How Small Business Can Beat Big Brands With Local SEO - Kelly Biggs, Jim Falotico, and Vik Sharma WSI Digital Marketing Consultants
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How Small Business Can Beat Big Brands With Local SEO Kelly Biggs, Jim Falotico, and Vik Sharma WSI Digital Marketing Consultants A Complete Guide to Create a Local SEO Blueprint
Content 3 Introduction to Local SEO 4 Map Your Strategy 5 Set Up Google My Business 6 Build Local Links 7 Optimize the On-Page Experience 8 Assess Citations 9 Create Authentic Local Content 10 Establish Signals to Track 11 Assess Social Channels 12 Conclusion How Small Business Can Beat Big Brands With Local SEO 2
Introduction
to Local SEO
What is Local SEO and How is it Different than Traditional
SEO?
How do you make sure prospective customers can presence like a website is essential for your
find your local business when the internet has a business. But if you have a brick-and-mortar
global audience of 4.75 billion people? 1 To storefront or you serve customers within a specific
compete with the big brands and generate geographic area, then making sure you show up as a
revenue for your business, you need to focus on local resource is equally vital. Local SEO is more than
Local SEO. a website filled with city names. When evaluating
options to deliver to someone seeking a local
The internet has evolved, shifting beyond a solution, Google's algorithm looks for relevant
database into a platform for goods and services. businesses near the searcher's location that stand
Now almost half of the consumers looking for out from the crowd.
products start online with a search engine like
Google, Bing, or Yahoo.2 Amazon is the leading When you implement a well-crafted Local SEO
source for product searches, with almost two- blueprint, your business becomes more visible and
thirds of people in a recent survey naming the continues to grow.
eCommerce retailer as their first stop.3 To organize
all the data that’s now online, programmers Fact:
developed search engine logic to catalog • 76 percent of people who search for a
information and make it easier to find answers by business ‘near me’ will visit one of the
4
using keywords or search phrases. A technique companies they find, within a day.
called Search Engine Optimization (SEO) evolved • And 28 percent of those searchers end up
to help businesses ensure their content and making a purchase.5
websites would show up when searchers looked
for solutions these companies offer.
Rising to the top of local search results requires a
With the digital landscape a starting point for thoughtful plan, consistently high-quality execution,
many purchase searches, having an online and on-going monitoring to stay relevant to
consumers. The WSI team created this Local SEO
Blueprint e-book to guide your efforts.
How Small Business Can Beat Big Brands With Local SEO 3
Step 1:
Map Your Strategy
Your business may have started with an idea, but you crafted a
strategy to make it successful.
When you drafted your business strategy: Drafting your Local SEO plan involves
answering several questions:
• You may have noticed a gap in your
Who is your target audience, and what do they
market services for a specific group of
need from you?
customers and decided you could step up
How do they search for the products and
to meet their needs. services you provide?
What problems do they need you to help solve?
• You found the right words to use in What are competitors saying and doing that
marketing and advertising your company gets search engine results?
by comparing your points of difference – Which keywords, phrases, and content topics do
your value – to competitors. competitors address?
What information gaps can you fill with your
website or online content?
• You set growth goals – financial,
Where are competitors connecting with
market share, number of new customers –
customers?
to chart your progress. Are they relying on LinkedIn, Google Ads,
Facebook, or other platforms?
How much are they investing to break through
Your Local SEO blueprint also starts with a the noise and rank highly in search results?
strategy, a plan that addresses many of the How does this align with your budget?
same areas that built your business. What do you need a Local SEO program to
accomplish?
How will you know your Local SEO efforts are
delivering the outcomes you want?
With your strategy framework set, it’s time to create the Local SEO foundational elements to
reach your goals.
How Small Business Can Beat Big Brands With Local SEO 4
One of the most powerful tools to support your
Local SEO efforts is Google My Business (GMB).6 A
recent survey of local companies shows a complete
GMB listing is the #1 ranking criteria for
7 getting a
strong performance from Local SEO.6
Step 2:
Set Up Google A free, user-friendly GMB account lets you
manage and optimize how your business
My Business appears on search results.
Your GMB listing will contain the essential
information a prospective customer needs to
know when looking for your products or
services:
• Name, Address, Phone Number (NAP)
• Business Hours
• Business Description
• Business Category
• Business Location
• Reviews
• Service Locations
• Service Categories
• Thumbnail Images
• Additional Images
For more information on how to register your
business click here.
Tip: Include your geographic location in your
GMB heading: Don’s Landscaping – Milwaukee,
WI.
Your GMB account helps establish the relevance
Google’s algorithm looks for from local
businesses. But it’s not the only criteria – local
links also affect your company’s relevance score.
How Small Business Can Beat Big Brands With Local SEO 5
Step 3:
Build Local Links
Local links, also known as local backlinks, are online endorsements of your
business, and rank #2 as a tool for Local SEO.
6
Local links originate from a variety of sources including:
• Industry publications or directories for your type of business
• Local publications like newspapers
• Community websites where you may volunteer or sponsor support
• Local events pages where you might host a webinar, workshop, or networking social
• Local blogs that are relevant to your industry
You can use one or more of the following approaches to create local links:
• With in-person meetings at local town hall meetings or with local reporters
• By phone, to discuss the services you provide to the community
• Through email, if personal or phone connections aren't possible
Creating relationships with your community and building local links takes time and effort. You'll
get a high ROI, though, from your community and Google.
Tip: Use a free backlink checker to see your current local endorsements.
Remember, being a relevant resource is only 1 of the 3 characteristics that Google’s algorithm
checks for local searches. You also need to stand out from the crowd through an exceptional
website experience.
How Small Business Can Beat Big Brands With Local SEO 6
Step 4:
OPTIMIZE THE ON-
PAGE EXPERIENCE
Your GMB listing and local links are off-page tactics that drive people
to your website. After visitors arrive, your on-page content should
deliver useful information, whether you’re a financial planner, flooring
expert, or family lawyer.
The home page of your site is the first full impression people have about your business. Unfortunately,
you only have about 15 seconds to capture their interest! 7 What can you do to keep them engaged?
Have wording and phrases that are consistent with your GMB listing. If your GMB
references flooring services, then your home page should explain what you offer,
the neighborhoods you cover, and why doing business with you is the right
decision.
Deliver information through images. When you have an image that’s consistent
with the text, people are more likely to remember your message. 8
Ensure the technical aspects of your website are top-notch. Images and pages
should load quickly 9 because you only have a few seconds to connect. Links from
one page to another need to function, too.
Tip: Start the on-page optimization process with an SEO audit.
The on-page signals you send to visitors rank #3 as a method for getting good results with
your Local SEO. But powering up your Local SEO blueprint also includes citations.6
How Small Business Can Beat Big Brands With Local SEO 7
Step 5:
ASSESS YOUR
CITATIONS
Citations are like local links, but instead of When you assess citations, confirm they
focusing solely on your website, these listings are as complete as your GMB listing, and
also deliver your company’s name, address, and
each should be consistent and accurate.
phone number. From Google's perspective,
citations help confirm that your location is Here’s a list of details to consider including
nearby for people searching for local results. in citations:
Your ranking on search results pages will reflect
the number and accuracy of your citations and Name, address, phone number(s), fax
the quality of the publications listing your number, and email address
business. Business description including
categories
Your citations may appear across some of the Hours of operation
same channels as links, such as: Images and videos
Driving directions
Local business directories like Payment forms accepted
Yellowpages.com or Yelp Geo-coordinates
Professional or association directories Customer reviews and owner responses
News sites or government publications Taglines (your value proposition)
Links to social media
Tip: To improve citations, be sure to encourage customer reviews, strive for averages between 4 and 4.5
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stars to get the most revenue, and always respond kindly to negative feedback.
With Local SEO, the adage ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ doesn’t apply. Your links, on-page information, and
citations need to be honest to generate local business and high rankings.
How Small Business Can Beat Big Brands With Local SEO 8
Step 6:
CREATE AUTHENTIC
LOCAL CONTENT
Remember the internet’s origins as an online library? Consumers continue to rely on websites for
information that helps them solve problems, whether through a DIY option or a product or service
they can buy.
When searching for local solutions, your site visitors need to know that you are nearby and have
experience with the dynamics affecting the area. Your on-page content should reflect your local
expertise with insights that only a company familiar with the community understands.
As an attorney, you’re up to date with the local laws.
Your landscapers know which plants and trees flourish in the climate.
The realtors in your office can highlight the schools, architecture, and vibe of neighborhoods.
If, and only if your content is authentic, you’ll build credibility and trust with prospective
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customers. Both aspects are leading factors that contribute to higher sales.
Beyond your on-page text and images, types of content that you can add to your site include:
Blogs
Whitepapers
Case studies
E-books
Videos
Slide or webinar presentations
Tip: You can enhance the power of content behind-the-scenes with schema markup,12 small tags of
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microdata in website code that makes your content more visible to search engines and consumers.
With the foundational elements of Local SEO in place, you’re ready to start tracking the behavioral signals
that let you (and Google) know your efforts to connect with consumers are working.
How Small Business Can Beat Big Brands With Local SEO 9
Step 7:
EVALUATE BEHAVIORAL
SIGNALS
Google has access to a virtual yacht-load of data, and the local search
algorithm considers several signals when measuring the
effectiveness of your Local SEO blueprint.
Branded Search volume, the number of searches that include your
company name.
Click-Through Rate, where the searcher clicks to your website or listing,
telling Google you're relevant to their question or search phrase.
Knowledge Panel interactions, as searchers react to the block of detailed
information shown to the right of search results.
Phone calls, measured through Google’s mobile click-to-call functionality
Driving direction queries, which represent a strong intent-to-visit and high
relevance
Bookings, if applicable, for restaurants and hotels.
In-person visits, as Google tracks location data and summarizes it in
knowledge panel graphs under titles like 'popular times to visit.'
Since these metrics affect Google's ranking of your Local SEO, they're essential signals for
you to track. Fortunately, the real-time nature of digital marketing lets you respond quickly if
a tactic isn't helping your online performance.
The final element of your blueprint, social channels, ranks lowest as a Local SEO tool but has
value as a technique for understanding and responding to consumer expectations.
How Small Business Can Beat Big Brands With Local SEO 10Step 8:
MONITOR SOCIAL
Most people using the internet are engaging
CHANNELS with at least 1 social platform and spend almost
2 ½ hours on social media daily. Importantly,
more than 4 in 10 rely on social media when
researching products or services to buy.15
So while Local SEO ranking factors put social
media at the bottom of the toolbox, 7 it’s a busy,
conversational environment, and your
participation may lead to a relationship.
In our interconnected, digital world, word-of-
mouth marketing occurs online as often as in-
person.
People trust feedback and recommendations
from friends and family, often more than
advertising.14 Why not make it easy for social
media users to include a link to your Facebook
or LinkedIn page?
Optimizing your social presence means staking
a claim on your audience's platforms, then
providing appropriate information for your page:
Name, address, phone
A business description with your keywords
Thumbnail images
A banner image
Links to your website
With no cost to join and the chance to interact with
current and potential customers, social channels
are worth the time and effort for your Local SEO
program.
How Small Business Can Beat Big Brands With Local SEO 11Conclusion
The early days of GPS systems created lots of stories to share about trips to dead-end streets and fueled funny
commercials. Fortunately, navigation apps have improved, and road trips focus on the adventure of the
journey instead of the missteps.
Similarly, advances in digital technologies now give you more robust tools to manage your online presence. By
following steps to create a Local SEO blueprint, you'll have a complete, detailed plan that leads to greater
satisfaction for your customers and higher returns for your company.
For more information about Local SEO services from WSI, contact our team, and we’ll find a convenient
time to talk. We’ll partner with you to create a plan focused on building your local presence online.
Sources:
1. https://www.statista.com/statistics/617136/digital-population-worldwide/
2. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1034209/global-product-search-online-sources/
3. https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/mobile-search-trends-consumers-to-stores/
4. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/a-brief-history-of-search-seo
5. https://www.linkedin.com/smart-links/AQFg9EzxG8s8Ug/737302e0-deb0-454f-b8be-aafe31061c0a
6. https://moz.com/local-search-ranking-factors
7. https://www.crazyegg.com/blog/why-users-leave-a-website/
8. https://www.sweor.com/firstimpressions
9. https://www.reviewtrackers.com/blog/5-star-rating/
10. https://www.lucidchart.com/blog/building-trust-with-customers
11. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/technical-seo/schema/
12. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/how-to-use-schema-for-local-seo-a-complete-guide/294973/#close
13. https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-statistics-for-social-media-managers/
14. https://blog.hubspot.com/agency/how-online-word-of-mouth-marketing-is-changing
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