50% of customers who search for a local business on their phone visit that business within a day. 18% of these local searches result in a purchase.
If you’re trying to boost your business this year, start by focusing on your local search engine optimization (SEO). Local SEO allows you to reach customers nearby who already have an interest in your product or service. Then, you can leverage that existing interest to draw them in.
In order to become successful at local SEO, however, you need to know how to flip Google.
Google’s search algorithm changes every year, throughout the year. By learning how to flip Google, you can stay ahead of the curve and embrace the revolution!
Use local SEO to your advantage this year. Keep reading to learn how to flip Google and achieve SEO success in 2020.
1. Feed
30% of mobile searches are related to location. In fact, these searches are growing 50% faster than all mobile searches.
People want to know about your business; about who you are, where you are, and what you do. By making this information easy to find, you can appeal to potential customers and attract them to your business.
In order to appeal to this local audience, you first need a sound local SEO strategy. This strategy will involve providing Google with content to ensure you appear for all relevant local searches.
Before you can flip Google, you need to feed it by:
- Posting website content about your business, location, services, and/or products
- Providing other websites with information about your business
- Keeping your local business listing up-to-date
- Posting and optimizing images
- Producing and optimizing videos
- Posting social media content
Feeding Google is all about your content marketing strategy.
Your Content
First, take a look at your Google My Business listing. This listing provides consumers with information about your business hours, location, phone number, and more. To feed your Google My Business listing, you need to update it with:
- Contact information
- Customer reviews
- Categories
- Images
- Products
- Posts
- Video content
- Q&A
Next, your website. Your content marketing plan for your website should include:
- Contact information
- Homepage
- Location landing pages
- Product/service pages
- Testimonials
- Images, videos, articles, posts
- Call-to-action (CTA)
- Schema
Lastly, you should consider relevant third-party websites, platforms, and apps. There, you’ll need to update:
- Contact information
- Listings
- Citations
- Images, videos, articles, posts
- Social media
- Snippets
This contact (along with keyword research) will help you achieve Google success.
Making a Plan
Here are a few tips to help you flip Google by feeding Google.
First, make sure customers know everything they need to know about your business. Make sure your website is user-friendly, fast, and easy to use. Clear away the clutter and make it as technically error-free as you can.
Next, make sure to create an accurate Google My Business listing for each location of your business. Keep these listings up-to-date if you move or change your number.
Build your listings/structured citations on other platforms, such as Yelp. Make sure your information is consistent across all platforms.
Make sure to monitor and respond to all online reviews, too. Managing your online reputation is as important as creating new content. Let your customers (and prospective customers) know you’re listening and there to help.
Auditing the competition on your local feed can help as well. See what they’re doing to achieve Google success. For example, determine which blog posts they’re ranking highest for.
As you develop your local SEO strategy, make sure to focus on your customers’ needs. What information are they searching for online? What keywords are they using?
You can use Google Trends and Keyword Planner to keep track.
2. Fight
Once you’ve started feeding Google, it’s time to fight back. There are two areas where you might fight with Google: product issues and brand issues.
Even if you’re feeding Google with your local information, there’s a chance you’ll gain bad press or face competition.
First, make sure to check for negative reviews. Respond quickly to these reviews to ensure you’re in control of the narrative. Your quick response can help you improve your standing online.
You might also experience product issues, such as suits against your brand, including litigation and protests. Stay informed and pick your battles. Remember, Google can impact your online visibility and reputation.
Picking your battles wisely can help you fight spam and track ethical debates that could impact your business.
3. Flip
Now that you’ve fed Google and fought back, you can flip Google and use the situation to your advantage.
The first step is to make sure you understand your customers. Don’t guess what they want. Instead, start your year off strong by conducting a survey.
Ask your customers questions about your business to help you make business decisions with your customers in mind. You can also:
- Spend more time speaking directly with customers to determine their needs and complaints
- Have your staff log questions, requests, and complaints they receive
- Audit these responses to make changes
Next, you’ll want to implement as many of those requests as possible. You’ll need:
- A unique selling proposition to differentiate your business from competitors
- Consumer-centric policies
- A well-trained, personable staff
- An in-demand inventory
- A complaint resolution process
- Cleanliness
Without these essentials, your customers will likely have a negative experience. That experience could impact your reputation, and in turn, your local SEO.
Build Your Brand Locally
Once you know your customers and implement their needs, you can flip Google online to become a favored brand in your community.
First, track down these local sources:
- Print and TV news
- School publications
- Places of worship newsletters
- Local business organization newsletters
- Government, non-profit, charity, or activism publications
What does your local community care or worry about? Pick an effort that you can support in some way. Then, build relationships with the people involved to show them you care.
Participating in your community gives you a chance to educate your customers about your business. You can show them you’re there to help and, at the same time, promote brand awareness.
Share
You can flip Google by reducing your dependence on the search engine for referrals. Instead, make a list of other local businesses that connect you to what your customers need.
Invite these business owners to a meeting and let them know you want to share customers. Then, you can refer customers to each other to increase customer satisfaction.
Instead of needing Google for customers, you can become a local SEO pro on and offline.
How to Feed, Fight, and Flip Google: Your Local SEO Strategy for 2020
Now that you know how to feed, fight, and flip Google, get to it! With these tips, you can become a local SEO pro in your community and improve the customer’s journey.
At the same time, you’re growing your business and making a local impact!
Need help getting started? Contact your digital marketing specialists today!
