For the majority of local businesses, Search engine optimization has become the most profitable marketing type to invest in. However, SEO also diverges into 2 categories (see the image below). One is the map where your business can show on map results and the other one is a search when a person uses Google search to locate a business. Both map rankings and search rankings play a vital role in determining a local business's visibility and attracting potential customers. But which one is better for a local business? Let's delve into the significance of these rankings and why they matter for local businesses.
Map rankings refer to a business's position on popular map applications like Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Bing Maps. When users search for a specific service or product near their location, these apps display a list of relevant businesses on a map, along with their contact information, ratings, and reviews. Example: Google will populate relevant Google business profiles when a user searches relevant terms to the business. Here are a few reasons why map rankings are essential for local businesses:
Note: This is why it is imperative to hire a reliable Google My Business Optimization Service to optimize your business profile to make it more relevant to the customer demographics you are targeting.
Search rankings refer to a business's position on search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant keywords and phrases. When users search for a specific product or service, search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo display a list of relevant websites and businesses.Here are some reasons why search rankings are crucial for local businesses:
While map rankings and search rankings are distinct, they are closely intertwined and can influence each other. For example, a business's presence on Google Maps can impact its search rankings on Google, and vice versa. Additionally, positive reviews and ratings on map applications can contribute to better search rankings, as search engines consider these factors when determining relevance and authority. To illustrate the importance of map and search rankings, let's consider the following data table:
| Ranking Factor | Impact on Local Business |
|---|---|
| Top 3 Map Ranking | - 88% of consumers visit a business within 24 hours after searching for it on their mobile device |
| - 28% of local searches result in a purchase | |
| Top Search Ranking | - Businesses on the first page of Google receive 92% of all search traffic |
| - 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results |
As evident from the data, ranking at the top for both map and search results can significantly impact a local business's visibility, foot traffic, and ultimately, its success.
Unfortunately, SEO can be very challenging due to the amount of work involved in it. There are 3 segments of SEO these are:
It refers to the practice of optimizing individual web pages with relevant keywords to rank higher in search engine results and provide a better user experience. It involves optimizing various elements on a website such as:
The goal of on-page SEO is to make web pages more discoverable and relevant for target keywords, while also ensuring a positive user experience for visitors. It helps search engines better understand the content and purpose of each page, improving the chances of ranking higher in search results for relevant queries. As the experts state: pages should be made for humans not for search engines to rank! Keep it in mind, that your page speed and structure play a huge role on getting ranked on Google.
Off-page SEO is techniques and activities performed outside of your website to improve its search engine rankings. It primarily involves building high-quality backlinks from reputable external websites, which signal to search engines that your site is authoritative and trustworthy. Other off-page SEO tactics include building brand mentions, generating positive online reviews, increasing social media engagement, and promoting content on external platforms. The goal of off-page SEO is to enhance your website's online reputation, authority, and visibility, ultimately leading to higher search rankings and more organic traffic. Here are some of the backlink types out there:
Notes: For local map ranking, it is said that the citation backlinks are determining factors. These backlinks could help you rank higher on maps and search results. But consistency is the key! What I mean by that is for every citation you build for your business you need to make sure your NAP (name, address, phone) is always up to date. This could negatively affect your SERP rankings significantly.
Technical SEO is the process of optimizing the technical aspects and fixing error that are found by the Google search console. It involves making changes to a website's architecture, coding, and other technical elements to make it easier for search engines to crawl, understand, and index the site's pages. Some key areas of technical SEO include:
The goal of technical SEO is to eliminate any technical barriers that could prevent search engines from properly crawling, indexing, and rendering a website, ultimately leading to higher search engine rankings and increased organic traffic.
