Key ranking factors to consider for local SEO success

So you're committed to improving your local visibility on Google. What's really going to make a difference to your local search ranking? Google's algorithm for local search results relies on many different signals. To ensure that your local business ranks well for search terms relevant to your business, it is crucial to focus on several local SEO ranking factors.

Local SEO Ranking Factors From 2013 to 2021

Google's local search algorithm is subject to change, therefore local businesses need to be constantly proactive (and reactive) to these changes to ensure their website appears in search results. The ranking of local search engines can have an enormous impact on customer conversions, so any important changes should be closely monitored.

Interestingly, social signals are not as important as they used to be when it comes to local search rankings. This is likely because social media platforms are constantly changing, so it's a struggle to keep up with the latest trends. The removal of social signals from the algorithm has caused other factors to become more important in the algorithm.

Read on to find out which factors are currently the most prominent.

Local Pack/Finder Ranking Factors Over the Years

Since 2015, Google Business Profile has become even more significant for Local Pack/Finder ranking, jumping from 15% in 2015 to 36% last year. 

Local Organic Ranking Factors That Matter Over Time

The Local Search Ranking Factors survey showed that on-page optimisation and links are the two most important factors for localised organic rankings, making up 65% of what is vital for ranking.

There are, however, other essential factors that you have to consider besides the key ones mentioned above, which  should help you achieve a higher ranking than your competitors. One thing to watch in the ever changing local search landscape and algorithm are citations.  These appear to be becoming more important for ranking again after declining in importance for a while.

Remember it's essential to focus on more than just the individual factors mentioned and to take a strategic and holistic approach. Many other factors contribute to local search, so make sure you pay attention to all of them.

Google Business Profile (GBP) Signals 

Google My Business is a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes. But, like any tool, there are certain signals you should be aware of to get the most out of your GBP. Here are some signals you should keep an eye on:

Review Signals

One of the most important signals you should look for when using Google My Business is the quality of reviews. If your business has a lot of positive reviews, it likely means that people are using the tool and enjoying it. 

Unsurprisingly, a business with a high Google rating is more likely to gain trust, convert customers and get more sales. This is because people trust people and real customer opinions. Therefore companies with high ratings  are more likely to convert..

The value of online reviews has been on the rise in recent years, particularly for local businesses. Having a process in place to monitor, collect, and display reviews can save time and improve a business's online reputation.

Review management software available today can make it easier to automate review monitoring. This helps ensure that you won't miss any vital feedback and can also help grow the number of reviews you get.

Whilst gaining positive reviews is the objective for all of us, don’t be put off asking for reviews because you are scared of receiving a negative one. All negative reviews can be turned into a positive customer experience if you manage them correctly. Make sure  not only to get Google reviews from customers, but also comments on third-party review sites in addition to improve your ranking and encourage conversions.

On-Page Signals

Individual on-page optimisation factors can be controlled by the website owner. These include elements such as NAP data (Name, Address, Phone number), keywords and meta tags.

Some other examples of on-page signals are your website's title and meta tags, image alt tags, header tags and page titles, as well as keyword usage. Optimising your website for these signals can help improve your site's ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Relevant Content

The amount of content on a site is important, but how relevant that content is to the keywords being searched is far more important, so never just stuff your content full of keyword phrases. Always make sure your content is useful and relevant to the searcher. 

How authoritative the site is, in general, will also influence how well the site ranks in local search results.

On top of the above points, in order to improve your website's ranking in local search results, you should include the name of your location in multiple places across your website. Using location-specific keywords in the metadata for titles and descriptions across your site would be a great place to start.Taking the above steps will help you become a serious competitor in the local search results.

Link Signals

The number of inbound links, the linking domain's authority, and the link's anchor text are all essential factors in link building.

Localised link signals are a key ranking factor for businesses that want to appear in search results for a specific geographic area. By optimising their website and building local links, companies can improve their chances of appearing in the search results for people in their target area.

The quality of inbound links to a website is the most critical factor in determining that website's organic search ranking, followed by the quantity and quality of internal links across the site.

The anchor text of inbound links (links from other websites) is important for ranking in localised organic results. This means that if you seriously want to rank well locally, include links from other websites that use relevant keywords in the anchor text. In addition, the quantity of inbound links from locally-relevant domains also plays an important part in local ranking.

Behavioural Signals

Google  increasingly uses behavioural signals to rank websites. These signals include how long someone spends on a website, whether they return to the website, and how often they visit the website.

Behavioural signals are important in ranking because they are difficult to manipulate. These signals are determined by the searcher's actions and can only be influenced to a limited extent.

So, if you want your business to rank well on Google, you need to focus on creating highly engaging content that people will want to spend time on. You also need to ensure your website is easy to navigate and that people will want to return to it.

Personalisation Signals

Google is constantly personalising search results based on a user's past behaviour. This means that businesses should be aware of the personalisation signals they send to Google. Some personalisation signals include:

• Location: Google will personalise results based on a user's location. Businesses with a physical location should ensure that their Google My Business profile is correctly updated with their address and city.

• Search History: Google will also personalise results based on a user's search history. This means businesses should ensure that they are using the correct keywords in their Google My Business profile and that their website is optimised for those keywords.

• Browser History: Google will also personalise results based on a user's browser history. What this means is that businesses should ensure that their website is optimised for different browsers.

Citation Signals

One of the most important signals that one should watch is citations. A citation is simply an online mention of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP). Citations could come from a variety of sources, including directories, review sites, and blog posts.

The more citations you have, the more likely it is that Google will trust your business and display it in relevant search results. In fact, a recent study showed that those businesses with more than 50 citations are twice as likely to be shown in local search results as businesses with fewer than ten citations.

That's why it's important to ensure your NAP is accurate and consistent across all your citations. If you notice that your business is showing up in the wrong location, or with the wrong phone number, it's time to start tracking down the sources of the errors and fixing them.

The good news is, that there is a plethora of tools and services that can help you manage your citations. By using such tools, you can make sure your business is getting the recognition it deserves online.

Conclusion

Local SEO ranking signals play an important role in improving your website’s visibility in search engine results pages. By optimising your website for these factors, your businesses can improve its chances of appearing in the first few results pages for relevant searches.   Implement the signals discussed above, and you will  see a positive impact both in your Local Pack and your localised organic rankings.

LocalMark offers local SEO services in the UK. If you need help getting more attention for your local business, our local search team can help. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our local SEO service!