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Top Local SEO Ranking Signals For 2016
Nothing is Consistent – Everything Keeps on Changing and so as local search engine results in every year!
Local SEO is getting more and more tough every year. After the release of Pigeon algorithm update, local SEO has become most crucial for attaining a good ranking in search engine results. With the update of Snack Pack, Google has made the competition harder by reducing the ‘7 pack’ of local map results to ‘3 pack’ results (unless users click through to see expanded results).
If you want your business to be rank in the first three-pack then your local SEO must be 100% on point.
Have a look at the given image, you will see only three listings for “pizza stores New York”. Before Snack Pack, there were 7 listings shown for the same keyword.
A study conducted by Moz has released the stats for local ranking signals which includes:
- On page signals – 20.3%
- Link Signals – 20.0%
- My Business Signals – 14.7%
- External Local Signals – 13.6%
- Personalization – 8.5%
- Review Signals – 8.4%
- Behavioral/ Mobile Signals – 5.0%
- Social Signals – 5.0%
Source: Moz
Follow these factors to ensure to have a solid, strategic local SEO game plan.
On page & Link Signals: This factor includes the presence of NAP(Name, Address, Phone), keywords in titles, header tags, map, location/industry specific links, Domain authority, inbound anchor text, linking domain authority.
My Business Signal & External Local signals: Another most important factors for local SEO ranking are business and external local signals which include: keywords in business title, proximity, NAP consistency, Citation volume.
A citation means listing your business information across the web which involves the NAP of your business. (NAP stands for N: NAME of your business, A: ADDRESS of your business P: PHONE NUMBER of your business).
To achieve a good rank on local search, list your business on Google and other good authority local listing sites. Make sure that your business listing is consistent across the webspace, which helps to establish trust in the eyes of Google.
During listing your business on Google, make sure to verify your business location, enter complete data, add relevant photos. It will help to increase local ranking on Google.
Behavioral/Mobile signals: How many times your listing gets clicked from mobile, click through rate, check-in and offers are some of the factors that leave an impression on local search.
Review Signals: Good reviews on your online business shows a great impact on your business online reputation and thus local search engine ranking. Try to increase quality reviews on your business and get a good rank on local search results.
Social signals: Social signals play a 5% role in local search ranking. It covers links through social media profiles, likes and followers on social sites. Perform social media activities regularly and inappropriate way to increase the social signals which further affect your local rank.
For local businesses, a high rank on local search results is a great way to reach local customers. So what are you waiting for! Increase your local search presence by emphasizing on the above mentioned ranking signals for local search.