What are local citations and why do they matter?

Local citations are mentions of your business on social media and search engines. A high volume of citations boosts your profile's authority and helps you rank better in local search results, because search engines trust and index them heavily.

What are local citations and why do they matter?

Local citations are mentions of your business on social media and search engines. A high volume of citations boosts your profile's authority and helps you rank better in local search results, because search engines trust and index them heavily.

Get the Word Out on Your Business With Local SEO

July 10, 2022

Getting the word out on your business is essential for ranking in local search. According to the Local Search Ranking Factor study, 74% of people make a local search before they visit a store, and more than half of internet users run those searches on mobile devices. Most users turn to Google Search, Google Maps, and Apple Maps, while 39% use Bing or Yahoo. With that much activity concentrated in local results, optimizing for them is no longer optional.

Why does local SEO matter?

Eighty-three percent of the US population uses the internet, and 87.3% of those searches have local intent. Google keeps its organic ranking algorithm secret, but it has been more transparent about local results, where relevance (how well a business matches the searcher’s location and query) drives placement. If you want to reach this market, local SEO is how your website gets found and contacted by nearby customers.

What does local SEO actually do?

Local SEO is a part of search engine optimization that signals to search engines that your business is physically present in a specific area. You can confirm your office location directly with them. As more consumers search for services or products near them, Google has emphasized local businesses because they fit those queries better than a national brand. Showing up in local results is how you attract those customers.

How does local SEO build brand presence?

Branding is hard to quantify, but it carries real value. Local SEO services grow your company’s regional presence. In local searches, businesses that rank near the top of SERPs establish themselves as experts in their field and stay active on social media. That visibility also makes your website easier to find for people in your area, which makes local SEO a valuable piece of an overall search strategy.

What tactics actually move the needle?

Match your GMB listing to your website

A business’s GMB listing should match its website. Google wants to send users to real businesses, so it favors sites with consistent contact information. Local SEO visibility runs on effective content, which lets you target specific keywords and reach both middle- and top-of-funnel users. Optimize your GMB page alongside your site content for the strongest results.

Build local citations

Getting local citations is another way to improve your ranking. Citations help a business appear on social media and search engines, boost your business profile’s authority, and push you higher in local results. A high volume of local citations matters because search engines trust and index them heavily. Google also factors the city or region name into its PageRank algorithm.

Research ranking factors with real tools

Use Google Keyword Planner and Google Trends to research local search ranking factors. When developing content, focus on answering local search queries directly. Skip the fluff. Write informative articles that help your audience find what they need, and consider hiring an expert in local SEO. Your website is the gateway to success, and your content should get you noticed by the right clients.

Manage your listings

Listing-management tools can find existing listings and update their information. Google may even reference these tools during its validation process, and that activity can help your business rank higher. Structured data markup is a vital part of local SEO and supports a clean product schema so customers can find your business in local search.

Collect reviews and keep producing content

Google collects reviews and ratings on its web pages. Managing these reviews is work, but it pays off. Social media and email marketing activity will power your brand’s reputation, so keep your message and brand front and center and communicate in a professional tone. Content is the other vital component of local SEO, and any number of techniques and resources can produce quality material for your site.