Google recently released new information about how it determines local rankings (which I touched on in the Monthly SEO update for April), and included some advice on how to improve your Google local listings.
It’s rare for Google to release information about its algorithms or give advice on search rankings, so when they do, we stand up and take notice.
What’s Google’s advice?
- Enter complete data
- Verify your location(s)
- Keep your hours accurate
- Manage and respond to reviews
- Add photos
For even better Google local rankings…
I would add a few more related recommendations:
- Optimize your listings – It’s good to “enter complete data” but you also want to be sure to include the keywords you want to rank well for in your local listings
- Ask for reviews – Go beyond just “managing and responding to reviews.” Google says, “More reviews and positive ratings will probably improve a business’s local ranking.” So, encourage others to post reviews of your organization by including a page on your website that asks for reviews and links to your listings.
- Optimize your website – “Prominence” is one of the top 3 factors in Google’s local search rankings. Therefore, the more prominent your website is – better optimized, more links to it, more content, more social media shares – the better your local listings will rank.
For more details from Google, see their page Improve your local ranking on Google.
And if these are things you’d prefer to leave to professionals, request a free SEO consultation.
Discuss
- How are your organization’s Google local rankings?
- Which if any of the recommendations above are you going to do?