Local SEO 101: Guest lecture for "Introduction to Search Engine Marketing" at Temple University, October 2015.

1. Local SEO 101
October 28, 2015
Cori Shirk, Seer Interactive
Temple University - Intro to Search Engine Marketing

2. How many of you have
ever used Google to
find something
nearby?

3. Local SEO =

4. A little bit about me...
● I work at Seer Interactive here in Philly
○ ...with your teacher!
● I’ve been doing local search for about
3 ½ years
○ ...and I’m a huge nerd about it (proof → )
● I majored in music in college
○ ...and I didn’t even know what “SEO” was
when I was in school, so you guys are
already way ahead of where I was!
P.S. Keep in touch! coris@seerinteractive.com, @corishirk

5. What is Local SEO?
Short Answer

6. What is Local SEO?
● It’s being where your customer is searching
● It’s understanding your customer’s needs at different stages in their
purchase journey, and marketing to each stage
● It’s the bridge between real world businesses and the internet

7. Anatomy of a
Local SERP
1. Local Ads
2. Local Results
3. Localized Organic Results

8. Types of Local Search Queries
Explicit: “hotel in Philadelphia”
● You tell Google you want local results by including a local modifier (i.e. a city or a
neighborhood)
● Usually indicate that the user is farther down in the purchase funnel and is ready to visit a
location
Implicit: “hotel”
● Google assumes you want local results based on the type of thing you’re looking for
● Usually indicate that the user is still top-of-the-funnel and browsing options

9. How does Google
decide which
businesses to show in
local results?

10. For once, the world does
revolve around you.

11. For once, the world does
revolve around you.
You want to find businesses near you. Google knows that, so it will rank
businesses nearby wherever it is you’re searching.

12. ● Google My Business signals
○ Google local listings
● External signals
○ Consistent address data across the web
● On-page signals
○ Consistent address data, locally relevant
keywords, website authority
● Link signals
● User reviews of a business
○ On Google and around the web
● Social signals
● User behavior
○ Bounce rate, click-through rate
There Are Some Other Factors That Come Into Play, Though.

13. NAPs are important!

14. Business Name
Business Address
Local business Phone number
} NAP

15. Google Doesn’t Know What Happens Offline
● It needs to find ways to translate real-world actions into data that it can
make sense of

16. ● Your NAP is how search engines understand what your business is and
where it’s located.
● The more times the NAP shows up online, the better search engines
understand your business, and the higher your chances are of ranking.
● Consistency is important! Your NAP should reflect your business online
exactly how it is offline.
NAP

17. Common NAP Problems
● Keyword stuffing in business name
○ “Qdoba Temple” vs just “Qdoba”
● Official names vs common names
○ “Temple University” vs just “Temple”
● Call tracking numbers
● Moved addresses
● Rebranding / Renaming

18. Local Listing
An online profile that contains business information like a business’ name,
address, phone number, and other details.
Any instance of a business’ NAP online.
All listings are citations, but not all citations are listings. The more
citations you have, the better search engines understand your business,
and the more likely you are to rank.
Citation

19. What are some
popular local listing
websites?

20. Local Listings

21. Google My Business
The name of the platform businesses use to
manage their business information on Google,
used for both small businesses and large chains.
● Google My Business listings (a.k.a.
Google+ local pages) are the pages that
rank in local search results.
● Businesses can provide the following
info:
○ Name
○ Address
○ Phone number
○ Photos
○ A description of the business
○ Hours
○ Website

22. How else can Google
translate real-world
activity to data that it
can understand
online?

23. Google My Business
The name of the platform businesses use to
manage their business information on Google,
used for both small businesses and large chains.
● Google My Business listings (a.k.a.
Google+ local pages) are the pages that
rank in local search results.
● Businesses can provide the following
info:
○ Name
○ Address
○ Phone number
○ Photos
○ A description of the business
○ Hours
○ Website

24. Google My Business
The name of the platform businesses use to
manage their business information on Google,
used for both small businesses and large chains.
● Google My Business listings (a.k.a.
Google+ local pages) are the pages that
rank in local search results.
● Businesses can provide the following
info:
○ Name
○ Address
○ Phone number
○ Photos
○ A description of the business
○ Hours
○ Website

25. Local Search “Conversions” That Impact Rankings
Clicks for Driving Directions
● Tell Google that you (the user) are satisfied with the search results, and that you intend to visit
the business
● Strong signal that online behavior will carry into an offline action
Reviews
● Tell Google that you did in fact visit that business, and if your experience was satisfactory
● Bring that offline behavior back online & translate it to data (1-5 star standard rating system)

26. Influential Review Sites

27. When do you leave
reviews online?

28. Getting Positive Reviews
● Ask customers for them in-store
● Follow up with an email reminder
● Link to each store’s local listings on each store’s page on your website

29. Provide a great experience for your
customers, from the minute they
search for your service to the minute
they walk out your door.

30. How many of you have
clients that would
want to show up when
people are searching
Google to find a store?

31. Good vs Bad UX
“motorcycle gear”
“ BHLDN NYC” vs “David’s Bridal Westminster CO”
“Forever 21 Philadelphia PA”
“ice dam removal CT”
http://firedamagerepair-247.net/locations
http://www.rotorooter.com/locations

32. On-Page Local SEO
● First impression (i.e. good design) matters.
● Use relevant and locally-centric keywords in your page copy and your
meta tags, but don’t overdo it. Keep it natural.
● Include your NAP
● Use Schema markup to highlight important data to search engines

33. Schema Markup
Code that helps search engines understand what
your website is about, and therefore return
better results to users.
● Think of Schema as a highlighter you
can use to show important things to
search engines
● Use Schema markup for:
○ Your NAP
○ Reviews
○ Your logo
○ Local events you’re hosting
○ Localized product/ service offerings
“events in Philadelphia”

34. Links to Your Website From Other Local Websites
● Like citations, local links are confirmation for Google that your business
operates in a real location in the real world
● Links help Google understand real-world activity
● You can get links from:
○ Local listings
○ Press releases
○ Local news coverage
○ Other businesses you work with

35. ● Google My Business signals
○ Google local listings
● External signals
○ Consistent address data across the web
● On-page signals
○ Consistent address data, locally relevant
keywords, website authority
● Link signals
● User reviews of a business
○ On Google and around the web
● Social signals
● User behavior
○ Bounce rate, click-through rate
Local Search Ranking Factors

36. Google My Business Page Finder
http://www.michaelcottam.com/google-business-page-finder/