Location authority is the fuel that drives rankings in Google local / Google Maps search results. Learn how local SEO success is powered by local authority.

1. LOCATION AUTHORITY
The ranking power, or fuel that drives rankings, for any local business or location in
Google local / Google Maps search results.
In other words, the more location authority your business has, the higher it will rank in
Google local search results.

2. Why is location authority important?
Google says more searches are now conducted on mobile phones than desktop
(Google Inside Adwords, May 05, 2015)
80% of local searches on mobile phones convert / result in offline sales (in store visits,
phone calls) --- 18% of those lead to a new sale within one day
68% mobile consumers use the ‘Get Directions’ or ‘Call’ button
50% of local mobile visitors to your mobile site visit your store / location within one day

3. Why is location authority important?
Near me search growth fueled by mobile
Most popular ‘near me’ searches
lawyers near me
dentist near me
grocery store near me
gas station near me
hair salons near me
movie theater near me
restaurants near me

4. 75% of initial action
after search

5. http://bit.ly/2yoL6JU
Link to Google Maps search results / distance & relevance & how
location authority impacts geofence radius

6. 1. Verify your Google My
Business Listing / Google
Maps listing
Ex: Google your business name and
city / location
Example of non-verified:
http://bit.ly/2jIcb7W
Example of verified:
http://bit.ly/2wFwfsv
How To Build Location Authority:

7. How To Build Location Authority:
2. Citation Distribution
Key distribution partners:
● Yext
● Moz Local
● Sweet IQ
● Niche category specific
○ Legal
○ Medical
○ Dental
○ Sports
○ Home services

8. How To Build Location Authority:
3. Onsite / Location Signals
● Schema language
● Keyphrase to page alignment
within top tier pages
● Optimized homepage & meta
data
● Location signals

9. Examples 1: McRae Family Dental
Core keyword phrase: dentist in athens ga
Hundreds of sub-topical keyword phrases in the dental market
space such as: teeth whitening, dentures, dental implants, root
canal, etc...
The Impact of Location Authority

10. Link: http://bit.ly/2w5mV1G
The Impact of Location Authority

11. Examples 1: Shumaker, Loop, & Kendrick
Core keyword phrase: commercial transactions lawyer
71 core practice areas, 5 locations in the U.S. equates to potentially
tens of thousands of keyword phrase variations in Google

12. Link: http://bit.ly/2sjtEpp
The Impact of Location Authority