Nearly 50 percent of consumers who conducted a local search on their smartphone visited the store within a day. This proves how powerful local listings are so it is a no-brainer that your business should prioritize them.
But with an effective marketing campaign and running your business, not everyone has the freedom to spend a fortune on boosting their local listings. Perhaps you want to learn how to improve your rank on the cheap with local SEO listings and regional directories.
Sound familiar for your local or regional business? That is great, you have come to the right place local business owner! Here are 10 tips to help you rank on local listings.
What Are Local Listings?
Before we dive into how to improve your rank on local listings, it is important to know what they are. Google local listings are an online portfolio that includes your company’s name, address, phone number, opening hours, and other important information. For instance, if a prospect Googles “bakery near me” then a list of relevant local businesses will pop up for them.
10 Tips to Improve Your Local Listing Ranking
You know what local directory listings are so it is time to figure how to rank higher than your competitors. Luckily, there are many inexpensive ways to rank locally. For example:
1. Ask Customers for Reviews
Aside from seeking online marketing solutions, a surefire way to improve your Google local listing is to ask customers for honest reviews.
Nearly 89 percent of consumers check a business's reviews before buying products which shows how influential they are. Either ask customers to leave feedback on your listing once they make a purchase or, if it's an online store, send clients a follow-up email to remind them to leave honest feedback.
Once you've got a collection, respond to each one to show customers you appreciate their effort even the negative ones. Plus, it shows prospects that you set aside time to communicate with your clients.
2. Claim Your Google Maps Listing
Not sure how to rank on Google?
Claim your listing so you can display details about your business as the more information it has, the higher you’ll rank. You’ll need a free Google Business Account first then select “Claim this business” and follow the prompts.
Once finished, fill out the “Info” tab which includes basic information along with your website, services, and description. Make sure it’s error-free, consistent, and up-to-date as it shows Google that you’re active and trustworthy.
Google Maps' Google My Business listing is the king of local SEO results.
3. Only Add Local Phone Numbers
When you’re filling the NAP (name, address, and phone number) section, make sure it’s a local number. Google doesn’t like toll-free numbers as they’re associated with spam, so use your real telephone number with the right area code.
Note, you must also be consistent with your business’s information. For example, if your business is called South Forest Plumbers then write the complete name and not “S. Forest”. Not only will it rank low, but it could confuse customers.
4. Upload High-Quality Photos and Videos
You can also boost your ranking by adding photos, especially on Google Maps. This engages prospects when they’re deciding which businesses to visit and it proves that your business is legitimate. Plus, Google uses photo-recognition so the images pop up in search results.
Videos and virtual tours are also becoming more prominent and important, so add these wherever possible!
5. Prioritize Google My Business Q&As
Although Google Q&A isn’t new, use this feature to engage with customers further. You can either wait for questions or ask popular ones yourself so customers have all the information they need.
For instance, you could include, “is there a return policy?” or “is (your business) open on holidays?" on your listing. The more information you can provide the better!
6. Choose the Right Category
In your local listing, you must know your primary and secondary categories. For the primary category, find one that represents the main aspect of your business and if any others apply, use them as a second category.
But aside from these, Google is constantly adding more so you can include extra to further optimize your local listing. Simply tweak your subcategory and you’ll see results.
7. Post Regularly to Your Listing
Like you do with your business’s social media, you must post regularly on your local listing. This shows Google that you proactively manage your listing so customers see your business in the top results.
8. Make Sure Your Website Is Responsive
Another important aspect of local listings is your website. Make sure that it’s optimized for all devices so every customer gets access. Further, Google prioritizes businesses that have a well-functioning site that isn’t slow to load, has multiple broken links, and forces you to zoom in to read the copy.
9. Create Local Content
Create content directed at your local audience and use the right keywords. For instance, if you sell gifts, then write blog posts about the best cards to give your husband in (your town, city, or state). As a result, prospects who read your article will see you as the top gift store in your area.
10. Be Strategic About Your Title and Tags
Another way to get a better local listing ranking is to prioritize SEO. Make sure your website or blog posts have a relevant title and meta description so visitors can learn about your products. Plus, your local listing will rank higher.
That's How to Improve Your Local Listings
Hopefully, you’ve learned how to improve your local listings and local SEO without breaking the bank.
Make sure the listing is completely optimized, customers leave stellar reviews, and you regularly use the Q&A feature. You should also check you’re using the right categories, your website runs well, and you upload high-quality photos to online listings. Good luck getting listed and leveraging your listing for increased organic traffic and sales!
Did you find this article about ranking on local listings to be useful? Great! Then check out our other posts on search engine optimization and Google marketing. Go local and get growing on Google!