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Local SEO Essentials
Presented by Michael BlackOwner, SEOMike Consulting
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Local Search Results
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Local Search Results
In 2012, Google was awarded a patent for “Identification of implicitly local queries” to algorithmically determine which queries have local intent.
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Local Search Results
Patent 8,200,694:
Google looks at each word in query to determine local relevance.
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Local Search Results
Patent 8,200,694:
Google combines each word with others in the query to determine local relevance of iterations.
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Local Search Results
Patent 8,200,694:
Google combines each word with others in the query to determine local relevance of iterations.
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Local Search Results
Patent 8,200,694:
Google combines each word with others in the query to determine local relevance of iterations.
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Google’s “Local Pack” Results
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Local Organic Results
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Google’s Map Results
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Help Yourself
•Consistent NAP on your site•Schema markup on your site•Consistent NAP on other sites
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Help Yourself
Advanced Method for schema implementation: Child theme with a customized index.php file to include your JSON markup.
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Help Yourself<script type='application/ld+json'> { "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "LocalBusiness", "url": " https://www.seomike.com/", "name": "SEOMike Consulting", "logo": "https://www.seomike.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/logo.png", "image": "https://www.seomike.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/logo.png", "address": "8249 W. 95th Street, Overland Park, KS 66212", "telephone": "(913) 708-8739", "description": "Kansas City SEO and Kansas City Internet Marketing. SEOMike has 20 years of experience to get the results your company needs.", "openingHours": "Mo-Fr 09:00-17:00", "hasMap": "https://www.google.com/maps/place/SEOMike+Consulting/@38.9621159,-94.6702498,14z" }</script>
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Help Yourself
Local SEO Plugin•Yoast is a trusted SEO Plugin, offering a wide array of features your site already needs. •Buy a license to Yoast Premium and then purchase Yoast’s Local SEO plugin•The Yoast Plugin allows easy configuration of what I’ve hand-coded.
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Help Yourself
Consistent Name Address Phone Number (AKA: NAP)
Put your NAP where a user will look. Be sure to include your phone number as a “tel” link to ensure phones make it clickable.
<a href="tel:913-708-8739">(913) 708-8739</a>
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Help Yourself
Include NAP in your site’s footer, where a user might expect to find it.
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Help Yourself
Include your phonenumber and address on yourcontact page, which is where a user will expect to find them.
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Google My Business
• Claim your listing in Google My Business by going to http://google.com/business/
• This service has been called several things over the years, expect them to call it something else in the future.
• GMB is regularly updated and enhanced. Check back on your listing frequently to ensure you have everything filled out!
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Google My Business
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Google My Business
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Google My Business
To verify you are the owner and that this is your location, Google will send you a postcard in the mail with a special PIN.
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Google My Business
Once your listing is claimed, fill in as much data as you can including:•Address•Phone number•Images of your business, your logo, a profile picture, and a cover photo•Hours•Any special hours (holiday hours)
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Google My Business
If you don’t claim your listing, Google is more likely to accept user edits.
If you see “Own this business?” for your listing, click it and go through the process to claim it.
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Google My BusinessClick here to suggest an edit to Google. This feature can be gamed, but it is a bit difficult.
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Google My BusinessJust look at all the fun stuff I can play with!
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Google My Business“Bike America”?? Nah – let’s make it SEOBike!
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Google My BusinessIt’s possible to suggest a change of address. Game this properly (no I won’t tell you how) and you can move a business!
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Google My Business
I’ve seen competitors change operating hours to make Google say a store opens just a little later, or are closed on a weekend.
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Google My Business
A long time ago my “friend” had great success hijacking URLs in unclaimed business listings and sending traffic where I – I mean, HE - wanted them to go.
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Google My Business
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Local Pack Results
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Local Pack Ranking Factors
1. Business Relevance – 19%2. Link to site – 17%3. On-Page Info (NAP, DA, KWs) – 14%4. Citation (Consistency of NAP, etc., on
other sites) – 13%5. Reviews (rating, quantity, etc.) – 13%6. User Engagement – 10%7. Personalization of results – 10%8. Social – 4%
Source: Moz Local Ranking Factors
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Map Results Ranking FactorsThe same as Local Pack Ranking Factors but results are displayed dynamically as user moves map around.
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Map Results Ranking FactorsThe same as Local Pack Ranking Factors but results are displayed dynamically as user moves map around.
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Localized SERPs
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Localized SERPs
1. Links to site – 30%2. On-Page Info (NAP, DA, KWs) – 24%3. User Engagement – 11%4. Personalization of results – 9%5. Citations (Consistency of NAP, etc.,
on other sites) – 8%6. Business Relevance – 7%7. Reviews (rating, quantity, etc.) – 7%8. Social – 4%
Source: Moz Local Ranking Factors
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Other Local Listing Sites
• Bing Places• Moz Local• Superpages• ExpressUpdate• Neustar / Localeze• Factual• CitySearch• Inisder Pages• Acxiom
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Other Local Listing Sites
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Michael BlackSEOMike Consulting
11709 Roe Ave. D236Leawood, KS 66211
913-660-9532SEOMike.com
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