Google local search rankings are always in flux. The results page for a given keyword is different depending on the time of day when you last checked it, and your location. This fluidity has led many to conclude that the very idea of a "local ranking" list is flawed. How can a list remain constant when its contents are constantly changing? What benefits would this type of result have over a regular organic SERP?
Google's local rankings are more dynamic than they appear. This "fluidity" of local search results is actually a feature, not a bug. Google wants its map results to be as fresh as possible at all times - regardless of the age of the underlying data. One day you might find your business on top with an exuberant 5-star rating and high CTR, but then see your position drop-down three pages if you don't make changes to improve upon these key areas. If this happens, do not despair! All is not lost, but it will take some work on your part to get back to where you want to be within the local pack SERP.
How can I improve my position?
The local pack SERP is all about CTR. This means that the likelihood of your business appearing in Google's results for any given search query can be directly influenced by how much people like your business. The number one way to attract more attention is through SEO services.
Hire a trustworthy SEO company such as Foamers to optimize your site so that it ranks higher in non-local terms, but also boosts its position when someone searches locally. While this may sound like a no-brainer, you'd be surprised at the number of businesses who fail to invest in SEO services and expect their rank to improve on their own accord.
By investing time and money into your local seo campaign, you can boost your click-through rate so that Google notices the increase in interest for your business. Think of it this way - if you rank #1 on Google's local pack results but enjoy less than a 50% conversion rate, then all the people who do click on your site will likely just bounce right back to the SERP without converting into customers.
The more people that click on your listing and convert into paying customers, the higher you will climb in Google's local rankings. If someone is looking for a restaurant in their own city, they don't want to see businesses over 100km away show up as top-ranked listings - even if those results are #1 organically. A high CTR indicates trustworthiness and relevance to searchers.
Conversely, if you're sitting at position five with an 80% CTR but have less than a 5% conversion rate, Google will not be able to trust that you are relevant or trustworthy. In this case, the search engine might want to bump your local ranking down a few pages so that searchers can find a more trusted business instead.
Google's local pack works because it is self-reinforcing. A high CTR leads to a higher rank which leads to an even higher CTR and so on and so forth. Now that you understand the local SERP landscape, let's investigate some strategies for increasing your click-through rate within Google's map results.
What makes for good SEO?
There are three main elements of SEO services that contribute towards raising your click-through rate: trustworthiness, relevance, and usability. We'll be covering these strategies in more detail below.
Trustworthiness
If a business is new or untrusted, then it will have a difficult time ranking its local pack results for relevant keywords. This is because Google's algorithms are designed to weed out unreliable businesses from the SERP and ensure that consumers visit websites they can trust. It is not enough to be trustworthy within your own website or online presence - you need to show Google that you are truly worthy of their rank as well!
How do I tell if my company is trustworthy?
While every industry has different standards of what makes a trustworthy company, there are some universal rules that apply to all businesses:
- A professional looking website with a contact number/email address prominently displayed - A social following on sites like Facebook and Google+ (at least 100 real followers) - An appropriate and consistent about us page that outlines who you are and what makes your business special - A privacy policy and terms of use, available on every page of your site - Clear contact information with a professional email address (and not Gmail etc.)
If you feel as if your business fails to meet the above criteria, do not panic. All is not lost! But it will take some work on your part to improve your click-through rate within Google's local search results. Once you start receiving high CTRs for relevant keywords, then you can expect to see improved rankings in just few months' time.
The bottom line is that Google's local rankings are designed to change frequently. The results you see on any given day may not match the ones you had yesterday or last year for that matter. If your business was on top of the local pack but suddenly disappeared for no apparent reason, not all hope is lost! Just keep reading to find out how to rank high in Google's local pack SERP once again.
