SEO For Local Search · The SEO Process Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + [email protected] •Pick the right keyword phrases •Create high quality pages on your website

Search Engine Optimizationfor Local Search

Mary Bowlingwww.IgnitorDigital.com

http://localu.org/

http://www.ignitordigital.com/

http://localu.org/

For Local Businesses

Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + [email protected]

SEO is:Making it easy as possible

for people to find information about your

business online

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

To Achieve That


Create and improve YOUR LISTINGS

on other sites to help potential customers find information about your

business

What the Search Engines Want


To provide the most

USEFUL ANSWERSfor every search

What the Search Engines Want


To model the real world

by rewarding BRAND PROMINENCE within a market area

SEO Helps You Rank


PAID ADS

LOCAL MAP PAIDADS

LOCALIZED ORGANICRESULTS

LOCAL PACK

Localized Organic Results


Results from local business websites

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

The Algorithm


(Google’s ranking formula)

For Localized Organic Rankings


Quality of links pointing to your

pages from OTHER sites

Crawlability and usefulness of

content on YOUR site

Google Knows Where You Are


It searches your DETECTEDlocationunless you tell it to search somewhere else

Usefulness = Relative Location


Distance from the SEARCHER is key

Have Realistic Expectations


Concentrate on ranking in the results

of the people who have the most

potential to become YOUR CUSTOMERS

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

Usefulness = Keywords in


The text content we place on our pages

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

On-Page Optimization


(What we put on our own pages)

Start with Keywords


We have total control over what we put on our own pages

Which Keywords?


Don’t Just Guess

Keyword research = foundation of SEOIt enables you to learn:

• Which topics and terms?• How many searches?• How hard to rank?

What Makes a Good Keyword?


Is someone searching for that term likely to turn into a customer?

That’s a term to optimize for!

Keyword Research:Brainstorm


Record all the terms you can think of that people

would use to find a BUSINESS LIKE YOURS

KW Research:Find Related Terms


KW Research:Use Ubersuggest


http://ubersuggest.org/

http://ubersuggest.org/

KW Research:Use Google Trends


Research keywords by location

https://www.google.com/trends/

https://support.google.com/trends/?hl=en#topic=6248052

https://www.google.com/trends/

https://support.google.com/trends/?hl=en

KW Research:Pare Down Your List


Concentrate on terms that closely describe

what you DO or SELL

KW Research:Get Volume


Use Google Keyword Planner to learn search volume and relative competitiveness

https://adwords.google.com/ko/KeywordPlanner/Home

https://support.google.com/adwords/answer/2999770

https://adwords.google.com/ko/KeywordPlanner/Home

https://support.google.com/adwords/answer/2999770

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

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

Don’t Over-Optimize


WRITE NATURALLY about the topic

Include PLENTY OF CONTENT

Google will understand what the page is about

HTML Page title

URL

H1 headline

Content

Image

Navigation Links

H2 subheadlines

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”

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

Check Your Ads!


http://www.seomofo.com/snippet-optimizer.html

Google SERP Optimization Tool

http://www.seomofo.com/snippet-optimizer.html

Local Tips for Your Web Site


Make Location Unmistakable


Business name, full street address and local phone number on all pages in TEXT formUse www.schema.org

Embed a Google Map

http://www.schema.org/

Plenty of Content


USEFUL CONTENT on all of your pages -

show that you are THE EXPERT

Create a Page for Each Service


Then add MORE pages about sub services

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

Use Barnacle SEO


Localized Organic Results

GET LISTED

on sites that rank

Use Google Search Console


Google communicates with you about your website here

PAY ATTENTION

https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home

https://support.google.com/webmasters?hl=en#topic=3309469

https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home

https://support.google.com/webmasters?hl=en

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?

Use Screaming Frog


http://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/

http://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/

Technical Problems?


Get PROFESSIONAL

help when needed

Off-Site Optimization


(What other websites convey about us)

For Localized Organic Rankings


Quality and usefulness of links pointing to your pages

from OTHER sites

Links Are Just a Proxy


For Brand Prominence

The Best Links?


Those with the most potential to bring NEW CUSTOMERS to your business

Improve Existing Links


See links with this free tool: http://www.opensiteexplorer.org/

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?

http://www.opensiteexplorer.org/

Links from Relationships


• Business groups • Social groups • Charities• Sponsorships• Local school and college websites• Clients and partners• Businesses you already have referral

relationships with

Links from Local Directories


• AngiesList• MerchantCircle• JudysBook• Foursquare• Internet Yellow

Pages Pages

• Yelp• Thumbtack• Facebook• Kudzu• CitySearch• InsiderPages

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

Links from Niche Sites


• Videos• Images• Coupons• In something• Near something• Kid-friendly• Pet friendly• Veteran-owned

• Free Wifi• ATM• Minority-owned• Woman-owned• Non-profit• Other Languages • Handicapped

accessible

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


THANKS!

LocalU Blog and Forumhttp://localu.org/

http://localu.org/

Documents

SEO For Local Search · The SEO Process Twitter @MaryBowling IgnitorDigital.com + [email protected] •Pick the right keyword phrases •Create high quality pages on your website