Local SEO: How to Improve Your Local Ranking on Google

By Sarah Giometti | Local Marketing

Apr 13
Local SEO-How to Improve Your Local Ranking on Google

Google owns a staggering 81 percent of the US search engine market and accounts for the majority of search engine usage in the nation. Thus, you can expect, as a business owner, that your customers will use Google to locate your business on the internet. But, before your potential clients can find you, you first have to convince Google that your business is worthy of showing up at the top of search results. 

You can achieve this by using local SEO, an SEO strategy which can help your business be more prominent in local Google search results. This type of strategy is most useful for small business owners with a location-specific customer base who want to engage in local marketing. 

Here are some of the best practices to use to improve local SEO rank on Google. 

Confirm Your Business Listing Is on Google Maps

Google My Business (GMB) is a free tool that assists businesses of all sizes in making the most of their digital presence. If you don’t have a GMB profile, then make one as soon as possible.

Moreover, if you have an existing GMB profile, you must make sure that you have claimed and verified your business listing. By doing so, you make your business seem more authentic in comparison to your competitors and increase your likelihood of ranking in first-page search results.

Ask For and Respond to Google Reviews

Even if you have a local customer base, a majority of your customers will still be interacting with your company online. And local or not, any potential customer is going to be looking at your online reviews before choosing to pay for your services.

This is why having positive reviews is so important. But, there’s no need to pay for or write fake 5-star Google reviews. Instead, you can get positive reviews organically by using some good practices.

Moreover, once you get those good reviews, it’s important that you respond to them because that signals to your customers that your business cares for them. 

Optional: Get Your Business Google Guaranteed

You may also be able to improve your local ranking by applying to the Google Guarantee program. If the program accepts your application, then your business will appear with a green badge in search results. This Google Guarantee badge indicates to search engine users that your business is trustworthy, making them more likely to turn into customers.

But, this opportunity isn’t free and may not be workable for newer or smaller businesses. So, it’s a step to consider, but not necessarily a must for all businesses. 

Let Us Help You With Your Local SEO Strategy 

By using these local SEO strategies, you can improve your business’s local ranking in Google search results. You can head your own local SEO campaign, or you can rely on our professionals at Provaro Marketing to do it for you. 

If you would like more insight into your current local ranking, request a free local SEO audit today. Or, if you wish to learn more about our local SEO services, fill out our online form or give us a call at 707-595-7002.

Related Articles:
Local Marketing Strategies for Your Small Business
Reasons Why Small Businesses Need SEO
How to Get More 5-Star Google Reviews For Your Local Business
Why Local SEO Is Important for Small Businesses
Best Google My Business Optimization Strategy To Rank Locally

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