The COVID-19 pandemic has made it so that most people are going out for exactly what they want and returning home without making any unnecessary stops. That is why it is critical for business owners to take advantage of local search engine optimization, or local SEO. Whether it’s to find the nearest Mexican food restaurant or a grocery store open past 10 PM, people are using search engines to meet these needs.
Since search engine algorithms change all the time, a business cannot depend on only one strategy to stay on top of local SEO results. Studies have shown that most people using Google will rarely look past page 1 to find an answer.
Here are some ways you can improve your local SEO results in 2020.
SEO Strategies for 2020
1. Develop Your Web Presence
Google’s update to the Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) algorithm allows for the conversational understanding of the Google search bar. This means the search engine can understand longer and more complex search terms allowing it to use context to better understand the goal of the user.
A website that is full of pictures and lacks meaningful text will not score very well with the new algorithm. Therefore, it is important that a business understand what potential customers are looking for, how they are searching for it, and then present that answer in both informative text and images. A diverse method of marketing combined with consistent service will develop these users into returning customers.
Developing your web presence with the understanding of how your website interacts with the end-user will allow your local SEO results to stay near the top.
2. Rely on the Experience of Others
Customers do not all search for a topic the same way, and search engines understand that as well. It is important that businesses rely on the diverse background of their employees to help with the local SEO strategy. Diversifying your team, whether in-house or with an agency that specializes in local SEO, will help ensure your business reaches as far as possible.
3. Coordinated Marketing Campaigns
We all remember a commercial jingle we heard when we were young that we can still sing today, some including the telephone number of the business. That is why it is so important to use your non-digital marketing materials to support your digital platform. This dual strategy helps develop consistent search terms for your product and puts those terms in front of a potential customer eating in a restaurant, listening to the radio, or driving down the road. The use of guided search terms will have a positive impact on your local SEO success.
4. Manage Customer Reviews
One of the first places potential customers look when researching a business is the review section. If your local SEO team does not include a person dedicated to social media and responding to reviews, you might be losing potential sales. A positive digital presence is a key to making a good first impression for someone who has never been to your business.
Companies who ignore online reviews do so at their own peril. It is well-known that ignoring negative reviews, or hostile replies from the business will negatively impact sales/profit for that business. Ensure your team has a strategy for interacting with the public through all forms of social media, including reviews.
5. Succeeding in Uncertain Times
Unfortunately, no one knows how long the pandemic is going to last. Success requires flexibility and agility in a competitive marketplace. Now is the time to focus on your company’s specializations and capitalize on those strengths. Use your digital and offline marketing tools to ensure your brand is building trust and creating positive relationships with potential customers. This focus will allow you to fine-tune your digital platform and increase your local SEO ratings.
In ever-changing and uncertain times, it is imperative for businesses to focus on what they do best by continuing to use successful methods of engagement to build their brand. When in doubt on where or how to start, businesses reach out to experts such as those at Local SEO Tampa Company for strategies to improve their digital presence. A business that remains flexible and embraces diversity will be ready to face any new challenges while maintaining its spot at the top of the local SEO ratings.