With search engines becoming more and more crowded with content on a regular basis, the importance of local SEO has risen significantly. Small businesses are beginning to see the opportunities available to them when it comes to ranking at the top of major search engines for searches by local consumers.
If you do not have many competitors in your area with a digital presence, ranking locally in search engines will not be very difficult. However, if you are competing with several others for the top spots locally, you need to be sure that you are going through all of the necessary processes to do this. To help you with this, here are a few things that you should know about local SEO.
Accuracy of Online Listings is Essential
If you already have a digital presence, there is a good chance that you have your company’s name, address, and contact information listed throughout several different areas of the web. While doing this is important, it is essential that all of this information is accurate and consistent.
Even having a single inaccurate listing on a website can cause some significant negative consequences towards your ability to rank locally. Seek out the areas of the web in which your business is listed and make sure that those listings are completely accurate with updated information about your business.
You Need to Fill Out Directory Information Completely
While listing your company’s name, address, and contact information online is certainly important, simply listing this information is rarely going to actually lead to new customers. At the end of the day, consumers want to know as much as possible about your business to determine whether you are a good fit for their needs.
To provide them with this, you need to make sure that your directories are filled out completely. Some of the most important information necessary to list is:
Hours of Operation
Website
Prices
Product or services offered
Reviews
Forms of payment accepted
In addition, many companies also list their credentials and provide compare features with local competitors. Filling out these directories completely will not just help you with Asheville SEO, but it will also help to convert the consumers who find your business through search engines.
Reviews Matter a Lot
There has been a significant rise in the amount of third party review sites available throughout the web. Major search engines have taken note of the role that these sites play in consumer decisions and have made them a major part of their search engine algorithms.
You are probably already well aware of just how important reviews are to bringing customers in or turning them off. With the fact that they are now included in search engine algorithms, their importance is even higher than ever. Be sure to include positive reviews and testimonials on your website and in your directory listings.
