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{{Short description|Practice of increasing online visibility}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Internet marketing}}
== What is local SEO? ==▼
Local SEO is similar to (national) [[Search engine optimization]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.searchenginejournal.com/the-definitive-guide-to-local-seo/47319/|title=The Definitive Guide to Local SEO|last=DeMers|first=Jayson|date=August 15, 2012|website=Search Engine Journal|access-date=March 2, 2017}}</ref> in that it is also a process affecting the visibility of a [[website]] or a [[web page]] in a [[web search engine]]'s unpaid results—often referred to as "natural", "[[Organic search|organic]]", or "earned" results. In general, the earlier (or higher ranked on the search results page), and more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine's users; these visitors can then be converted into customers.<ref>Ortiz-Cordova, A. and Jansen, B. J. (2012) [https://faculty.ist.psu.edu/jjansen/academic/jansen_high_revenue_customers_2012.pdf Classifying Web Search Queries in Order to Identify High Revenue Generating Customers]. Journal of the American Society for Information Sciences and Technology. 63(7), 1426 – 1441.</ref> Local SEO<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-101-getting-started-local-seo-scratch/127749/|title=SEO 101: Getting Started in Local SEO (From Scratch)|last=Lai|first=Hin|date=|website=https://www.searchenginejournal.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=March 11, 2017}}</ref> however differs in that it is focused on optimizing a business' online presence so that its web pages will be displayed by search egines when users enter local searches for its products or services.▼
▲'''Local search engine optimization''' ('''local SEO''') is similar to
The origin of local SEO can be traced back<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://searchengineland.com/evolution-seo-trends-25-years-223424|title=The Evolution Of SEO Trends Over 25 Years|date=2015-06-24|work=Search Engine Land|access-date=2017-03-26|language=en-US}}</ref>to 2003-2005 when search engines tried to provide surfers with local results in their vicinity, be these opening times of a store, listings in maps, etc..▼
For example, local SEO is all about 'optimizing' your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches. The majority of these searches take place on [[Google]], [[Yahoo]], [[Bing (search engine)|Bing]], [[Yandex Search|Yandex]], [[Baidu]] and other [[search engines]] but for better optimization in your local area you should also use sites like [[Yelp]], [[Angie's List]], [[LinkedIn]], Local business directories, [[social media]] channels and others.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://seomediax.com/seo/the-importance-of-local-seo-statistics-you-should-know-infographic/|title=The Importance Of Local SEO Statistics You Should Know "Infographic"|last=Imel|first=Seda|date=June 21, 2019|website=SEO MediaX}}</ref>
▲The origin of local SEO can be traced back<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://searchengineland.com/evolution-seo-trends-25-years-223424|title=The Evolution Of SEO Trends Over 25 Years|date=2015-06-24|work=Search Engine Land|access-date=2017-03-26|language=en-US}}</ref> to 2003-2005 when search engines tried to provide
Local SEO has evolved over the years to provide a targeted [[online marketing]] approach that allows local businesses to appear based on a range of local search signals, providing a distinct difference from broader [[organic SEO]] which prioritises relevance of search over a distance of searcher.
== Local search results ==
Local searches trigger search engines to display two
*
*
*
*
* Structured Data taken from [[Wikidata]] and [[Wikipedia]]. Data from these sources is part of the information that appears in Google's [[Knowledge Panel]] in the search results.
Depending on the searches, Google can show relevant local results in [[Google Maps]] or Search. This is true
== Google Maps ==
Google has added a new Q&A features to [[Google Maps]] allowing users to submit questions to owners and allowing these to respond.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://searchengineland.com/6-things-need-know-googles-qa-feature-google-maps-281255|title=6 things you need to know about Google's Q&A feature on Google Maps|date=2017-09-07|work=Search Engine Land|access-date=2017-10-02|language=en-US}}</ref> This Q&A feature is tied to the associated Google My Business account.
== Google Business Profile ==
Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly [[Google My Business]] (GMB) is a free tool that allows businesses to create and manage their Google Business listing. These listings must represent a physical ___location that a customer can visit. A Google Business listing appears when customers search for businesses either on Google Maps or in Google SERPs. The accuracy of these listings is a local ranking factor.
== Ranking factors ==
[[File: Local Online Marketing.JPG|thumb|Local Online Marketing]]
Major search engines have algorithms that determine which local businesses rank in local search. Primary factors that impact a local business's chance of appearing in local search
In 2016, a study
*
* Sites with more content (hence more [[Keyword (Internet search)|keywords]]) tended to fare better (as expected).
* Reviews on GMB also were found to strongly correlate with high rankings.
* Quality of citations such as low number of duplicates, consistency and also a fair number of citations, mattered for a business to show in local packs. However, for businesses within the pack, citations did not influence their ranking: “citations appear to be foundational but not a competitive advantage."▼
*
▲*
* The authors were instead surprised that [[geotargeting]] elements (city & state) in the title of the
*
* Schema structured data is a ranking factor. The addition of the 'LocalBusiness' markup will enable you to display relevant information about your business to Google. This includes opening hours, address, founder, parent company information and much more.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://schema.org/LocalBusiness|title=LocalBusiness - schema.org|website=schema.org|language=en|access-date=2018-11-20}}</ref>
*The number of reviews and overall star rating correlates with higher rankings in the Google map pack results.
== Local ranking according to Google ==
Prominence, relevance, and distance are the three main criteria Google claims to use in its [[algorithms]] to show results that best match a user's query.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091|title=Improve your local ranking on Google - Google My Business Help|website=support.google.com|language=en|access-date=2017-03-16}}</ref>
* Prominence reflects how well
* Relevance refers to Google's algorithms attempt to surface the listings that best
* Distance refers to Google's attempt to return those listings that are the closest the ___location terms used in a user's query. If no ___location term is used then "Google will calculate distance based on
== Local ranking: 2017 survey from 40 local experts ==
According to a group of local SEO experts who took part in a survey, links and reviews are more important than ever to rank locally.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://searchengineland.com/just-released-2017-local-search-ranking-factors-survey-results-273006|title=Just released: 2017 Local Search Ranking Factors survey results|date=2017-04-11|work=Search Engine Land|access-date=2017-05-02|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Near Me Queries ==
As a result of both Google as well as Apple offering "near me" as an option to users, some authors<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://searchengineland.com/things-near-seo-268697|title='Things to do near me' SEO|date=2017-02-13|work=Search Engine Land|access-date=2017-03-26|language=en-US}}</ref> report on how [[Google Trends]] shows very significant increases in "near me" queries. The same authors also report that the factors correlating the most with Local Pack ranking for "near me" queries include the presence of the "searched city and state in backlinks' anchor text" as well as the use of the " 'near me' in internal link anchor text"
== Possum Update ==
An important update to Google's local algorithm, rolled out on the 1st of September 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://searchengineland.com/everything-need-know-googles-possum-algorithm-update-258900|title=Everything you need to know about Google's 'Possum' algorithm update|date=2016-09-21|work=Search Engine Land|access-date=2017-05-18|language=en-US}}</ref> Summary of the update on local search results:
* Businesses based outside city physical limits showed a significant increase in ranking in the Google Local Pack
* A more restrictive filter is in place. Before the update, Google filtered listings linking to the same [[website]] and using the same phone number. After the update, listings get filtered if they have the same address and same categories though they belong to different businesses. So, if several dentists share the same address, Google will only show one of them.
== Hawk update ==
As previously explained (see above), the Possum update led similar listings, within the same building, or even located on the same street, to get filtered. As a result, only one listing "with greater organic ranking and stronger relevance to the keyword" would be shown.<ref name=hawk>{{Cite news|url=http://searchengineland.com/august-22-2017-hawk-google-local-algorithm-update-282269|title=August 22, 2017: The day the 'Hawk' Google local algorithm update swooped in|date=2017-09-08|work=Search Engine Land|access-date=2017-10-02|language=en-US}}</ref> After the Hawk update on 22 August 2017, this filtering seems to apply only to listings located within the same building or close by (e.g. 50 feet), but not to listings located further away (e.g.325 feet away).<ref name=hawk/>
== Fake reviews ==
As previously explained (see above), reviews are deemed to be an important ranking factor. Joy Hawkins, a Google Top Contributor and local SEO expert, highlights the problems due to fake reviews:<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://searchengineland.com/dear-google-4-suggestions-fixing-massive-problem-fake-reviews-276445|title=Dear Google: 4 suggestions for fixing your massive problem with fake reviews|date=2017-06-15|work=Search Engine Land|access-date=2017-07-16|language=en-US}}</ref>
* Lack of an appropriate process for business owners to report fake reviews on competitors' sites. GMB support will not consider requests about businesses other than if they come from the business owners themselves. So if a [[competitor]] nearby has been collecting fake reviews, the only way to bring this to the attention of GMB is via the Google My Business Forum.
* Unlike Yelp, Google does not show a label warning users of abnormal review behavior for those businesses that buy reviews or that receive unnatural numbers of negative reviews because of media attention.
* Current Google algorithms do not identify unnatural review patterns. Abnormal review patterns often do not need human gauging and should be easily identified by algorithms. As a result, both fake listings and rogue reviewer profiles should be suspended.
== See also ==
* [[Local search (optimization)]]
== References ==
<!-- Inline citations added to your article will automatically display here. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REFB for instructions on how to add citations. -->
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/7451184 Google Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide]
*[https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038177?hl=en Google Local Businesses Guide]
[[Category:Search engine optimization]]
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