Top 10 Local SEO Ranking Factors - Improve your local pack rankings

Are you struggling to improve your local SEO rankings and get your business noticed in local search results? Want to get ahead of other local businesses?

Understanding the key local ranking factors can help optimize your online presence and boost your visibility. In this article, we will discuss the top 10 local search ranking factors and provide tips on improving each to enhance your local pack rankings.

By implementing these strategies effectively, you can increase your chances of appearing in the coveted local pack, the highly visible section at the top of the search engine results page (SERP) displaying local business listings.

Here’s a list to help increase the visibility of all your Google business profiles

1. Keywords in Google business title

One of the most important ranking factors is including relevant keywords in your Google business profile name (Business name). By incorporating keywords that describe your local business and location, you can increase your chances of appearing in relevant searches.

For example, if you own a bakery in Denver, including keywords like “Denver bakery” or “bakery in Denver” in your profile name can help search engines understand your business and rank you higher for local searches in that area.

However, ensuring that these keywords are naturally included and not forced is important, as search engines value organic and authentic content. Also, don’t try to add too many keywords to the title after commas or pauses, as Google may suspend your business profile.

If this has happened, learn how to hang up your business profile on Google.

If you don’t know what keywords are worth adding to your business title in your industry, use Localo audit. Click and check out a sample business audit.

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2. Main category

Choosing the right main category for your business in your Google business profile is a crucial local ranking factor. This helps search engines understand your business and match it with relevant searches. When selecting the main category, be as specific as possible to describe your business accurately.

For instance, if you have a pet grooming service, instead of choosing a broader category like “services,” select a more specific category like “pet grooming.” If you are also a dentist but only offer teeth whitening services, set “teeth whitening” rather than “dentist” as the main category.

This helps Google’s search engine understand the essence of your business and increases your chances of appearing in relevant results for users in your area looking for the services or products you offer.

If you don’t know what main category to set in your business profile , use Localo Audit. Click and check out a sample business audit.

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3. Additional categories

In addition to choosing the main category, adding relevant additional categories to your Google business profile can further enhance your local SEO rankings. This provides a more accurate representation of your business to search engines, increasing your visibility in local search results.

For example, if you offer additional services such as pet sitting or dog walking, adding these categories to your profile can expand your reach and attract a wider audience.

Make sure you pick categories directly related to your business and accurately reflect the services you provide. If you forcefully add a secondary category to your business profile that doesn’t quite match your business offers, your company’s visibility could suffer.

If you don’t know what additional business categories to add to your business profile , use Localo audit. Click and check out a sample business audit.

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4. Keywords in the website address

Including relevant keywords in your address (URL) to optimize your local search engine rankings for SEO is important. This helps search engines understand the nature of your business and can improve your rankings in local search results.

When choosing a domain name for your website, consider incorporating keywords that are relevant to your business and location. For example, if you own a coffee shop in Seattle, having a domain name like “seattlecoffeeshop.com” or “bestseattlecoffee.com” can signal to search engines that your website is highly relevant to local searches for coffee in Seattle.

If you already have a domain, creating a dedicated subpage for your service or location is a great way to do this. For example, you are a dentist in Denver who offers teeth whitening and implants. Go ahead and create a location subpage: “domain.com/teeth-whitening-denver” Or “domain.com/implants-denver”

In this case, if you have one business profile on Google, refer customers to the home page, but if you have multiple Google profiles for different services, locations, or employees, refer customers from the business profile already from a dedicated subpage.

This is one of the most overlooked yet strong local organic ranking factors.

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5. Keywords in reviews from customers

Customer reviews play a significant role in local SEO and search engine rankings. Encouraging customers to include relevant words in their review content can improve local SEO rankings. Search engines consider the content of customer reviews, including keywords, to determine the relevance of your business to specific searches.

You should encourage customers to include specific words in your review content by providing them with a short guide or asking them to mention specific aspects of your business that are important for local SEO, such as a service they used or a product they bought.

Remember to keep it natural, though, and don’t encourage customers to leave fake reviews or spam with keywords, as search engines are becoming more sophisticated in detecting and penalizing such practices.

If you’re wondering how to solicit reviews from customers, here is the perfect strategy for soliciting reviews with specific keywords

If you don’t know what words are important in the content of your review , you can get them from the Localo review sourcing poster.

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6. Adequate number and quality of photos

Having enough high-quality and relevant photos in your Google business profile can positively affect your local SEO rankings. Photos help improve the user experience and make your business more appealing to potential customers. When adding photos, make sure they accurately represent your business and showcase its unique features.

Also, make sure it is thematic and matches what your business actually does. Include photos of your storefront, interior, products or services, and anything else that makes your business stand out. Also, encourage customers to submit photos to show their experience with your business, as this can further improve your business’s online visibility.

If you don’t know how many photos you should add to your business profile , use Localo Audit. Click and check out a sample business audit.

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7. Services section in Google business profile

Adding and completing service sections to your Google business profile can improve your business’s visibility to customers. By providing detailed information about the services you offer, you increase your chances of appearing in relevant searches and attracting local customers.

Be sure to include a complete list of all your services, along with a brief description and any additional details that may be relevant. This helps search engines understand the breadth and depth of your offerings and ensures that your business appears in relevant searches for specific services and customers.

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8. Business citations (NAP)

Consistency and accuracy of a business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) across different directories and online platforms are crucial for the local promotion of a business. Having consistent business directories helps search engines verify your business information, leading to improved local search rankings.

Make sure your NAP information is identical across all online listings, including your Google business profile, social media profiles, and other relevant directories, and your website. This helps search engines build trust and ensures that all mentions of your business are attributed to the correct entity.

If you still want to add your business to important directories for your industry , but don’t know which directories you should add your business to, use Localo Audit. Click and check out a sample business audit.

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9. Systematically publishing information in the business profile

Regularly updating and publishing relevant information in your Google business profile can positively impact your local SEO rankings. This includes, for example, publishing posts, updating contact information, hours of operation, descriptions and any other information that helps potential customers find your business online and get in touch with you.

By updating your profile and providing information, you signal to search engines that your business is active and you are constantly taking care of it. In addition to boosting local search rankings, constantly providing new information can help attract customers and encourage them to engage with your business, which can further improve local SEO rankings.

If you want to create posts for your business profile , but don’t know how, get help from Localo, which will prepare the important words to include in your content and create a suggested post for you. Learn more about creating and scheduling posts with Localo.

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10. Positive reviews from customers

Positive reviews from satisfied customers can significantly affect local SEO rankings. Search engines view reviews as signals of trust and authority, and businesses with more positive reviews tend to rank higher in local search results.

Encourage customers to leave reviews by providing convenient links or reminders after they make a purchase or perform a service. Responding to reviews, both positive and negative, also shows that you value customer feedback and can help improve your overall reputation.

If you don’t know if your business’ current average rating is adequate or too low compared to your competitors , use Localo audit to verify this. Click and check out a sample Localo audit.

What is the best tool for optimizing Google business profile?

If you’re one of those people who value quality, time savings, and ease of implementation and control over your business, we recommend you try Localo - local SEO tool, that offers a number of different features to help you manage your business profile on Google and increase its visibility. It generates weekly tasks, automates the process of creating content, publishing photos, replying to customer feedback, checking the position and visibility of your business and competitors, and much more.

All these features serve to justify why this tool exists at all and not to convince you to buy it.

How to track your local rankings progress?

To effectively track your local rankings progress and monitor the impact of your SEO efforts, we recommend using the Localo - local SEO tool. Localo provides comprehensive local SEO reporting and tracking, allowing you to measure the effectiveness of your strategies and make data-driven decisions.

With Localo, you can monitor your keyword rankings, track your competitors, analyze your online visibility, and gain valuable insights into your local SEO performance. By regularly monitoring your progress, you can identify areas for improvement and adjust your strategies to ensure continuous growth in your local search rankings.

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Summary

By implementing these top 10 local SEO ranking factors and using the Localo tool, you can improve your online visibility and attract more local customers to your business.

Remember that local SEO is an ongoing process, so regularly monitoring your progress and making the necessary changes will help you stay ahead of the competition in local search results.

With the right strategies and tools, you can improve your local rankings and provide a strong online presence for your business in the local community.