Search Engine Optimization for Local Search

Transcription

1 Search Engine Optimization for Local Search Mary Bowling

2 For Local Businesses SEO is: Making it easy as possible for people to find information about your business online

3 To Achieve That Create and improve YOUR WEBSITE so that it will rank highly on the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) to help potential customers find it

4 To Achieve That Create and improve YOUR LISTINGS on other sites to help potential customers find information about your business

5 What the Search Engines Want To provide the most USEFUL ANSWERS for every search

6 What the Search Engines Want To model the real world by rewarding BRAND PROMINENCE within a market area

7 SEO Helps You Rank PAID ADS LOCAL MAP LOCAL PACK LOCALIZED ORGANIC RESULTS PAID ADS

8 Localized Organic Results Results from local business websites

9 The SEO Process Pick the right keyword phrases Create high quality pages on your website all about those terms Appropriately implement the keyword phrases in the content of your web pages Link between your own pages Gain links and listings on other websites Eliminate technical problems

10 The Algorithm (Google s ranking formula)

11 For Localized Organic Rankings Crawlability and usefulness of content on YOUR site Quality of links pointing to your pages from OTHER sites

12 Google Knows Where You Are It searches your DETECTED location unless you tell it to search somewhere else

13 Usefulness = Relative Location Distance from the SEARCHER is key

14 Have Realistic Expectations Concentrate on ranking in the results of the people who have the most potential to become YOUR CUSTOMERS

15 Usefulness = Keywords in HTML titles and headline tags we place on our web pages: HTML page titles appear in the SERPS Headline tags (aka h tags) appear on the web page

16 Usefulness = Keywords in The text content we place on our pages

17 Relevance = Keywords in The text in the links that point to our web pages A link tells Search Engines and humans what the page it points to is about

18 On-Page Optimization (What we put on our own pages)

19 Start with Keywords We have total control over what we put on our own pages

20 Which Keywords? Don t Just Guess Keyword research = foundation of SEO It enables you to learn: Which topics and terms? How many searches? How hard to rank?

21 What Makes a Good Keyword? Is someone searching for that term likely to turn into a customer? That s a term to optimize for!

22 Keyword Research:Brainstorm Record all the terms you can think of that people would use to find a BUSINESS LIKE YOURS

23 KW Research:Find Related Terms

24 KW Research:Use Ubersuggest

25 KW Research:Use Google Trends Research keywords by location

26 KW Research:Pare Down Your List Concentrate on terms that closely describe what you DO or SELL

27 KW Research:Get Volume Use Google Keyword Planner to learn search volume and relative competitiveness

28 Match Terms to Pages Optimize HOME PAGE for top 2-3 terms Optimize other pages for 2-3 CLOSELY RELATED terms Create NEW PAGES, where needed

29 Where to Use Keywords Use chosen keywords in the important TEXT areas of your pages: HTML Page Titles* URLs H1, H2 (headlines and subheads) Text-based content Navigation links Other internal link text Image file names, alt tags and captions *Page Title = Keyword + Location + Business Name

30 Don t Over-Optimize WRITE NATURALLY about the topic Include PLENTY OF CONTENT Google will understand what the page is about

31 HTML Page title URL H1 headline Navigation Links H2 subheadlines Content Image

32 Optimize Search Results When a page appears in the SERPs, people usually see: HTML Page title URL HTML metadescription Page title + Meta description + URL = FREE AD

33 Make Your Ads Enticing Focus on the searcher, who s thinking: What s in it for me? What problem can this help me solve? Why should I go to this page instead of another? Include: CALL TO ACTION : call today, get a free quote, get help, learn how, sign up, make an appointment PHONE NUMBER near the beginning of the metadescription. LOCATION either in title or metadescription

34 Check Your Ads! Google SERP Optimization Tool

35 Local Tips for Your Web Site

36 Make Location Unmistakable Business name, full street address and local phone number on all pages in TEXT form Use Embed a Google Map

37 Plenty of Content USEFUL CONTENT on all of your pages - show that you are THE EXPERT

38 Create a Page for Each Service Then add MORE pages about sub services

39 Internal Link Text When linking from one of your pages to another, use descriptive link text to describe what page it points to is about Replace click here, view more, learn more, etc to location+keyword terms For a page optimized for Dallas Accounting, change Click Here to See all of our Dallas accounting services or Tax advice in Dallas and Plano Mix up link text don t use the exact same term(s) over and over

40 Use Barnacle SEO Localized Organic Results GET LISTED on sites that rank

41 Use Google Search Console Google communicates with you about your website here PAY ATTENTION pic=

42 Check Web Site Crawlability If the Search Engines can t find or crawl your pages, they cannot appear in the Search Results Is there is a large discrepancy between what Google sees and what you know is on the site? Can you find all of your most important pages?

43 Use Screaming Frog

44 Technical Problems? Get PROFESSIONAL help when needed

45 Off-Site Optimization (What other websites convey about us)

46 For Localized Organic Rankings Quality and usefulness of links pointing to your pages from OTHER sites

47 Links Are Just a Proxy For Brand Prominence

48 The Best Links? Those with the most potential to bring NEW CUSTOMERS to your business

49 Improve Existing Links See links with this free tool: Look at the pages that link to you Is all the information correct? Can you add more detail? Description, photos, videos, services, hours, payment types, etc. Are you in the right categories? Can you add a link? Can you improve the link text?

50 Links from Relationships Business groups Social groups Charities Sponsorships Local school and college websites Clients and partners Businesses you already have referral relationships with

51 Links from Local Directories Yelp Thumbtack Facebook Kudzu CitySearch InsiderPages AngiesList MerchantCircle JudysBook Foursquare Internet Yellow Pages Pages

52 Links from Local Sites Chamber of Commerce Convention & Visitor s Bureau Better Business Bureau Local Media-newspapers, magazines, TV Community business directories Local city guides Community blogs Local and regional tourism sites

53 Links from Niche Sites Free Wifi ATM Minority-owned Woman-owned Non-profit Other Languages Handicapped accessible Videos Images Coupons In something Near something Kid-friendly Pet friendly Veteran-owned

54 The SEO Process Pick the right keyword phrases Create high quality pages on your website all about those terms Appropriately implement the keyword phrases in the content of your web pages Link between your own pages Gain links and listings on other websites Eliminate technical problems

55 THANKS! LocalU Blog and Forum