In the past all it took to bring in local customers was word of mouth and vibrant signage to catch people’s attention. Living in the digital age has changed all that though. Now it is essential for businesses to rank for local SEO so they can remain competitive in their field. This is something that many businesses are starting to realize. However, even as these businesses realize this, they still find themselves making critical mistakes as they attempt to improve their rankings. Knowing what these errors are is helpful but knowing how to fix them is even more beneficial.
Not Prioritizing Ratings and Reviews
Your ratings and reviews play a large role in your business’ success than they ever did in the past. Today, it isn’t only your customers who rely on these things. Search engines do too. They use them to determine who to prioritize in searches, which is why your business must have them. This is something that will continue as the world grows more digital. Forbes confirmed this by saying that:
- 90% of customers will read an online review before they visit a business
- 84% of people trust online reviews as much as they trust a personal recommendation
- 67% of purchasing decisions are affected by online reviews
For your business to remain competitive in this environment you must maintain a positive online reputation. This is more than getting positive reviews. It also means addressing any negative reviews you receive. Google takes note of the businesses who does this and recommends them before any others. This is why you must have your customers leave reviews and make sure you respond quickly when they do.
Not Having any Local Directory Listings
To increase your business’ visibility, you must be listed in local directories. These are important because they aggregate businesses from various industries and list their information (name, address, phone number, and website) all in one place that’s easily accessible to customers. They’re also beneficial because they mention your business in various places online – something that Google closely monitors as it crawls the web. This is why you must make sure that you find local directories that are relevant to your niche and get listed in them. Some of the most popular ones to start with include the local chamber of commerce, Yellow Pages, the Better Business Bureau, and Yelp.
Not Having a Website That’s User-Friendly
About 60% of people now access the internet from a mobile device with about 88% of these in search of local information. Making sure your website is mobile-friendly, responsive, and loads quickly is important today. Google won’t recommend any website that doesn’t have these qualities.
Not Creating new Content
You must have lots of fresh, original content if you want to maintain high rankings for your keywords. This content tells Google your business is alive, active, and that it cares about its customers. This is why it’s vital for your business to create a strategy that works for your industry and niche. It should include keyword research to determine what you should be writing blogs and making social media posts about. This isn’t a license to spam, but it’s meant to help you find ways of giving your visitors the valuable information they’re seeking.
With how important local SEO is today, you can’t afford to overlook it. Instead, you should make sure you reach out to the Local SEO Company for some help today. They’ve helped many customers ramp up their local SEO and bring in new business – something you’ll also want to take advantage of, which is why you should make sure to contact them today.
