How to Use Content to Rank Your Local Business #1 on Google (10 Years of SEO Experience)

Summary

This video reveals a powerful 40-page blueprint to rank local businesses on Google Maps, focusing on a highly effective website structure. The approach debunks common SEO misconceptions, emphasizing the need for specific content that aligns with Google Business Profiles (GBP). It shows how to leverage AI to create the structure quickly, with detailed pages targeting local intent and services. The strategy includes optimizing GBP categories, adding hyperlocal pages, and using external links for credibility. With this method, businesses can dominate local rankings, attract more clients, and significantly improve their visibility in competitive markets.

Takeaways

• 😀 1. Most local businesses don't understand the optimal website structure that Google rewards, wasting time on ineffective SEO strategies like blog posts.
• 😀 2. The standard SEO advice for local businesses is often ineffective, especially in competitive areas like downtown Chicago.
• 😀 3. The '40-page blueprint' is a proven website structure that helps local businesses rank higher on Google Maps, even in competitive markets.
• 😀 4. Weekly blog posts focused on general topics don’t improve local rankings on Google Maps. A focused, strategic structure is needed.
• 😀 5. Google’s local rankings are influenced by how well the website’s structure matches the Google Business Profile (GBP), not traffic or reviews.
• 😀 6. Local SEO requires a specific website hierarchy based on primary categories, secondary categories, and services, all relevant to the business’s location.
• 😀 7. The client’s medical practice in Chicago struggled with SEO, but after implementing the 40-page structure, their local rankings improved significantly.
• 😀 8. AI can be used to create the 40-page structure quickly, saving time and reducing the need for writing extensive content.
• 😀 9. Adding external links and schema markup, as well as linking between pages, is crucial for building trust and authority with Google.
• 😀 10. By following this strategy, businesses can achieve higher local rankings and more qualified leads, often within just two weeks of implementation.

Q & A

What is the main issue with typical local SEO strategies for businesses?

Most local SEO strategies focus on driving traffic through methods like blog posts, which do not effectively target local search intent or help rank a business on Google Maps. Instead, a specific website structure aligned with Google's local algorithm is needed.

What is the '40 page blueprint' mentioned in the video?

The '40 page blueprint' refers to a specific website structure designed to rank local businesses higher on Google Maps. This structure includes homepage optimization, category-specific pages, and service-specific pages, all crafted to build geographic and topical relevance for better local ranking.

Why do blog posts fail to improve local rankings for businesses?

Blog posts often target national or informational search queries, rather than local intent. This means while they may drive traffic, they do not help improve local visibility or ranking on Google Maps, which is crucial for local SEO.

How does the Google Business Profile (GBP) relate to local SEO rankings?

Google Business Profile (GBP) is central to local SEO because it determines a business's visibility on Google Maps. To rank well, businesses need to ensure their website structure aligns with the GBP's categories and services, helping Google understand their relevance for local searches.

What should be included in the homepage of a local business website for better SEO?

The homepage should include the business's primary category and city name in the title tag and H1 tag. Additionally, the first paragraph of the homepage content should directly address the primary category and location to help Google associate the page with local search queries.

What is the significance of optimizing Google Business Profile categories?

Optimizing Google Business Profile categories is crucial because Google allows businesses to list up to 10 relevant categories. Adding multiple categories helps Google better understand the business’s offerings and align them with the corresponding pages on the website for better local ranking.

How can AI help create content for the 40 page website structure?

AI can significantly speed up content creation for the 40 page structure by generating location-specific content with minimal input. By using specific AI prompts, businesses can generate high-quality content quickly, leaving only minor edits to personalize it.

What is the role of external links in local SEO?

External links act as quality verification signals for Google. When each page of the website has at least one external link, it boosts the page’s credibility and authority, especially for AI-generated content. This helps the pages rank higher on Google Maps.

Why is local business schema markup important for local SEO?

Local business schema markup is a code that provides Google with structured information about the business's type and location. When perfectly aligned with the Google Business Profile, it helps Google better understand and rank the business in local search results.

How soon can businesses expect to see improvements in their local rankings after implementing this strategy?

Businesses can typically see improvements in their local rankings within two weeks after implementing the 40 page structure and supporting SEO elements, such as external links, schema markup, and Google Maps embeds.