46% of searches carried out on search engines have a local intent. It is important to understand what a local search on Google really is and how to write content to reach a local audience.
Want to find out how to boost your visibility with prospects and customers in your city or region? Read our tips for optimizing your Google establishment profile and better positioning yourself on geolocalized queries!
What is a Google local search?
Local search refers to a query made on a search engine (from your computer, tablet, or mobile phone), to find a company, store, or supplier operating regionally.
Examples of local Google searches include: “find a pizzeria in Los Vegas”, “the best organic grocery store in California”, “clothing wholesaler in Auburn”, etc.
The different types of local searches
There are several ways to search for a property near you or in a specific region. Each query type has a different intention, but must also be the subject of a specific SEO strategy.
Search by city name
The first type of Google local search involves typing your need followed by the name of the city. For example, Internet users living in Los Vegas who need a mechanic will type in “garage Los Vegas ”, while consumers living in Lahore who want SEO services will search for “SEO Agency Lahore”.
When developing your marketing content, you will need to take this type of query into account and include these geolocated key expressions in your pages and blog articles.
Induced local search
When an Internet user carries out a search on Google, they are often geolocated. On a computer, mobile, or tablet, the search engine knows its positioning, unless it has deactivated it. In this case, when he searches for a local business or a convenience store, he receives results directly near him.
So, if he types or voice orders “Italian restaurant”, the local pack will display those located around his position.
Here, your content strategy revolves around your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). By correctly filling out the latter, with your address, your type of establishment, and relevant information, you increase your chances of appearing during an induced local search.
Results of a local search on Google
Concretely, what does the result of a local query typed or dictated on Google look like? On the first page, you usually see what’s called the “local pack”, followed by organic results.
The local pack (Google Business Profile establishment files)
In SEO, the local pack refers to the 3 locations highlighted by Google when a query is made geographically. They appear above organic results and are linked to Google Maps.
Concretely, it is a list of 3 establishments that Google considers to be the most relevant. Those whose Google Business profile is perfectly optimized with a strong and maintained digital reputation.
The map allows users to find their way at a glance and plot routes to get there quickly.
Also Read: 10 SEO fundamentals for referencing a web page
Appear in Google local searches
There are essentially 4 best practices for maximizing your visibility in local searches: the Google Business Profile, an efficient content marketing strategy, online directories, and customer reviews.
Create a Google Business Profile establishment file
We previously said the local pack is the key to your visibility! Highlighting 3 establishments (and only 3!) gives users directly what they are looking for: places close to the place they are looking for, providing the services they need.
The local pack also has the advantage of being practical: in one click, Google gives them all the important information (address, opening hours, website, customer reviews, directions, telephone number, etc.).
If you have not yet created your business profile, go to this link to add your business to Google Business. Don’t worry, it’s free!
Create content on your site to appear on local searches
In addition to your website pages, create a blog with quality articles optimized for local search.
First, determine the keywords used by consumers located around you, or likely to visit your establishment, then offer them relevant content.
Queries can direct you to the topics to use in your content marketing, but also consider writing:
- Advice on tourist places: especially if you are a leisure, hotel, or catering business.
- Advice linked directly to your activity: a veterinarian can give good practices for taking good care of your pets daily, while a nutritionist can offer balanced recipes.
- Local news: if there is a food fair in town, a restaurant can cover the event, for example.
- An FAQ: A comprehensive page with questions and answers can help your business rank for location-based keywords. Consider including questions about your area of intervention, as well as the location of your stores or agencies.
- Interviews with specialists and local personalities: for example, a hotel can publish interviews with the managers of museums, cinemas, escape games, leisure centers, or theme parks located in the city where it is located.
Register in online directories
To improve your SEO strategy, think about online directories! This allows you to obtain relevant backlinks, but also to benefit from an audience looking for local good deals. Among the top geolocated directories, you will find:
- The yellow Pages
- Facebook Places
- TripAdvisor
- Yelp
- Just beside
- Hood spot
- TheFork
- Cylex
Ask for customer reviews to reassure Internet users
Consumer reviews increase Internet users’ trust in your establishment… while boosting your SEO!
Indeed, Google gives importance to the reputation of a company when it positions a website in the results. If you have many positive reviews, you will gain visibility in the organic SERPs, but also at the local pack level.
Our tip: respond well to all comments, without forgetting to add geographical information. This good practice will maximize your local SEO.
Improve the local ranking of your Google establishment profile
Google displays its local pack in 93% of localized searches. Furthermore, 50% of these requests result in a visit to one of the establishments displayed. Good local positioning is therefore essential to increase your in-store traffic and sales. Especially since Google only displays 3 establishments at the top of the results! So how to be the one?
Understanding Google Local Classification
To adjust your digital marketing, it is important to understand the 3 Google factors that determine local rankings:
- Relevance: How relevant is your business to the searched keywords? Does it match what the customer is looking for?
- Distance: users are looking for a business close to them that meets their needs. Your location plays a major role in SEO. Remember to indicate your address correctly and link your Google Business listing to Google Maps.
- Notoriety: the more your business benefits from a good e-reputation, the better Google will rank it. Notoriety is worked through your web content, on social networks, and through customer reviews.
Complete your establishment information carefully
To improve your ranking in the local pack, you must keep your establishment file up to date. Make sure that all your information is completed and displayed in a prominent place. If there are any changes, be sure to update them via your Google Business Profile dashboard.
The information that must absolutely appear on your file is:
- The exact name of the company/brand;
- Phone number :
- The complete address: this is what will allow the Internet user to create and calculate their itinerary;
- The website ;
- Opening hours ;
- The business category: Google offers many activities, so be sure to choose the one that best suits your customers’ requests
Add pictures
Listings with photos are considered twice as trustworthy and can generate 35% more clicks than those without them.
Showing your establishment, your products or your technicians in action reassures Internet users. Visuals help businesses or service companies appear more legitimate to local searchers.
Furthermore, they concretely visualize your services and can project themselves with your company. Naturally, they will be more inclined to move towards you.
Show your products
Did you know that it is possible to add a product catalog to your Google Business listing?
The search engine has provided a special section that allows you to highlight your bestsellers. No need to enter your entire catalog, you can offer your star products, those that consumers look for most often.
This good practice will increase traffic to your points of sale.
Confirm special times
It is difficult for customers to know if an establishment is open on public holidays or on Sundays, for example. If you exceptionally open your business during special hours, say so!
Especially if your competitors are closed or if they do not communicate about their exceptional openness. This information will encourage customers to come to you…
Request and respond to customer reviews
There is no better advertising than positive word of mouth from your own consumers. On a Google Business Profile business listing, you can receive feedback from your customers, and that’s a good thing!
Encourage your visitors to provide feedback to get as many 5-star ratings as possible.
In addition to reassuring Internet users who will consult your listing, you promote SEO. Google, in fact, tends to display companies with an excellent rating and many positive reviews in its local pack.
To collect feedback, you can:
- Send an email after each customer’s visit (identified at checkout by their loyalty card).
- Encourage each visitor orally (requires training your hosts and cashiers).
- Run regular email campaigns with your consumers to encourage them to leave their opinions on your Google page.
- Create a pinned post on your social networks to encourage your loyal consumers to leave their reviews after purchase.
Which companies should take particular care of their local SEO?
As you will have understood, a Google local search consists of searching for information online to carry out an offline transaction. All the businesses once searched for in the printed Yellow Pages are now taking advantage of location-based queries on search engines.
Businesses that absolutely need to improve their local SEO are those that only attract customers within a specific service area such as restaurants, grocery stores, hairdressers, manicurists, dry cleaners, laundromats, health professionals, or artisans (shoemakers, repairers, plumbers, mechanics, electricians, etc.).
Some types of businesses are location-bound, but the people looking for them are most likely somewhere else. This is the case for hotel, camping, leisure, or car rental activities, for example.
Often, Internet users make a request for these sectors to prepare a trip, a trip, or a weekend. They are not in the immediate vicinity but will be soon.
All these companies must improve their Google positioning on local queries.