Have you ever gone out and wandered the streets looking for a place to eat? Found one and wondered if it was worth your time and money? Now, when was the last time you did that without Googling? Whether on route or before you left your place, you probably did a quick “restaurants near me search” and went to one that was in the top 3 results.
So how do you get to be in the Top 3? Why is there a top 3? Below is everything you want to know about how a local pack SEO is essential to increase foot traffic into your local business.
Your Friendly Neighborhood SEO
A study by Forbes states that 95% of smartphone users have done a ‘near me’ and out of those Googlers, 60% either called in or visited one of the results. Local SEO uses the same techniques as regular SEO except with a focus on location.
Meaning your postal code, addresses and geo-location are all vital components of this type of online optimization. If you are looking to focus on your immediate area than this is something you should discuss with your SEO expert.
What is a “Local-Pack”?
A local pack is not a hometown pack of wolves but it is a top-of-the-food-chain hunter for quality sustenance. Local pack is a classification system developed by Google to provide the top 3 results to your local searches. This system was originally a 7-pack with a plethora of information provided on first instance. But as smartphones became the main source of local searches, optimization of the results was required.
The new 3-pack system heightened competition between businesses and encouraged sites to create better, and more useful content. These spots are highly coveted because according to Moz.com study 44% of people performing local searches clicked a local 3-pack, in contrast to the 8% that loaded ‘more local results’.
How can it help?
If you are a local based business being on the front page of results can only help increase foot traffic into your business. Having a strong online presence will bring new business but only if it is done properly. The aid of specialists in SEO can help you navigate the intricacies of optimization. As an abuse of techniques can leave you at the end of search results.
How Does it Work?
Step 1: Make you know and Google knows your correct NAP name, address and phone number.
Step 2: Make sure this information is consistent across all boards.
Step 3: Optimize. Reviews, quotes and help from SEOs can put you in the top three
SEOs can not guarantee you will be number 1 or even number 7, but they can work with you to get your business’ name further out there.
Reviews and endorsements from other local business or site can help put you in the 3-pack because this shows Google you are a reliable and trustworthy site.
Local search optimization puts your name in the forefront of possible customers phones and minds. This in turn provides your business with more online and in person traffic which can equal an increase in revenue.
Finally, having your business optimized locally will help locals and wanders alike find you. If you have a top quality mobile site combined with great reviews and reliable endorsements, breaking the top 3 could be within your grasp. Remember to ensure your addresses are up to date and consult an SEO expert if you have any questions.