Going Local: A third of Google searches are now location-related

Photo by Edho Pratama on UnsplashFollowing from a 2016 report from Hitwise, revealing that 60% of Google searches came from a mobile device, new data obtained from Search Engine Journal reveals that in 2018 almost a third of Google searches are location related. If you are looking for successful SEO, then you need to work on your local rankings first. This applies even to global companies. Google has gone very local recently, automatically placing local results first and giving more priority to Maps. The gradual rise of voice command searches has also helped to drive the growth of locally minded Googlers.

Analyse the Local Market

Wherever your business is located, you can learn from the successes and failures of others. Head to the SEO/PPC Ranking Tool to identify your most successful competitors. Analyze which local SEO services they have used and how this helped to boost traffic. Are they able to localize their ads to make it more relevant to searches? Boosting SEO performance and web traffic will be dependent on analyzing the market.

If other businesses in your area have kept their SEO more general, has this led to a dip in traffic over recent months? If so, it is likely due to the increasing number of local searches. This is a very recent development, so this is your chance to get ahead of the competition.

Using Local Keywords

One of the most widely searched terms is “near me”. Google will rank results by distance, but the more relevant websites will be given priority. This means you need to carefully consider your keyword strategy, including references to location where possible. You need to get to know your audience and localize the results to them.

For instance, a searcher in England is unlikely to be searching for a shop that sells “sneakers”. Even within countries, words can vary by region. Tailoring to your audience can mean the difference between being ranked highly and being lost among the competition. Design a different keyword list for each area your business operates for the best results.

The world of SEO is constantly changing and the advice of yesterday is rarely any good for today. Google has made it easier than ever for people to find products and services in there area and they now expect results to be tailored to their location. Take advantage of this by analysing local competition and localising your keywords.