How to Rise to the Top of Local Search

Copyright ©2016, StepForth Web Marketing Inc. | WWW.STEPFORTH.COM SEM Summit 2016 | www.semsummit.caCopyright ©2016, StepForth Web Marketing Inc. | WWW.STEPFORTH.COM SEM Summit 2016 | www.semsummit.ca
How to Rise to the Top of Local Search
By Ross Dunn, CEO of StepForth Web Marketing Inc.
Co-Founder, First.Dentist Web Design & Marketing

Copyright ©2016, StepForth Web Marketing Inc. | WWW.STEPFORTH.COM SEM Summit 2016 | www.semsummit.ca
Basic Jargon to Know
NAP = name, address, and phone number
Offsite = anything that happens external to your website
Citations = mentions of your business online
Schema = additional information added behind the scenes to text of
a web page to provide additional context to search engines
For more info go to schema.org

What Does Successful Local SEO Involve?
= Website
+
The toughest form of SEO I’ve done.
RegularSEO
+ Google My Business
+ Links
+ Citations
+ Reviews
+ NAP Consistency
+ Schema
+ more

What is Local SEO?: The Desktop View
Local Organic
Local Map-Based
Searched whale
watching while in
Victoria
After clicking “More places”

What is Local SEO?: The Desktop View
After clicking on the
Prince of Whales profile

What is Local SEO?: The Mobile View
Searched whale
watching while in
Victoria
The Prince of Whales
profile page
What’s wrong about this profile?
The picture is not
representative of the
service.
Stay vigilant!
These issues happen.

The Ranking Factors for Local Search
Source: https://moz.com/local-search-ranking-factors Source: http://www.localseoguide.com/guides/2016-local-seo-ranking-factors/ Source: http://blumenthals.com/web-equity-infographic
There are about 50 known – depending on the study

The Ranking Factors for Local Search
Key takeaways to cover:
3) Google My Business
1) Location
2) Your Website 5) Reviews
6) Citations
4) Links

Copyright ©2016, StepForth Web Marketing Inc. | WWW.STEPFORTH.COM SEM Summit 2016 | www.semsummit.caCopyright ©2016, StepForth Web Marketing Inc. | WWW.STEPFORTH.COM
Key Ranking Factor #1: Location
Searcher’s Proximity
Business in Area

Key Ranking Factor #2: Your Website
A
Have a
Plan
∞
D
Surprise!
Or not...
B
Build
& SEO
C
Local
SEO

A) Plan your website with professional advice in tow.
B) Build a mobile-friendly website for your prospects with SEO in mind.
 Consider your objectives, what is a conversion, and user experience (next speaker)
 Consider your past website (if applicable)
 SO much more to say… another time.
 Page load speed for desktop/mobile:
 On mobile if page load is over
4.2s conversion rates fall below 1% (Source)
 “47% of consumers expect a web page
to load in 2 seconds or less” … and that
was an older Akamai study (Source)

C) Enhance SEO with local signals
Where possible, add city name & province (e.g. Victoria BC) in:
 Title Tags  META Description Tags  Heading 1 tags (H1)  Body text (readability!)
Add your local phone number to every page and:
 Mark up the phone number with click-to-call schema
Call StepForth for a free consultation now
<a href=“tel:+1-250-385-1190”>+1 (250) 385-1190</a>
Add your business address to your website, but remember, NAP Consistency is Key:
 Use the exact syntax for your address everywhere on your site and off of your site
TIP: Use what is already on Yellowpages.ca or Google My Business (if applicable)

C) Enhancing SEO with local signals: continued…
D) … the shocking, mind blowing finale… wait for it…
Next, add schema to each page using JSON-LD. It is great because:
Go to bit.ly/jsonld-tips for a great article & a LOT more info
A simple JSON-LD generator: bit.ly/jsonld-gen
 It is easier than formatting content with schema.
 You can add it anywhere.
Just don’t forget:
 The information should also be visible on the page.
 Be as specific and accurate as possible with the category.

D) Content!
Source: bit.ly/mind-blown561
∞

D) But seriously… CONTENT!
It doesn’t have to be hard:
 Look at similar businesses – anywhere
 Search news.google.com for related news
 Use https://app.lumanu.com/
Plan your content 6+ months in advance,
post quality content regularly, and share it.
 Hunt Reddit or Quora for questions
 Ask clients!

Key Ranking Factor #3: Google My Business
Claim, then maximize all aspects of your profile!
 Choose the most accurate categories possible (bit.ly/local-categ)
 Use your local number!
 Request reviews when appropriate
 Use an address format you can stick with.
 Use your real business name
 Add at least 3 of every photo requested
 Add hours and anything else requested.

Key Ranking Factor #4: Links
The thought of building links makes many an SEO cringe, and/or…
Lose all composure.
Scene from Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

Key Ranking Factor #4: Links
Because we’d rather practice link attraction.
BUT, there are some key links all local businesses benefit from:
Why?

Key Ranking Factor #5: Reviews
Reviews, Reviews, Reviews!
 Many clients have no problem providing them.
 Ask selectively, or else...
 Lots? Spread them out!
 Suggest rating their favourite restaurant at the same time.
 Negative reviews are an opportunity!
 Seriously consider a review management system.
 If Yelp, link to search results showing your review page.

Key Ranking Factor #5: Reviews
Review management software/systems:
 Increase your chances of obtaining reviews.
 Allow you to control where reviewers are sent.
 Simple to setup, manage, and are inexpensive.
 Warn you of negative reviews.
 Are updated regularly to meet Google guidelines.
 Can increase local signals & results!
 Increase exposure in non-office areas.
Shameless plug alert! Contact me about ProvenLocal.com

Key Ranking Factor #6: Citations
Slightly different than just links.
 Any mention of your business – no link required.
 Update/add your business in the main Internet Yellow Pages (IYPs) and authoritative sites like:
 Verify/submit your business to Factual via bit.ly/factual-ca
Most Important
bit.ly/ypca-submit
TIP: I don’t recommend paying Yellow Pages a penny.
A free white-pages listing will suffice.
bit.ly/bellca-submit https://biz.yelp.ca bit.ly/4sq-submit
Submit your business to Industry Canada
bit.ly/ic-submit
Important

Key Ranking Factor #6: Citations
And soooooo many more…
411
Facebook
Bing Places
Web Local
HotFrog
iBegin
n49
GoldBook
MapQuest
Apple Maps
ShopinCanada
eSource Canada
Cylex
Found Locally
YelloYello.com
iGlobal.co
ProfileCanada.com
2FindLocal
ShowMeLocal
My Sheriff
PinBud
Find Here
Yalwa
BrownBook
WorldWeb.com
RateMyArea.com
AboutUs.com
SaleSpider.com
Spoke.com
Tupalo.com

What’s New in Local Search: Possum
Google’s Algorithmic Update on Sept 1st, 2016: “Possum”
 Businesses just outside the official city limits can now rank: massive changes ensued!
 Similar businesses in the same building are being filtered 
Note: The filter is removed when users zoom in manually on an area.
 Searcher proximity is now more sensitive
 Local rankings appear less connected to organic rankings
Want to dig in to the news on this update? Read more: here, and here
Want to see how obsessed us local SEOs are with Google tests?
Mike Blumenthal lists the latest observations: bit.ly/localtests

Exploring the Cutting Edge
Everything else up to snuff?
Need a BOOST?
Now that’s more like it!

Exploring the Cutting Edge: Yelp
Yelp Tips
 Find Facebook followers who are potential Yelpers using Facebook graph search:
“people who like <business name> and Yelp” (h/t David Mihm)
 Also use Yelp’s internal friend finder to find friends with Yelp accounts. (h/t Darren Shaw)
 Advertising on Yelp is $$$$ but it is part of the Google Adwords Display Network...  (h/t David Mihm)
 Always respond to reviews on Yelp – good or bad.
 Request Yelp stickers for your windows to boost reviews & views: bit.ly/yelp-stickers

Exploring the Cutting Edge: Google
Google Local Tips
 Use wildcards to mine Google Suggest for keywords (h/t Larry Kim)
 Multiple location businesses need a page for each location.
 To boost local signals offer community advice in a hyperlocal blog.
 Be sure to embed the review badge from your review management system on your home page
 Try cross-posting with other local business blogs.
 Informs writing (verbiage & ideas) & brand use
 Each page needs to be locally centric. Consider silos.

Exploring the Cutting Edge: Out of Time
Additional tips and sources:
 Mobile visitors to your website (local is big here) have different needs
and expectations. Read this: bit.ly/localmobile-lp
 Read these blogs regularly:
If you want to be a local search geek…
 Mike Blumenthal’s Blog (blumenthals.com/blog/)
 Read these communities/forums regularly:
 The SEM Post (www.thesempost.com/?s=local)
 Local Search Pros (bit.ly/localsrchpros)
 Local Search Forum (bit.ly/localsrchforum)

Exploring the Cutting Edge: Out of Time
Have time for a free weekly SEO podcast?
 240+ episodes over 7 years
 Hosted by Ross Dunn
 Co-Hosted by John Carcutt, a fellow
veteran of SEO, and Director of SEO
and Social Media for Advance
Local – which owns several US
newspapers
 Download via iTunes at www.seo101radio.com (more episodes there)
or direct from cranberry.fm/shows/seo-101
For Dentists, check out the First.Dentist Dental Web Marketing Podcast
bit.ly/dentalpodcastHosted by Ross Dunn & Michael Lambe:

And that concludes my presentation.
You can reach me via: ross@stepforth.com
(250) 385-1190

How to Rise to the Top of Local Search

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