<strong>Some Valuable Google Local Search Engine Optimization Facts</strong>

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It goes without saying that local businesses would like to be found by the people in the areas they service when they run a query using the keywords the businesses are using to optimize their websites.

Google local SEO provides local businesses with the opportunity to directly target their local customers.

What follows in this article offers some important facts on this intricate process.

No longer is it necessary for a prospective customer to rely on the local printed yellow pages and phone directories in order to locate local services they need to hire.

Now it is possible for anyone to make a query in the search engines and receive as a result, information that directly relates to their local areas.

There have been significant changes made to the SERPS (search engine results pages) in recent times as a result of Google providing search results that are relevant to the keywords being searched and the searcher’s local area of service. This has happened as a result of a new feature of Google that geo-targets the search results.

Shrewd businesses will utilize this as an opportunity to get their website ranked faster and higher in the SERPS, and even remain there longer because of the very low competition in the local marketplace at this time.

<strong>Google Local SEO Facts</strong>

<em>Google Algorithm Change</em> - As a result of an algorithm change in the way Google returns search results, the search engine, by default, now identifies the location of the searcher running the query and then provides results whose keywords are qualified by the physical location of the searcher. These qualified keywords consist of the city, or town or the state in combination with the original keyword searched creating a new keyword niche that the business can utilize for its own uses.

This is geo-targeting at its best, and businesses can utilize it to reach its prospective customers in various different locations in the same state or the country. Geo targeting must extend also to written content in the business’ websites.

<em>Directory Listings</em> - To make full use of Google local SEO, a business must place its name in local websites and local directories for greater visibility in the local area. Google is very strict on the need for relevance in a business links, and these entries will aptly satisfy that requirement.

A critical directory for the business to subscribe to is the Google Maps. The application process is very simple, and takes up to 8 weeks to be listed. Once the entry is completed, traffic generation to the business website would be significantly increased.

<em>Single Local Listing</em> – It is important that the business only have one listing for each local area it serves, but multiple listing is advisable for different local areas. However, landing pages must match the individual local area in order to prevent causing confusion for prospective customers.

<em>Linking to Local Business</em> – Quality, relevant links is an important concept for Google and will give a business quality backlinks and a higher ranking in the search engines. A business seeking to gain a greater ranking in the local SERPS will need to attract quality backlinks from respected and quality sites in local areas. In this way, the business website will easily achieve high rankings for location based keywords in the local SERPS, when it optimizes its website for them.

<em>Quality Over Quantity</em> – Again, the criteria is for quality backlinks, as opposed to a large quantity of links.

<em>Business Contact Information</em> – The search engines are also looking for contact information of the business that includes address, zip code and phone number. The best practice is to ensure that this information is included on all pages of the website.

The preceding Google local SEO factors can be effectively used by a business to create more massive traffic to its website and in particular, a much greater share of the local traffic that would not have been possible without the significant geo-targeting approach that Google has adopted in its search algorithm.

<strong>The Best Way to Use the Google Local SEO Tips</strong>

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The Google local SEO tips given here will help to show ways a local business can optimize its website for better placement in the local SERPS.

Today many people looking for local services will automatically turn to their yellow pages and telephone books for companies to hire, whether they are plumbers, electricians, doctors or dentists.

But the problem here is that these reference directories are few and far between in these digital times, and few people tend to use them.

More reliance is placed on the Internet for information, and looking for local service help through the web will require a qualified query in the search engines for the local business you need.

Major changes were made in the way the search engines respond to search queries. A new geo-targeting algorithm being used by Google produces SERPS that focus on the local results for any search query made. For local businesses, this is an opportunity to optimize their websites to increase their business’ local visibility in these local SERPS, by marketing their business online and by using Google local SEO.

<strong>Local SEO Tips that Benefit Businesses</strong>

<em>Geo-targeting</em> – Customers can now be acquired by qualifying the keywords used by businesses to include the local areas that they offer products and services – so the name of a city, state or town could be added to the keyword to form a different keyword niche for the business.

In this way, a business can effectively provide its services to prospective customers across a number of different regions. This geo-targeting will also be applied to written content that is placed on the company’s website, where new keywords and new content will reflect this changed approach.

<em>Local Directories</em> - Local businesses can further ensure higher rankings in the SERPS by adding the business name to as many websites and directories that are present in that local area. This will add relevance of the business website to the particular local area.

Such directories must include Maps by Google which will help to get the website a lot more traffic. Listing is a simple process that requires a business to complete a form, and then confirm its identity by responding to email verification or a phone call. Although the listing completion may take up to 6 weeks, it is well worth the effort.

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Care should be taken to list the business only once for each location it serves, and a separate landing page should be used for each location. This will go a long way to preventing confusion in the mind of the search engine user – matched landing pages with its location is a must.

<em>Low Competition </em>– Because of the relative newness of geo-targeting, Google local SEO allows a business a fast rise to the top of the SERPS if they are prompt in using its targeted keywords with location added for a better result. Also, the competition for these new keywords is very low, making it cost effective to market with these geo-targeted keywords. Again, because of the very low competition, the possibility of a business holding on to its high ranking is very good.

<em>Customer Confidence</em> – Because of the local presence of the businesses in the SERPS returned by the search engines, customers will have more trust and confidence in the businesses. This fact can only enhance the effectiveness of the business’ local marketing efforts.

The concepts of Google local SEO tips given here are good to follow for the benefit of your business and more especially because there are not many businesses today practicing them. These businesses are not aware of these practices or their powerful impact on their businesses’ bottom line and visibility in the local area.