Important Points for Local SEO Optimization

After Google’s most recent local algorithm update, the rules have been changed for the local SEO. Here we discuss how you can do well in local search in 2015.

The year is almost over, and many businesses are starting to look forward to the year 2015 and discuss their plans of marketing. Form the survey of ‘annual Local Search Ranking Factors survey’, released that and which helps to give us local marketers more insight into which ranking factors matter the most.

The survey shows definite shift toward more traditional web ranking factors. Last years’ Local Search Ranking Factors survey had Google Places and documents weighted heavily, but this years study shows that on-site signals and links are most powerful factors.

Image Source:- Google Business

This shift is constant with the Google recent local ranking algorithm update, Pigeon. Many Local SEOs maintained they were not hit by Pigeon but it is more likely that, because they took a more wholesome approach to local SEO, their websites simply had more authority to begin with.

The most important point we try to hammer the home to potential clients is that you cannot fool the nerds at Google. Everything you do, both on and off your website, should be working toward the end goal of making your user experience awesome not trying to fool Google into placing you higher on search results pages.

So, taking what we have been able to form out about the Pigeon update and adding in the results from 2014 Local Search Ranking Factors survey, here are 2 simple tips to help you set the stage for Local Search success in 2015:

Be Awesome

Earn Awesome Links

Yes, it is really that simple, but at the same time, it is really not that easy for the local businesses. Take a look at your competitors in your vertical nearly every website has the same or similar content, and most websites do not have that many inbound links.

Okay, So How Are You Supposed To Be Awesome?

The best thing you can do for Local Search success in 2015 is to take all energy you put into trying to fool Google and instead use that energy to make your website better.

Take long, hard look at your website and look at your competitors websites. What can you do to be better? You know that your potential customers will be looking at multiple websites, so make your website the best in your vertical.

Make sure you are avoiding these common drawbacks they are all basic, but we still see far too many sites tripping up on these:

No Home Page Content:

Your customers and also search engines need to know what you are all about. If your home page has a slider or banner and just a few sentences, you need to add more useful content there immediately.

Only A Few Sentences On A Page:

Your customers and also the search engines are checking your website for useful, appropriate information. If you offer a product or service, do not just say, ‘We sell X, call us for more information’. Todays shoppers want immediate information, so you need to pack every page with the useful content.

Spamming Keywords:

Far too many websites rely on this outdated methods. You are not going to rank well everywhere in the state simply because you listed out hundred cities separated by commas on your home page. Does that huge list of cities provide you useful information for customers? No. Does it help to rank in the Google? Definitely not. So reduce the junk and populate your website with appropriate, informative content instead.

Awful Title Tags. You have got about 500 pixels of width for title tags; anything longer would be shortened when it is displayed in the search results. The title tag should review the page as it should not be huge piece of keywords you are trying to rank for. Put your primary keyword phrase at the beginning and your business name at the end. If you have got 100 keywords stuffed into the title tag, you just look unfocused.

Do not Forget Your Local Optimization

With on site signals now carrying so much weight, it is more important than ever to have the local optimization stoops in the row. It would not do you any good to beat out a load of citations if your website does not include the local signals that Google expects it to have.

Again, these are old school basics, but we hardly see any websites correctly a optimizing for local areas:

Include City or state in your title tag. Remember, the title tag is extremely important for an optimization, and including city and state is an important signal for local relevancy.
Include City or state in your H1 heading. It does not have to be an entire heading in and of itself what is important here is to include your city and state in the page heading to further show local relevancy.
Include City or state in your content. Far too many websites forget to include their City or State information inside the website content. Optimizing for local search would not work unless you are talking about your local area in your content.
Include City or state in your alt text on images. It is wonderful how many times we see websites that do not include alt text. Remember, Google can not see what is in your images, so alt text helps to provide a better understanding of your page content. Including City or state information can really help enhance local relevancy.
Include City or state in your URL. If you have got an ability to edit your URL structure, try to include your city and state information in your URLs. Again, this can go a long way toward providing the stronger local signal to both customers and Google. Important Note: if you are going to update your URLs, do not forget to set up 301 redirects so that the old address is permanently pointed to new one.

These are all just specific methods to help with the main goal: to make your site more awesome. Stop thinking about how to make your site rank, and start thinking about how to make your site the best in your niche. That is how you are going to get your website to rank better and convert more visitors.

The above are the Important Points for Local SEO Optimization