This document provides an introductory guide to local search engine optimization (SEO). It discusses what local SEO is, how it differs from normal SEO, and the types of businesses that need local SEO. It highlights that a large percentage of searches have local intent and local SEO can help businesses attract local customers. The document provides tips for local SEO activities like claiming local business listings, optimizing online profiles, getting reviews, and on-site optimization. It emphasizes the importance of consistency across listings and profiles.

1. Local SEO 101
An Introductory Guide to Local Search Engine Optimization

2. Who is this guy?
Parnell Pierre-Louis | Digital Marketing Consultant
@ParnellPL
 Local Search Expert
 Bridging the gap between offline and online marketing
 Participates in the monthly review of client online marketing
strategy and implementation for Search, Social Media,
Conversion Optimization, and Content Marketing
 Expert in OOH, Guerilla and Millennials Marketing campaigns
 Avid Ping Pong Player, Toastmaster member, home cook guru
& father of triplet boysY

3. What is Local SEO?
Local Search Engine Optimization is the practice
of improving the quantity and quality of traffic
from searches with geographic intent.
How is Local SEO different from Normal SEO?
Local SEO targets users on a local level rather than nationally, subsequently rankings in
geographic areas, online local business listings, and local focused content are
essential.
What types of businesses need Local SEO?
Any business with local customers. If a business has a physical location, or local phone
number, you should be doing local SEO.

4. Customer Lifecycle Marketing

5. Marketing is More Effective Than Advertising in
the Long Run
Advertising
Content Marketing
Src: Brightlocal 2012

6. Why Local SEO is So Important
There are well over 10 billion unique searches done each
month, and that’s just in the United States! Of those searches,
• 20% of Desktop queries have local intent
• 50% of Mobile queries have local intent
There are OVER TWO BILLION unique Local searches per month on Google from
Desktop computers in the U.S. Google and Yahoo, and Bing have made dramatic shifts
in how they return results, and all the trends point to Local.
Additionally, mobile search is exploding. Approximately one in five searches is
performed from a mobile device, and mobile searches primarily pull their results from
Local Search Engines. All of this is to say, the potential to attract new customers via
Local Search is tremendous.

7. You Have 2 Types of Customers

8. Anatomy of Search Engine Results
For local searches, Google tends
to return results that include a
blend of both website and local
information, mostly from Google
+Local pages.
Since the Spring of 2012, Google
has significantly increased the
percentage of "Blended“ results
for local searches meaning it's
Important to claim & optimize
Google +Local profiles, and local
business listings.

9. 6% click on paid ads
70 % click on the first three links1
24 % click on other links & pages
1Source: IMFORZA 2013
Local Search
Paid Ads
Paid Ads
Organic
Increase your presence here to
Dominate Google
Where are your customers clicking?

10. Wrong Name
* Custom Content Council Study 2013
61
of consumers feel better about a
company that delivers local custom
content and are more likely to buy from
that company.
%
of consumers

11. Local Search Results
In addition to basic
business information
(business name,
address, and phone
number, local search
results display links to
Google+ pages,
reviews, directions,
business images, and
other Google products
such as street view.

12. Top Local Search Ranking Factors
1. Physical Address in City of Search (Approximate to Centroid )
2. Proper Business Category Associations in Business Listings
3. Accurate & Complete Business Citations
4. Domain Authority of Website
5. Reviews – Velocity, Quantity, Keywords in Reviews.

13. 50% of Local Searches Are On
Directories and Mobile Apps
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0%
15.1%
37%
43%
Missing / Wrong Address Missing / Wrong Name Customers Who Would
Look for Another Merchant
Wrong Address
Wrong Name
Go To a
Competitor
Directory Profiles Missing Basic Brand Information
* Yext Study 2012
If name,
address and
phone are
wrong …
How Many Local
Customer Touch
Points Are
Missing Your
Brand Message?

14. Claim Your Local Business Listings
Claiming your listings gives you control over how the search engines index you
and prevents spammers from hijacking them. This can also improve your
search engine rankings and bring you more traffic.

15. How to Check Your Local Listings
See how your business is listed on Google, Bing, and other major local search engines.
Getlsited.org and Yext.com provide free,
• Listing Snap Shots
• Listing Completion Reports
• Listing Accuracy Reports

16. Your Report – 87% Inconsistent
Errors in info
Missing Listing
Missing Information
Missing Listings in Full Report
Missing Information

17. Deals – Call To Action
• Top 4 reasons why an active deal is great even if it doesn't get a claim directly:
• 1. If you have an active deal, it will be included in each email newsletter you send,
creating increased loyalty to people who already have signed up
• 2. They are used as a call to action on directories like Yahoo, Foursquare, Citysearch,
etc. making your profile there more attractive on those sites and building links for SEO
• 3. They are syndicated on Coupons.com, 8Coupons, Local Saver, Yellow Pages app, and
many other coupon sites, again getting awareness and building links for SEO
• 4. They are used as a call to action on your mobile site – if you are using our mobile site
• You may not get claims directly, but may get claims on third party sites and additional
promotion and links everywhere online.

18. Submitting Local Business Listings
• Categories – select relevant categories accurate
to your business.
• Consistent Business Information – use the exact name, address,
and phone number for all profiles. Include hours, payments
accepted, and other relevant details.
• Local Phone Number – if possible use a local phone number, some local directories reject listings
without local phone numbers.
• Optimized Business Descriptions – optimize description for location and product/service keywords.
• Products/Services – list all relevant products and or services
• Service areas – if applicable specify service areas, this is feature is available in Google+ Local that
can help make your listing more relevant to specific search areas.
• Logo, Photos, Videos
• Coupons & Special Offers

19. Google+ Local
Claiming Google+ Local is an imperative. As mentioned
earlier this listing is what appears in local search results on
Google. Google+ Local Listings ranking factors Include:
• Proper Category Associations
• Local Area Code on Place Page
• Product / Service and Location Keywords in Business Title
• Association of Photos with Page
• Product / Service and Location Keyword in Place Page Description
• Product / Service Keywords in Place Page Custom Attributes
• Number of Actions Taken by Searchers on a Place Page
• Association of Videos with Place Page
• Inclusion of Offer on Place Page

20. Google+
Local Rank
Consistency of
Data Across
Directories
Website
Schema
Encoding
Keyword
Usage
Content Rich
Google+
Local
Factors Affecting Google+ Local Rank

21. Google+ Local Optimization
• Claim and optimize every location’s Google+ Local
– Descriptions, photos, videos, hours, etc.
– Localize each profile with neighborhood / city keywords so they rank better
• Work directly with Google’s Local Search Data team
– Evolve as Google makes updates (x updates last year)
Your Pages Optimized Pages
EVOLVE

22. Top Citation Sources
The Best Local Citations by City and Category
Getlisted.org provides
recommendations for where to
get your business listed on local
websites and directories, and on
websites in your industry.

23. Quick Local Listings Submission
Universal Business Listings
UBL.org distributes your enhanced listing to the key underlying databases
that provide anchor data to major search platforms.
Other services:

24. Online Reviews
52% of users said that positive online reviews
make them more likely to use a local business
How Do I Get More People to Review My Business?
 Advertise and link to your profiles on the major search engines on your own
website.
 Create a “How to Leave a Review” Page on your site with detailed instructions for
visitors
 Include a link to a site where recipients can leave a review in the signature of all
email communications.
 If your customer has an obvious email address, such as @Gmail.com or
@Yahoo.com, simply ask them to review your business using that particular search
engine.
 Do not manipulate reviews!

25. Onsite Local SEO
Just as important as offsite efforts in Local SEO is an
optimized website.
 Titles, Meta Descriptions, and Headers –
optimized for location and product/service keywords
 Local content – targeted for location and product/service keywords
 Schema code – markup code allows search engines to easily identify and
categorize content, schema code should be used for business information
including address, phone numbers and can be used for such things as reviews
and recipes. your full business contact information in rich snippet format on the
site.
 HTML Onsite NAP matching +Local page NAP. It’s more important than ever
that Google be able to associate your +Local page with your website.
 KML File on Domain Name – KML files help validate accurate business contact
information.

26. The Ultimate Local Landing Page
“The Ultimate Local Landing Page”
is a resource guide I created for optimizing
onsite location page(s).
Consider all the local related
content you can include on a
location page to enhance your
visitors experience and to optimize for
search engines.

27. – 40% of small businesses do not have websites
– 80% do not have mobile-optimized websites
– #1 local marketing expenditure with lowest attrition
Starts With A Modern Website

28.  Fully responsive
technology
 Modern design
 Engaging content
 Optimized for search
 Optimized to convert
 Full service
Best-in-Class Websites

29. Demo Sites
• Medical
(Dentists): http://dashboard.localvoxsites.
com/preview/29c2f1f0
• Professional Services
(Lawyer): http://dashboard.localvoxsites.c
om/preview/d66dd9f9
• Health and Beauty (Hair
Salon): http://dashboard.localvoxsites.com
/preview/4e092589

30. Demo Sites
Auto
Repair: http://dashboard.localvoxsit
es.com/preview/ee053415
Retail (Trophy Awards
Shop): http://dashboard.localvoxsites.com/previ
ew/88bc68e7
Restaurant: http://dashboard.localvox
sites.com/preview/2128440e
Home Services
(Painter): http://dashboard.localvoxsites.com/previ
ew/6c0667cd

31. Local SEO Resources
• LocalVox Resources: http://localvox.com/resources/
• David Mihm for SEO Moz:
http://www.seomoz.org/users/profile/439609
• Local Search Ranking Factors: http://www.davidmihm.com/local-
search-ranking-factors.shtml
• Mike Blumenthal’s Blog: http://blumenthals.com/blog/
• Search Engine Land’s Local SEO Column:
http://searchengineland.com/library/local-search/
• Andrew Shotland's Blog: http://www.localseoguide.com/
• Nifty Marketing Local Search Blog: http://niftymarketing.com/

32. For a Free Directory Listing
ppierrelouis@localvox.com
My LinkedIn Profile:
Parnell Pierre-Louis
www.linkedin.com/in/parnellpierrelouis/
Thank you.