How to Outrank 99% of Local Businesses on Google (SEO Tier List)

Summary

This video script focuses on the critical factors affecting local SEO rankings and provides a tiered list of 20 key elements to prioritize for business owners to improve their visibility on Google Maps. It emphasizes the importance of having the right keywords in the business name and landing page titles, obtaining positive Google reviews, and the significance of physical location. The video debunks myths around social signals and geotagging, while highlighting the value of a complete Google business profile, consistent citations, and strategic backlinks. Ultimately, it underscores the necessity of selecting the most relevant primary and additional categories for the Google business profile to maximize local search engine optimization.

Takeaways

• 🔑 Incorporating keywords in your business name can significantly improve local SEO ranking, but should be done authentically to avoid penalties.
• 🏆 Placing keywords in your landing page title is a high-impact strategy for local SEO and is easily controllable by the business owner.
• ⭐️ The quality of Google reviews, indicated by the average star rating, is more important than the quantity, but striving for both is recommended.
• 📍 Physical location plays a role in rankings, with Google often prioritizing businesses closer to the city center or the searcher's location.
• 📈 Having a dedicated page on your website for each service improves both organic and map rankings by aligning your online presence.
• 🌐 The proximity of your business to the searcher is a factor Google considers, but it's beyond your control as a business owner.
• 🔍 Completing and verifying your Google Business profile is crucial and ranks as a top priority for local SEO.
• 🔗 Internal links are more controllable and almost as powerful as backlinks, so prioritize linking to your landing page from various parts of your website.
• 🚫 Geotagging images is no longer a relevant SEO strategy and is considered a waste of time.
• 📌 Choosing the right primary and additional categories for your Google Business profile is the most important factor for ranking in local search results.

Q & A

What is the significance of including keywords in your business name for local SEO?

Including relevant keywords in your business name can improve your local SEO ranking because it aligns your business listing more closely with the search terms that customers are using. However, it should be done authentically and not appear spammy, as Google's rules prohibit gaming the system.

How does the title of your landing page affect local SEO ranking?

The title of your landing page, which is often your homepage, should include your target keywords. This is beneficial for local SEO as it signals to search engines the relevance of the page to the searched terms, thereby potentially improving your ranking.

Why are positive Google reviews considered a crucial factor for local SEO?

Positive Google reviews are a significant local SEO ranking factor because they not only influence potential customers' trust and decision-making but also contribute to your overall star rating, which Google uses as a ranking signal.

What is the impact of the quantity and quality of reviews on local SEO?

Both the quantity and quality of reviews are important for local SEO. The quality, or average star rating, has a slightly higher impact on ranking than the number of reviews. However, businesses should aim for a high number of positive reviews to increase trust and improve their ranking chances.

How does your physical location affect your visibility in Google Maps?

Your physical location affects how and where you appear in Google Maps. Google tends to show businesses that are closest to the searcher or the city center, which can be a challenging factor to control but is nonetheless considered in the ranking algorithm.

Is social media activity a ranking factor for local SEO?

Social media activity is not a direct ranking factor for local SEO. While it has marketing value and can drive traffic, it does not influence your local search rankings according to the current understanding and practices.

How can having a dedicated page for each service on your website improve local SEO?

Having dedicated pages for each service helps with local SEO by providing additional context and relevance to search engines. It aligns what you state in your Google Business Profile with what you present on your own website, thus reinforcing your business's online presence and credibility.

What should be the focus when optimizing your Google Business Profile?

The focus should be on completeness and accuracy. Ensure that all sections are filled out and the address is verified. This not only helps with local SEO but also presents a professional image to potential customers.

How do keywords in your Google Business Profile affect your local search ranking?

While it might be tempting to include keywords in your Google Business Profile, it's more important to use them naturally and only where they make sense. Forced or irrelevant keyword insertion does not contribute to local search rankings and can potentially harm your profile's credibility.

What is the role of consistent citations in local SEO?

Consistent citations, which include your business's name, address, and phone number, used to be a significant ranking factor. However, with advancements in Google's algorithms, the importance of citation consistency has diminished. Still, it's good practice to maintain accurate and consistent information across different platforms when possible.

How important is having the city name in your website content for local SEO?

Including the city name in your website content is beneficial for local SEO as it helps search engines understand the geographic relevance of your content. It should be incorporated naturally throughout the site, including in page titles, headlines, and body text, without overuse or keyword stuffing.

What is the current state of backlinks for local SEO?

Backlinks remain a strong ranking factor for SEO, including local map pack rankings. However, they are less powerful than before and can be more challenging to obtain. Prioritize relevant backlinks, especially those linking to the page your Google Business Profile points to, but only after addressing higher priority ranking factors.