5 Local SEO Do’s to Boost Your Rankings

Last Updated On August 13th, 2014Local SEO, , , , , ,

localsearchLocal search is rapidly growing. In fact, it has been estimated that by 2015, 30% of all searches will have local intent, when compared with 12% in 2009 that’s a significant jump. Eighty percent of all searches conducted via mobile phone are for local services and products, which means if you aren’t thinking about local SEO for your business, you may soon be left trailing behind your competitors. Follow these 5 local SEO do’s to make sure your business climbs to the top pages of the search engine rankings.

1. Do optimize for localized keywords. This means including the location you want to target in your keyword phrase. Example: “Hair Salon Newport Beach, CA.”

2. Do create listings in local directories. When your business is listed in a variety of directories across the Internet, it increases your web presence and boosts your rankings. If your business isn’t already listed, add it to local directories like Google Places, Yahoo! Local, Yelp, Merchant Circle, SuperPages, etc. The more places you’re listed, the more likely your potential customers are to find you.

3. Do use photos and videos. Uploading optimized photos and videos to your website as well as submitting them to social media websites like Pinterest and YouTube increase your online presence, build your backlinks and keep your brand in front of your customers’ eyes. People love photos and videos which means they’ll be more likely to share them with friends via social networking.

4. Do keep your content fresh. Make sure once your local directory listings are live, that you keep going back to update the content. Keep your website content fresh as well in order to encourage search engines to keep stopping back to index your site. Search engines are looking for relevancy, so if your content is fresh and interesting and people are sharing it with others, it appears relevant and you are rewarded with higher rankings.

5. Do ask your customers for reviews. Depending on what type of business you have, determine one or two review websites to concentrate your efforts on. Then ask your happy customers to share their experiences with others. Tell them exactly where they will be able to find your business on those websites so it’s quick and easy for them. More reviews equal higher rankings as well as help convince potential customers to use your products rather than your competitors.

Top SEO News: Week of March 26, 2012

Last Updated On March 14th, 2024Search Engine News, , , , , ,

Check out the top SEO, search engine and Internet marketing industry news stories from around the Web this week.

Google Eliminates Another Link Network, BuildMyRank.com
Google’s battle with websites that try to get around the search algorithms in order to manipulate search results seems never-ending. However, according to Search Engine Land, on March 19, Google deindexed one of these websites, BuildMyRank.com.

Facebook Timeline Provides 46% Lift in Brand Page Engagement
According to a recent study by Simply Measured, brands are getting an average of 46% more engagement with Facebook Timeline. Read more details about the study here.

How the Web Uses Anchor Text in Links
SEOMoz recently conducted its annual ranking factor summary and found that page level link metrics are the most important ranking factor when paired with domain level link authority features. Read more here.

Despite Bing’s Rise, Google Still Dominates Search
According to Statista, while Google has been dominating Yahoo for several years, Bing has been steadily climbing. Check out the rest of Statista’s findings in this Inforgraphic.

Twitter Turns 6: From 140 Characters to 140 Million Users
According to Search Engine Watch, Twitter celebrated it’s 6th anniversary by announcing that is now has 140 million users.

5 Reasons Why Your Business Needs Facebook for SEO

Local Maps SEO, Local SEO, , , ,

facebooklogoAlthough the main reason companies decide to get on social media networks like Facebook is to engage and interact with their customers, there are other reasons why businesses should maintain a social media presence. One of these reasons is for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes. Boosting your SEO efforts will help your search engine rankings and make it easier for potential customers to find your business rather than your competitors. Here are 5 reasons why your business needs a Facebook page for SEO.

1. Google and Bing crawl and index Facebook pages and comments. This means when people search for keywords that you use on your page, your page will be more likely to show up high in the search results.

2. When people “like” your content on Facebook and share it with others, it makes your page seem more relevant to the search engines. This means you’re more likely to appear high in the rankings. People who “like” your page can also be considered new leads or contacts.

3. Your Facebook presence adds quality backlinks to your website. The more backlinks that lead to your website the higher your business will climb in the rankings.

4. With 800 million users, Facebook is likely a place where your target audience spends time. This means you must have a presence on the social network in order to connect directly with your customers and potential customers.

5. Facebook is easily accessed on mobile devices which gives your customers and potential customers access to your content and keeps your brand in front of their eyes no matter where they are.