An Advertising Agency Lists Down Factors to Help Your Business Rank Higher Locally

1. August 3, 2017 Every business that primarily operates a brick-and-mortar store largely depends on potential customers found within its immediate vicinity. It’s already hard enough to compete with large, more well-known brands, but competition on the local scale is also quite tough. Fortunately, local business owners can get ahead with a sound online marketing strategy that takes Google’s algorithm into account. Exactly what does it take to place higher on local search results today? Here are some factors that businesses should focus on. 1

2. Proximity to Point of Search A survey conducted by Moz has revealed that searcher-business distance is the top ranking factor when it comes to local search. After all, most consumers want to dine out or shop where it’s more convenient for them, and it only makes sense for businesses to target those who are readily within reach. The first step for businesses is to claim their Google My Business listing. Doing so will increase the likelihood of showing up in search results. Additional exposure comes with Google Maps and visibility on practically any mobile device too. The best part –it’s all free! However, you must make sure that your listings are accurate. According to the same Moz survey, false business address, incorrect business categories, mismatched landing page addresses or contact numbers and other inaccuracies are considered as negative ranking factors. Therefore, it’s best to have a professional set up your listings for you. Quality and Authority of Links Search engines place a high value on good backlinks. These links help add validity to your website, making users see your business as an authority in your industry. Quality certainly takes precedence over quantity in this case. Businesses need to be more critical of any website’s link-worthiness beforehand by looking up the numbers for its page authority and domain authority. Linking to sites with low scores will only lead to a decrease in quality. Keyword and Content Relevance The fact that keyword relevance is still considered a major ranking factor despite countless algorithm updates should surprise no one. Geographic, topical, and product/service-related keywords do wonders for organic SEO, helping users find you faster. If you haven’t invested in keyword research or put together a working keyword strategy yet, it’s not too late to do it now. While you’re at it, you can build a localized content marketing plan around your chosen keywords. Create content related to your city or local events and try tying it with your business. Positive Written Reviews Of course, word-of-mouth recommendations are still one of the best ways to promote your business (even online). This is exactly why search engines consider the quantity of reviews to be a major local 2

3. ranking factor, particularly native Google reviews with text. Prioritize getting five-star ratings on Google My Business and personal recommendations from satisfied customers. That is not to say, however, that you should ignore third-party review sites. Google analyzes both native and third-party reviews. At the same time, Google also examines the authority of third-party sites, so encourage your customers to leave reviews on sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor and Foursquare. Local search puts emphasis on relevance, distance and prominence. Your strategy, therefore, should be centered on these. An advertising agency in Miami can help you implement a marketing plan that can satisfy the demands of search engines. About Kukic Advertising: Kukic Advertising is a full-service ad agency located in Miami. We have been in the advertising business for over 45 years, providing our clients with effective offline and online marketing services. We have an in-house team of committed professionals who are dedicated to delivering only the best results. Sources: 2017 Local Search Ranking Factors: Proximity to Searcher is Number One, SearchEngineJournal.com Just released: 2017 Local Search Ranking Factors survey results, SearchEngineLand.com 3