This article takes a look at search engine ranking factors from a local perspective. Looking at the direction of Google, with the both the Google Penguin updates and all the hubbub about Pigeon's big influences, local search is only going to become more important and more relevant to your business in future.
Recent survey results conducted by David Mihm at Moz highlight the changes to local search ranking factors and we're going to regurgitate them here in plain speak for our blog visitors. It's the most recent survey on this topic but still nods to the algorithmic model that Mike Blumenthal developed to explain local search ranking factors back in 2008.
The top three local search ranking factor shifts, identified by Mihm, are listed below:
Click-through-rate (CTR) and other behavioral signals that indicate relevancy and audience engagement. According to Mihm, this is a real focus of Google and increasingly relevant to local search results. It means that Google are using data to do with how visitors are interacting with your website and using this data as a quality signal and therefore a ranking factor in search results.
What does this mean in real world?
It means that your meta data and website design is increasingly important to your ranking. The better your website design, the easier users can navigate your site and interact with it in a meaningful and engaged way. For example, a responsive web design will influence the way your website is displayed on mobile or tablet and improve the user journey on a smaller screen device. It also means your meta data is highly relevant because it is what is displayed in search engine results pages, and you need this to be effective to achieve clicks.
Domain authority is on it's way up, especially since Pigeon rollout in America. This means that your URL, your type of security certificate (if you have one), how old your domain is... etc are all ranking factors. It also means that brand signals remain high so having a strong and consistent online brand that is linked to from other reputable sources is highly relevant to a comprehensive SEO strategy.
Proximity to searcher is the biggest mover in recent shifts to Google's algorithm. This is mainly due to advancements in technology that have allowed Google to get better at detecting location at a more granular, hyper-local level - even on desktop.
What does this mean?
This means that it's not your address on your website that is the most important ranking factor anymore but your places listings in maps and other directories that could influence your search rankings for local searches. Make sure that you manage your places listings to ensure you're in the best position for when Pigeon rolls out in the UK.
Local search results affect affect every business, but small and medium businesses most of all. It's likely that if you're a small, local or family run business that you don't have a broad market penetration globally, or even nationally. Most of us rely on regional and local markets that are the bread and butter clients.
Word of mouth, referrals, local search results - these are all key factors that influence business performance from one month to the next. These factors go hand in hand, so it might be the case that improving one element, such as local search rankings has a knock on uplifting effect across the board.
We've always been focused on local search. It's where we manage our local reputation as a leading provider of web design and SEO services. We care more about what Eastbourne know about us than any other town, because it is where we're based. Not to mention that we also get most of our business from other local businesses in Eastbourne, the surrounding area of East Sussex and in the South East of England.
If local search is important to your business, we suggest you start with a FREE SEO report today so that you have a benchmark to compare to when Pigeon rolls out in the UK. This will help you get the insights you need to discern the effect that the algorithm is having on you.
To discuss SEO strategies that react to Google Pigeon, or to chat about search engines in general detail, please contact Harry at harry@barkweb.co.uk or call the office on 01323 735800.