Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Google 10 Pack - Local Search Results

Since early 2008 all of the major search engines, including Google, have displayed an interface similar to the one above at the top of their search results for a wide variety of geographic searches.

What many businesses–and even most search engine optimization consultants–don’t realize is that Google ranks Local results by a completely different algorithm than regular SEO. The factors that matter for ranking in Local are totally different from those that matter for ranking organically. It takes a consultant specialized in Local SEO, like myself, to bring about maximum rankings in these search results.

Here are what are commonly considered the top 10 ranking factors for Local Search in 2010:

1 – Local business listing address in city of search.
Sounds simple, but if you have multiple chains you need to add 1 listing with multiple addresses for each local location. Make sure the city and address is accurate and you use the local phone number.

2 – Citations from major data providers + Internet Yellow Page portals.
I would recommend adding citations that are powerful for your business industry, your city, and citation resources related to your industry. These citations are used to build trust in the information Google has about a business. Here’s a good article on a closer look at the local search date providers.

There are three primary sources of data for all the major search engines: infoUSA, Acxiom, and Localeze. Other companies like Yellowpages.com, Superpages.com, and Universal Business Listing can also play a role in this cycle, sending “fresh” feeds to the search engines every couple of months.

But if your business information is incorrect at any of these major providers, it may override what the major search engines have in their own database. And if you’re not included in the databases of these major providers, you’re just not going to rank as well in Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

Primary Data Providers in Local Search

3 – Associating local Business Listing with Proper Categories
This is one of the best kept secrets (until now). Including keywords in the categories improves rankings dramatically.

4 – General importance of claiming Local Business Listing
I consider this the most important step of the process. Google is able to determine lots of data about your business but there is no ‘certificate of trust’ unless you claim your business listing. Usually claiming your business listings also implies adding extra data about your business which inherently means better targeting and ranking. The most important thing is creating trust.

5 – Product/Service Keywords in Local Business Listing Title
This is a huge ranking factor right now for both Google and Yahoo and can make the difference between #4 and #1. But if everyone takes this too far we’ll start seeing crazy business listing names. Eventually Google will tweak the algorithm to make this less important. Example instead of using the name “Mr Attorney” use “DUI Attorney” or “Bankruptcy Attorney” if that is your main keyword.

6 – General Importance of Off-Page Criteria
The more competitive the locale and industry, the more important these things matter. A couple of notches above on-page SEO. The biggest factors are overall link strength, and links from local citation sources.

7 – Volume of Customer Reviews
Yahoo Local has said there’s a threshold for the number of reviews and that once you reach that threshold, the reviews begin to factor into your rankings. Of course they will not say what that threshold is. For Maps, more reviews help you to rank better and even one review is helpful and gives you an edge over businesses with no reviews.

Reviews are an important ranking criterion, and even more important for getting the prospective customer to click through to your website or call. They act as social proof and help distinguish your business from the other results.

8 – Importance of On-Page Criteria.
While this is quite helpful it’s far from necessary. I have a number of clients ranking in local search with near zero on-page factors in their favor. However, in highly competitive markets on-page factors become more and more important and should not be ignored.

9 – Including full address on website contact page
You are able to rank even without a website. But having your details on a page is very important as this is a trusted signal for Google to merge with other citation sources.

10 – Quality of Inbound Links
In the end, almost everything that matters is links. There are more factors weighing in to the algorithm but without any good citations you won’t stand a chance against your competitors who do take action in their online marketing activities and are engaging in the benefits of local SEO.