Learn about the steps that accountants, CPAs and accounting marketers can take to develop their local SEO including free assessment tools to see where to get started.

1. BLAZING A TRAIL
WITH LOCAL SEO
Brian D. Swanson

2. Today’s Presentation

3. Today’s Presentation
 What is Local SEO?
 Optimizing for Local
 Audit Your Local Presence
 Google 2019
 Questions

4. About the Speaker
 18 Years in Accounting
Marketing
 Experience at Big 4 &
Regional CPA Firms
 SEMPO Certified - Search
Engine Marketing & Advanced
Search Engine Optimization
 Google Analytics Certified

5. Local SEO

6. What is Local SEO?

7. Local SEO - Examples
Google
Returns
Results
Closest to the
Searcher
Based on the
IP Address in
the “Local
Pack”.

8. Local SEO - Examples
Google
Returns
Results
Closest to the
Searcher’s
Phone Based
on the
Location in the
“Local Pack”.

9. Local SEO - Stats
Why is Local Important?
Source : go-globe.hk

10. Local SEO - Stats
Source : hubspot.com

11. Local SEO - Stats
Source : hubspot.com

12. Local SEO - Stats
Source : fanandfuel.com

13. Optimizing for Local

14. Optimizing for Local
How Do You Optimize for Local?
 Check Website – Ensure Information is Updated
 Claim Listings – Google My Business, Yellow Pages
and Social Media
 NAP Consistency – Not That Kind of NAP silly!
 Citations/Links
 Online Reviews – Google, Facebook and Others!

15. Check Website
Review Site Information
 Accurate & Correct
 Individual Page (URL) for
Each Office Location
 Embed a Google Map
 Contain Information About
the Location

16. Local Listings
4
Claim/Review Listings
 Google/Bing Business Listing
 Yelp Listings
 Generic Business Listings –
Apple Maps, Insider Pages,
InsiderPages
 Niche Specific Listings – State
Society of CPAs, AICPA and other
Accounting Firm Listings

17. Local Listings
Listing Examples

18. NAP Consistency
Name, Address, Phone
 Name – Ensure Consistent Use of
Name
 Address – Business Location
Address Only
 Phone – Use Local Phone When
Possible
 Website – Link to Individual Business
Location Information

19. NAP Consistency
Special Note

20. Local Listings

21. Optimizing for Local
The More Citations Connected to a Firm the Higher the Local
Rankings!

22. Optimizing for Local
Expanding Local Citations
 Yelp
 Superpages
 City Search
 Yellow Pages
 Express Update USA (formally infoUSA)
 Yahoo Local
 Trip Advisor
 Merchant Circle

23. Find Local Listings

24. Online Reviews
Source : smartinsights.com

25. Online Reviews
 Rating Scores
 Review Quantity + Quality
 Review Diversity
 Keywords in Reviews and Responses
 Freshness of Reviews

26. Online Reviews
Review Best Practices
 Ask for Reviews
 Respond to ALL Feedback
 Always Act Professional
 Track Reviews Across Platforms
 Keep ‘em Fresh

27. Audit Your Presence
https://moz.com/local/search

28. Audit Your Presence

29. Audit Your Presence
Incomplete Listings

30. Audit Your Presence

31. Audit Your Presence
Inconsistent Listings

32. Audit Your Presence
Duplicate Listings

33. Google 2019

34. Google and You
Actionable Steps - 2019
 Page Load Time
 Structured Data

35. Site Security
Since 2014, Google has Stated that
Site Security is a “Light Ranking
Factor”.
In July 2018, Chrome Displays
Websites without a SSL Certificate
as Not Secure.

36. Page Load Time
In 2018 Google Officially
Launched Mobile Page
Load Time as a MAJOR
Ranking Signal for
Mobile Websites.

37. Page Load Time

38. Page Load Time

39. Page Load Time Test
https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/

40. Page Load Time Test
https://www.gtmetrix.com

41. Structured Data
What is Structured Data?
Special Markup Developed by
Google, Yahoo and Bing Which
Offers Search Result
Enhancements and Content
Specific Features.

42. Structured Data
Why Should You Care?
 Rich Search Results
 Rich Cards (Mobile)
 Rich Snippets (Desktop)
 Knowledge Graph
 Breadcrumbs
Improves Click Through Rates!

43. Structured Data

44. Structured Data - Example

45. Structured Data - Example

46. Questions?
Brian Swanson
bswanson@flashpointmarketing
.biz
954-621-8080 (US)
+52-322-242-9414 (Mexico)
www.flashpointmarketing.biz