{"id":10412,"date":"2018-09-14T13:28:20","date_gmt":"2018-09-14T18:28:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.advicelocal.com\/?p=10412"},"modified":"2018-09-14T13:28:20","modified_gmt":"2018-09-14T18:28:20","slug":"google-is-focused-on-local-are-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.advicelocal.com\/blog\/google-is-focused-on-local-are-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Google Is Focused on Local \u2013 Are You?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s All About Local \u2013 And That’s Not Just Because Google Says So<\/h2>\n

We live in a local-driven world, I\u2019m sure you haven\u2019t let that slip your mind. Google knows it, which is why they are focused on serving local results; just like consumers are focused on eating and shopping locally (for the most part.)<\/p>\n

I mentioned before that \u201c<\/a>near me\u201d searches are up by 900%<\/a>. I think it is safe to say consumers want things now, they want them fast and, obviously, as close as possible. If you Google \u201clocalized\u201d you\u2019ll find a few interesting articles on the topic. They have some important insights to consider, even though not all of them are recent.<\/p>\n

\"Local<\/a><\/div>\n

On Rank Ranger\u2019s website there is a detailed studied about Google\u2019s Local Pack distance patterns<\/a>. Check it out, if you haven\u2019t already.<\/p>\n

On the Moz blog, you\u2019ll find an article on geomodified searches, localized results and how to track the right keywords<\/a> that is also worth a read.<\/p>\n

Just this week, Barry Schwartz at Search Engine Roundtable shared some interesting thoughts on how Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) adds localized business names<\/a>. A feature, by the way, that seems to have been out for a while but that not everyone has been able to access. This feature \u00a0\u2013 not accessible through the GBP dashboard \u2013 will let you edit the name of a business directly in web search. The example Barry used is McDonald\u2019s, but spelled in the Russian language. It\u2019s a country-specific feature.<\/p>\n

\"What<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the Point of These Examples?<\/h3>\n

\u201cLocalized\u201d can take many different directions and mean different things to different people \u2013 and to search engines, obviously.<\/p>\n

This is why when a consumer searches for \u201cwine bars near me\u201d or \u201cbest plumbers near me\u201d the answers will always vary. The answers are based on location, obviously, but also on the optimization of the business\u2019 listings, reviews, website content, landing pages, local presence and any ads that might be running.<\/p>\n

Did you know that for intent searches (someone looking to buy a product)<\/em>, paid ads get 65 percent of clicks? On average, 41 percent of clicks go to the top 3 paid ads on the search results page!<\/p>\n

To capture market share over competitors, it\u2019s important to track all the business\u2019 keywords, and write headlines and descriptions that compel the local searcher to click; and once the searcher clicks through from search results, to keep them on the page or clicking through to another one. Ideally, these posts will take them to a page to perform a clear task, whether buying, scheduling a visit or a consult, or taking other type of real-world action \u2013\u00a0one that generates a sale or a lead at the minimum.<\/p>\n

Take Action Now<\/h3>\n

I have so many methods to drive local traffic that putting them all here would make this newsletter too long! Instead, you can read more about them in these links:<\/p>\n