Local search engine optimization: How it works!

Nowadays it is becoming more and more important to use the local search engine optimization for your own business. This is due to the fact that customer behaviour has changed in recent years. What used to be done via telephone book, is now mainly done via the Internet. In order to get the desired information quickly, people google via their smartphone or computer. And this is also the case when it comes to searching for local hairdressing salons, restaurants, doctors and other companies. What local search engine optimization, or Local SEO, is and how you can optimize your business in this area, we tell you in this article.

What is local search engine optimization?

The local search engine optimization deals with the measures that a website operator takes to bring his local business as high up as possible in the Google Plus Local results list. Local online marketing optimizes the company’s internet presence and helps to generate more customers. Reference is made here to the search engine Google, which introduced the local search in 2007. The better a local company performs in the Google ranking, the greater the probability that new customers will become aware of your company. local search means that the user is shown the results from his region that are relevant to his search query. Here is an example: A Google user from Munich enters “Italian restaurants” in the Google text field and starts the search. Google now shows the user the names of the companies and websites of the Italian restaurants that are located in the vicinity. The websites are displayed in the results list on the left. The name, address, telephone number and, if available, the ratings and the exact location of the restaurants on the Google Maps map are then displayed on the right. This is very convenient for the searcher and he or she can now select the appropriate restaurant from the list of results.

The way it works

You wonder how it works? There are two different ways. Depending on what the Google user enters when searching, the search engine works slightly differently. Either the Google user enters the desired city, in our example Munich, into the text field. Then Google searches all entries listed in Google Plus Local for Munich. Or the user omits the city name in the search query. Google then determines the current location of the searcher via the IP address of the device, the WLAN hotspot or the logged in Google profile. He then proceeds, as in the first case, to search the Google Plus Local entries and displays the relevant results.

Ranking factors

The ranking factors of local search results are by no means identical with the factors that influence the ranking of organic search results. We would therefore like to explain the most important factors in more detail below.

Google My Business

A well maintained and managed Google My Business page is one of these important factors. Here companies can create an account to be displayed on Google Maps, Google Plus Local and Google+. With such an entry you also have a good chance to be included in the “7-Pack” of Google Plus Local. These are the first 7 local results for which NAP data (name, address and telephone number) are available and linked to Google Maps. This NAP data is also known as “Local Citations”.

Citations

The “normal citations” are also particularly decisive for the ranking position of a company. These are mentions of the company on different websites such as blogs, yellow pages, press pages and other directories. The more often a company is mentioned on different websites, the more Google can assume that it is a real local company.

On-Page Signals

The on-page signals are the mention of the location on the company’s website. This means that you explicitly mention the address or at least the location of your company on the website. This provides more authenticity for Google and potential customers.

Link Signals

This refers to the backlinks or external links from other websites that link to the company’s website. The more of these links lead to the company’s website, the better it is for the ranking position in the local search.

Review Signals

Review Signals refers to the reviews of the page. Many websites offer visitors and customers the option to rate contributions or even the whole website. There are also reviews outside the website that can influence the placement. Namely such ratings on websites like yelp. The better the ratings for the company, the more likely it is to be placed in the Google Plus Local 7-Pack.

Social Signs

This means all signals via the social media. These include comments, likes and shares of the website on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. But also on certain portals such as >u>TripAdvisor, customers can express their opinions, impressions and experiences about the company. They are similar to the Review Signals mentioned above.

Content

Also the quality and quantity of the contents of a website are decisive for a good ranking place. The term Content refers to the contributions, i.e. texts, of a page, but also pictures, graphics and videos. High-quality contributions that can convey added value to the customer also help to improve ranking positions.

Tips for improving your ranking position

That’s all well and good. But how do you improve your company’s ranking in Google Plus Local? What exactly do you need to do to do this? We have some tips for you here:

Halten Sie Ihre NAP-Daten stets überall auf dem neusten Stand (Webseite, Google My Business, Branchenbüchern etc.)
Achten Sie auf die Einheitlichkeit, die benutzerfreundliche Struktur und die einfache Bedienung Ihrer Webseite
Präsentieren Sie Ihr Unternehmen in sozialen Netzwerken und aktualisieren Sie die Seiten regelmäßig
Fügen Sie ansprechende Bilder und Grafiken auf Ihrer Webseite hinzu
Animieren Sie Ihre Kunden zur Bewertung Ihrer Webseite und Leistungen
Schlechtere Bewertungen sollten Sie als konstruktive Kritik aufnehmen und ins Positive umsetzen
Keywords in Verbindung mit dem Standortsnamen sind sinnvoll, z.B. „Zahnarzt München“
Legen Sie Wert auf qualitativ hochwertige Inhalte

The best local search engines

A good opportunity to make your local business better known and more successful is offered by local search engines. An entry in their index brings the company more internet presence, more review and social signals and also more customers. So it is worth it in any case. Therefore, we have compiled a short list of the latest and largest local search engines for you:

Of course there are also a number of yellow pages that have a search mask for local search results, so here are the most comprehensive local search engines in yellow pages:

Of course, there are also a number of business directories that have a search mask for local search results, so here are the most comprehensive local search engines in business directories:

Local search engine optimization made easy!

It is not a high art: Anyone can do local search engine optimization or Local SEO. Especially, of course, if you know what it’s all about, and above all, how it’s done. The explanations and tips we have presented in this article should help you and make your project easier. The website of your company is your figurehead on the Internet for the customer. With the right presentation and maintenance of the different channels, you should only be able to move up in the local search engine results of Google Plus Local. We wish you much success and are already looking forward to your next visit!