Local SEO got a boost as the top three dozen local SEO pros got together and put their brains to working on the subject of this most often misunderstood, yet valuable aspect of SEO.
During the popular “Marketing Land Live” show, they talked to the organizer of the event, Mr. Darren Shaw. The survey results cover the latest ranking factors for local SEO and it’s a sure bet that marketing people will be pouring over the results to better service their sites and customers.
The experts scoured the web and their stats and data to put together a comprehensive outlook on what the local SEO action is and where it may be going. They mention that links and citations aren’t dead, especially citations. It turns out that citations are of much greater value today and in the near future than many had expected. This is due to rumor mongering. SEO know it all as who will declare one technique is dead when actually it isn’t or promoting a technique that is on its last legs as vital. Citations, however, in the hundreds aren’t going to put you to the top of the SE results. Just enough should place you alright, but too many won’t have an effect says, Shaw.
Reviews, on the other hand, have more impact. Shaw says it’s about relevancy and position, semantically relevant at best. It’s about the activity regarding your business or site. People who are using your blog or social media to discuss your site will be using words that either support and promote you for the good or beat you down for bad of disappointing service. Shaw says that getting reviews on a diverse number of sites is the key. People don’t realize that the web is a communications system and the more people are talking about you the louder your voice is heard. That’s where review sites and social media really change the game.
Where reviews come from like Yelp, Google, etc. are of most importance. Your local reviews are very important. Google will see these and add them to your betterment. Your industry’s biggest sites that have review options are where you want your reviews to be seen. You don’t want to put a local SEO review about a fishing rod store on a bakery site.
Local Packs were discussed and the value of them. He says the algorithm that drives the Local Packs is different than the other results on the same page. Links are more important with the local SEO factors as well as website content. Thus the more links, the more the Local Packs ratings rise.
Another key note is the issue of Proximity. If one typed in a business and occupation and Google will locate you even if you haven’t put in your location. So basically, the surfer who is looking for a reliable and valued service will get results that locate professionals within a few miles from your position. The problem here is it doesn’t give you the best of the professionals just how close they are to you.