reviewing your business. It’s an option some customers will want to take, but others won’t be so keen.
Ultimately, investing in your Google My Business page and building lots of reviews for your business will increase your chances of getting a 3-Pack spot.
You can use your Google My Business listing to share helpful information with your customers (e.g. opening hours and updated pictures of showrooms), and now you can even upload short videos to help showcase your brand further. Remind people to leave reviews on Google by sending them email requests or even text messages, but don’t pester someone into reviewing your business. It’s an option some customers will want to take, but others won’t be so keen.
Ultimately, investing in your Google My Business page and building lots of reviews for your business will increase your chances of getting a 3-Pack spot.
Facebook Pages
Facebook is an undisputedly successful social channel for many businesses, both local and global. There are a range of Facebook Local tools for businesses wanting to make the most of social media as part of their digital strategy.
By creating & maintaining a Facebook Page for your business, you can add data much like on Google, and allow users to review you. Because users will be leaving these reviews using their personal Facebook accounts, their authenticity will be undisputed, but you have to be ready to react to anything (positive and negative).
By creating & maintaining a Facebook Page for your business, you can add data much like on Google, and allow users to review you. Because users will be leaving these reviews using their personal Facebook accounts, their authenticity will be undisputed, but you have to be ready to react to anything (positive and negative).
Other Platforms To Consider For Local SEO
Directory links can be spammy, but there are still plenty of high-quality local resources your brand should be proud to be featured in. Local business groups, charities, or chambers of commerce sometimes offer their members pages that you can fill in.
Being included in local resources and guides may not happen by itself. Be ready to go out there and market your business and let the community know who you are and where they can find you.
Directories have gone through some changes, and some of the biggest ones that people still actively use are more like social media or community sharing sites. Everybody is familiar with TripAdvisor – this is as much a local SEO platform as it is a travel one. And there are other online/local review websites targeting many different niches (for tradesmen, dog-friendly restaurants, vegan stores, etc.). Even a Q&A site like Quora has local questions and conversations you could jump in on.
As well as looking at the niche end of the spectrum, make sure you’ve covered the bigger picture too. Incorrect data can be reported by users and negatively impact results, so much of local SEO success hinges on constantly keeping on top of business data and feeding any business changes into the online world too.
Being included in local resources and guides may not happen by itself. Be ready to go out there and market your business and let the community know who you are and where they can find you.
Directories have gone through some changes, and some of the biggest ones that people still actively use are more like social media or community sharing sites. Everybody is familiar with TripAdvisor – this is as much a local SEO platform as it is a travel one. And there are other online/local review websites targeting many different niches (for tradesmen, dog-friendly restaurants, vegan stores, etc.). Even a Q&A site like Quora has local questions and conversations you could jump in on.
As well as looking at the niche end of the spectrum, make sure you’ve covered the bigger picture too. Incorrect data can be reported by users and negatively impact results, so much of local SEO success hinges on constantly keeping on top of business data and feeding any business changes into the online world too.
Local SEO is a great strategy for businesses looking to bridge the online/offline gap. In today’s busy smartphone world, the right local strategy can help you capture valuable search traffic and footfall.
about the author
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Kayleigh Toyra: Content Strategist
Half-Finnish, half-British marketer based in Bristol. I love to write and explore themes like storytelling and customer experience marketing. I manage a small team of writers at a boutique agency. I am the Creative Director at Seeker Digital, which means I spend all my days and nights knee-deep in search, content, outreach, and doing whatever it takes to run a busy business. |
