Your local SEO agency needs new clients in 2017. Your department needs to convince management to earmark robust resources for local SEM this year. What if the only thing standing in your way is presentation?
In the 10+ years I’ve been consulting with local businesses, I’ve watched our industry grow to absorb an incredibly diverse set of disparate-seeming tasks. The breadth of the lingo alone is on the verge of becoming a dialect of its own. Here, supporting our Moz Local product, some of my internal communications with team members read like a code, packed with acronyms, abbreviations, and shorthand references that encapsulate large concepts which, while perfectly understood between local SEOs, would likely mean little to many CEOs or local business owners. In other words: shoptalk. Every industry has it.
The ability to codify and convey a complex concept by distilling it down to its essence is critical to the art of the pitch. Tell your new lead or your all-hands meeting that the company’s NAP is inconsistent on FB and YP, their DA is weak, and their owner responses are painfully MIA and watch their eyes glaze over. Today, I’d like to help you get meaningful attention by translating your local SEO work into 3 terms that almost any non-technical party will not only understand, but care about tremendously: reputation, rankings and revenue.
How to explain the main components of local SEO
1. Guideline compliance
Step One: Determine that the business qualifies as local via Google’s definition in their guidelines.
Step Two: Adhere to all guidelines to ensure that the business isn’t spamming Google. The same applies to other major local business data platforms.
How does it impact the 3 Rs?
This protects reputation, in that the business conducts itself in an above-board fashion and doesn’t come across as spammy to search engines or consumers. It protects rankings in that penalties are avoided. It protects revenue in that resources are not wasted on risky practices and funds are being devoted to appropriate forms of marketing for the business model; money and time aren’t being spent on dubious work that can fall apart at any moment.
Further reading:
- Dear SEOs: Please stop spamming Google Maps!
- Video Deep Dive: Google Local Maps Spam, Is it Worth it?
- Google Local Spam Hall of Shame
2. Website
Step One: Develop a technically clean website with good UX for all users/devices. If the site already exists, audit it for problems/penalties and resolve them.
Step Two: Develop the best possible website content in the business’ geo-industry.
Step Three: Properly optimize the site for local search + organic search.
Step Four: Optimize for conversions. All four goals should be a simultaneous effort.
How does it impact the 3 Rs?
This protects reputation in that the website delivers excellent customer service and establishes the business as an authoritative resource. It protects rankings in that penalties and filters are avoided, excellent content rises in visibility, and both local and organic results are won and held. It protects revenue in that conversions are not being lost to unsatisfactory user experiences.
Further reading:
- Match Your Local SEO to Your Business Type with the Local SEO Checklist
- Overcoming Your Fear of Local Landing Pages
- Getting Local Store Locator SEO Right
- Using the Barnacle SEO Method to Prove Local Community Awareness
3. Citations
Step One: Audit the existing citation landscape and correct inconsistent, incomplete and duplicate listings.
Step Two: Ensure listings have been developed on core local business data platforms.
Step Three: Develop geo/industry-specific citations.
Step Four: Manage citations on an on-going basis to catch emerging inconsistencies/duplicates/third party edits.
Step Five: Seek out unstructured citation opportunities (news, blogs, etc.).
How does it impact the 3 Rs?
This protects reputation in that the business is accurately listed in consumers’ preferred places, establishing identity and professionalism — citations are simply publishing and no business wants wrong information to be published about it. It protects rankings in that search engines’ trust in the validity of the business’ basic data is being augmented. It protects revenue in that transactions are not being lost due to the misdirection and frustration of consumers via inaccurate basic data around the web.
Further reading:
- The Definitive List of Local Search Citations
- Duplicate Listings and the Case of the Nomadic New Mexican Restaurant
- Local Centroids are Now Individual Users: How Can We Optimize for Their Searches?
4. Reviews
Step One: Perfect and reinforce customer service policies and staff training.
Step Two: Implement a review acquisition strategy for key citation platforms and for the company website.
Step Three: Respond to reviews.
How does it impact the 3 Rs?
This protects reputation in that incoming customers derive trust from previous customers and the business’ reputation is being carefully managed from in-store service to online sentiment by the owner or agency department, including the improvement/resolution of negative sentiment via owner responses. It protects rankings by dint of surpassing competitors with a larger number of positive reviews on the major platforms. It protects revenue by winning trust-based transactions from new customers who are influenced by previous customers’ sentiment, while ensuring that neglect of negative sentiment or a simple lack of reviews isn’t turning potential consumers away. Actively managed reviews are one of the very best indicators of a responsive, reliable brand.
Further reading:
- Diagramming the Story of a 1-Star Review
- The Complete Guide to Creating On-Site Reviews + Testimonials Pages
- Mastering the Owner Response to the Quintet of Google My Business Reviews
- Survey: 8 Things That Really Cause Consumers to Complain
- SURVEY: What Happens When Things Go South? You Lose More Customers Than You Ever Know
5. Links
Step One: Audit the existing link landscape for problem links and disavow or otherwise resolve them.
Step Two: Earn voluntary links via the publication and promotion of exceptional materials.
Step Three: Carefully seek out relevant link opportunities via safe methods such as local sponsorships, editorial contributions, or other vehicles on quality geo/industry sites.
How does it impact the 3 Rs?
This protects reputation in that the business is associating with the best-of-the-best and isn’t being lumped in by search engines or consumers with shady actors or practices. It protects the website’s rankings in that links are growing the brand’s renown over time, making it an active and visible competitor and proving its relevance to search engines. It protects the website’s revenue both in fostering traffic and conversions from new sources, and in utilizing allowed practices to safeguard against sudden plunges in visibility.
Further reading:
- 11 Ways for Local Businesses to Get Links
- The Ultimate List of Local Link Building Ideas
- The Guide to Local Marketing with Sponsorships
6. Social
Step One: Identify the social hubs preferred by your specific geo/industry consumers.
Step Two: Based on the culture of each platform, develop a policy and strategy for participation.
Step Three: Participate on these platforms in a spirit of sharing rather than selling.
Step Four: Given that Social is an extension of customer service, monitor all social accounts for consumer needs/complaints and enact your policy for resolution.
How does it impact the 3 Rs?
This protects reputation in that you are both contributing to and managing the online discussion of your brand, providing accessibility in a modern vein. It protects rankings in that some social results (like Twitter) will appear directly within the organic results of search engines like Google, establishing a sense of both company activity and consumer sentiment. It protects revenue in that neglected consumer sentiment does not lead to lost transactions or permanent negative reviews.
Further reading:
- The Ultimate Guide to Social Media Marketing for Local Businesses
- 30 Top Social Media Sites to Market Your Small Business Locally
- Three small businesses rocking local social media marketing
7. Offline
Step One: Recognize that anything that happens offline may be published online, whether this relates to company activity driving online content development or consumer in-store experiences driving online sentiment.
Step Two: Take whatever steps necessary to create a cohesive offline-to-online experience, including branding, messaging, signage, promotions, in-store apps or kiosks, and transactional support.
Step Three: Seek out real-world opportunities for establishing your brand as a community resource via traditional methods like print, radio, and television, as well as by participation in appropriate community organizations and events.
How does it impact the 3 Rs?
This protects reputation by cementing for consumers that they will enjoy a specific type of desired experience interacting with your brand, whether on the Internet or offline — it’s all about consistency, and it carries over into reviews. It protects rankings by creating the active, real-world company culture that contributes to both your own online publication strategy and the acquisition of third-party media mentions (online news, blogs, social, etc.). It protects revenue in that the most-desired end of the funnel of all of the above is the transaction, and today, most consumers will arrive at that moment via a combination of both on- and offline influences. By being present in what Google calls its four micro-moments, revenue is safeguarded and, ideally, improved.
Further reading:
- What Really Earns Loyalty in the Local Business World?
- 3 Examples of Optimizing the Customer Experience
- 13 Ideas to Make Your Business More Complaint-Friendly
- Printing your way to SEO success
8. Other media
Depending on the business’ industry, other forms of media may contribute directly to reputation, rankings, and revenue. This could include email marketing, video marketing, or app, tool, or widget development. In essence, these are specialized forms of content development and social promotion that will need to be built into marketing strategies wherever appropriate.
Further reading:
- For More Local Traffic Hit Play ▶ Video Marketing Mini Roundup
- Infographic on Nuts & Bolts of Video Marketing for Local Business
- 9 Killer Location Features for Retailer Mobile Apps
- Video Deep Dive: Leveraging Email for Local Businesses
How much do they need to know?
I’m a firm believer in full transparency and thorough documentation of all work performed so that clients, teams, or bosses can see exactly what is being done, even if the technicalities aren’t perfectly understood by them. As you undertake the various tasks of local SEM, you’ll want to both fully detail the steps you are taking and use every available means for measuring their outcomes. That’s how you keep clients and keep your department funded.
But initially, when first presenting your proposed strategic outline, paring it down to finite goals may greatly improve your communication with industry outsiders, establishing common ground where you are seeing eye-to-eye with confidence. I have yet to meet a business owner who doesn’t instinctively sense the importance of his company’s reputation, rankings, and revenue, so rather than risk losing him with complex jargon at the outset, why not signal that you are on the same wavelength with the simplest terms possible?
As a fellow local search marketer, I know that you, too, have your livelihood wrapped up in the 3 Rs, and I’m wishing you a highly converting 2017!
Hi Miriam,
It was all about how to navigate 3 Rs to non-technical people but many times it happens that a technical client doesn't understand anything about it, even never try or wants to understand about it only wants ranking as an answer and for those also this is a wonderful post indeed. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Exceedingly glad to know you can quickly think of a scenario in which this article would be applicable, Pratibha. Yes, you're right - some clients really do not want to know the technicalities of their marketing. While I think this is a mistake, I also understand how incredibly busy many business owners are, and can understand that they don't want to become an SEO themselves :) So, hopefully, breaking this down into the less technical terms they do care about will hold their interest and inspire them to fund the work that needs to be done to help them succeed. Enjoyed your comment!
I really appreciate your response Miriam.
With this post, I’ve learnt how to explain the main components of Local SEO to someone who doesn’t even know the basics of the trade. I would like to thank you once again for enlightening me.
Totally agree with you Pratibha,
In Spain we usually have this situacion: technical clients or stuff speaks a language, non-technical clients speak another, and they cannot understand one to another.
Fixing that is really hard, because you have to teach both parts, tech part have learn another "language", the non-tech one and, on the other hand, this non-tech client have to learn a bit too ;)
I can really understand your pain Sergio. However, after reading such a great post, I’m sure I can help both tech and non-tech guys in a better way. By the way, Sergio Ramos is one of my favourite footballers who happen to be from your place:)
This content like the good tutorial for local business for anyone who wants to promote their business locally. You have covered everything that is required for a business.
I have worked on many sites those are being targeted for local business. We have optimized their Google and facebook pages and put schema code properly build some citations for their business but after sometimes we realized that we got many inconsistent data tried to fix but finally we bought Moz local and our inconsistent data fixed. After that, we got many local inquiries. So, I can say Moz listing are great to deal with us for local leads. That is our experiences.
But you have pointed much stuff all are very important but user experience in technical aspect another thing would be great to work.
Hello Faisal!
The good Local SEOs work is never done, is it? Always some new area to focus on when a local business is playing to win. That's just wonderful the Moz Local has been helpful to you, and I'm honored if my article highlighted new areas for you to explore. Thanks for your nice comment.
In your experience, which terms have you seen galvanize a team or win a client? What are the key phrases that engage them and encapsulate their real needs and goals?
Since I began using E-A-T (expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness) to structure my SEO audit, response from clients has been swift and productive (rather than, "huh?"). Your article provides so many ways to enhance how I explain the various factors at work; thank you, Miriam!
E-A-T! That's nice - I like it! Delighted to know this article will help you build on the structure you've created. Thank you for letting me know that :)
I love this post in the way you convey the importance of transparency. So many times a local client will look at your and say so "what do you have to do for me to rank" and then they give you none of the actual support you need to make that happen in terms of understanding the process. The first time I explained NAP to a client they where confused for a second then realized how their information not being the same across the web hurts their rankings.
You brought a great point on this in the way that each little piece connects the bigger puzzle UX, Social, Citations, ect. Many small business owners focus on only one or two of the major componets not understanding the entire importance.
Just wow you always bring the best local content here at Moz and I always have to share your post. Keep up the awesome work and contributions to the community.
Hey Tim!
My very sincere thanks for the warm, kind words! I like your NAP anecdote, and how it demonstrates one of those 'teaching moments' that can advance business owners along the path to success in one big leap of understanding.
I'm really glad this post helped give a birds-eye view of the interconnection of all the things people like you are doing for clients. And, you bet - I'll keep writing!
Miriam, I think it is interesting how you interchange local SEM (search engine marketing) and local SEO (search engine optimization). Most people I speak with equate SEM with PPC and SEO with organic rankings & listings. However, occasionally some people outside the industry group all activity under SEM. Do you think there is a larger audience in marketing that identifies with the term SEM? Your title does identify..for non-technical people, afterall.
What a good question, Gregory. You know, almost since those terms were first coined, they've been used a bit loosely with some interchange. I've come to use them in tandem for a couple of reasons:
1) Some readers may recognize one term more than the other, and the meanings strike me as close enough to make it helpful to include both, just so I'm making all readers most comfortable that they are already well-acquainted with the topic at hand.
2) Local SEO just doesn't really stand on its own. Technically, it stands for Local Search Engine Optimization, but it would be pretty limiting if all the title represented was doing work to influence search engines. In effect, search engines are just a medium, and what we are really trying to do in either Local SEO or SEM is influence consumers. So, a full Local campaign is going to include things you do for local packs, for local organic rankings, for organic rankings and also for social media, video, and quite possibly PPC. Is this SEO or SEM? Beats me! It's honestly just marketing that goes by a number of industry terms, and the fine shades of meaning of these terms struggle to encompass just how multi-disciplinary our industry has become over the past decade (just like traditional SEO).
Very good topic, Gregory. Thanks for raising it!
Hi Miriam, I think you did a great job of summing up the work of a Local SEO. Reputation, Rankings and Revenue are indeed the 3 terms that everyone understands the importance of to a business. To answer your question about galvanizing terms, one of the terms we've seen galvanize a team is Orphaned. This usually refers to content from an old domain or an old migration that got lost. When we've used this term, everyone understands what it is and why it's important. That old content often has DA and links pointing to it, and it creates a better UX by reconnecting it to the client's site. Thank you for a very informative, and shareable, article!
Hi Ian,
That's a really power term: orphaned. In fact, there's a feeling implicit in it that one must rush to the aid of that content. Excellent example.
Very happy to know you felt this post highlighted powerful terms, too!
As any other industry, we have to talk in the language of our customers, from SEO or Ad agencies to business managers who probably don't know much about SEO.
In my opinion, what every people wants to hear can be simplified in the following question: How can you help me? For a business owner, the end goal is more income, customers or profit, and we have to focus on those items. Every point here should be focused in helping businesses to grow.
Do you think that a full dossier with technicalities must be delivered every case? Or do you focus in their objectives (sales, customers, income…) and how can we get them through our services?
I absolutely agree, Juan, and this is why I've emphasized two tasks in this article: one, talking to clients in the manner most meaningful for them and two, keeping full technical documentation of what you are doing for whatever needs may arise in terms of accountability.
You are quite right that the customer wants to know how he can be helped, and for him, a list of technicalities may be about as fun and enlightening as I find it when my dentist refers to my teeth by numbers. I honestly wouldn't think of teeth having numbers and never have any idea what he's talking about when he says,"Tooth 30 needs a crown." I'd be better served if he said 'that back tooth on the lower right'. That would be talking my language.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment!
Hi Miriam! Coming to this post a little late, but I wanted to thank you for taking the time to put together this thoughtful piece. I especially love how you included links to further reading — I've already bookmarked each of those suggested pieces so I can really digest all there is to know about local search.
Many companies know they need to focus on local SEO, but don't do much more than fill out their Google My Business page—if they even do that! You did a great job explaining why it's important, how it benefits the company, and ways to achieve successful local SEO. So, thank you! I really loved this post!
Good Morning, Blue Corona!
I appreciate the kind words very much, and I'm especially glad to know that the links for further reading are ones you've bookmarked. The Local SEO industry, collectively, publishes such fantastic free educational materials and I really enjoy being able to bring the work of different experts together along the lines of a specific theme. We can learn so much from one another! Many thanks for your comment.
Thank's Miriam, fantastic blueprint to follow!
PS: I believe that Bing's Business Places - doesnt allow a transfer of ownership. You have to remove old listings and create new ones when you take over a business's local SEO for them. Seem's that both Bing and Google (with spam listings) have plenty of work in this space.
Thanks for posting this. I love all of the elements, but one that many don't address is the off-line or real-world engagement, including giving talks, presentations of volunteer work.
Hi Steven!
Yes, I felt it was really important to include offline in this big-picture overview. Something I've found fascinating in watching the evolution of Local SEO since its early days is the way in which the connection between on and offline practices has grown closer and clearer with each passing year.
In the early days, I might have left any offline marketing to the business owner, assuming that he was the expert in this area of marketing about which I knew little. These days, the smart Local SEO is going to be in on all of those meetings, helping make decisions. Should a vanity number be used in a radio ad? Where will a billboard drive traffic? Are in-store staff being trained to ask for reviews? Etc.
Online and offline should now be seen as co-influencers, working in tandem to create a desired experience for the consumer (and for the business!). Thanks for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed this piece.
Although I don't do local SEO I am always surprised at how very poor most efforts seem to be. In my local area the total extent of Local seo seems to be get a google map, and a facebook page. If i didn't hate dealing with clients I'd turn this post into a system and sell to to local clients and local SEO's
Shockingly you often see they don't even do that. Moz in particular appears to be focusing on local a lot more at the moment. The most under utilised SEO area perhaps?
I own a cleaning service in Seattle. It's not quite as easy as you make it seem. Getting in the three pack, that's a long ways away for me with limited time and budget.
Haha, Mark - well, if you're ever looking for a second career, you have my permission to use this piece as your template for Local SEO domination!
Rhys - yes, it's true. There are many industries and geographies that remain underserved in regards to embracing Local SEO. They may be basically letting revenue slip right through their fingers because of it. On the one hand, that's unfortunate, but on the other hand, they'll need active location data management one day, and good consultants and software will be ready to serve them.
Hi Caleb - you're so right: Local SEO is not easy, particularly in a major city like yours in a competitive industry. What is most typical to such a scenario is that you've got to get all of the basics right, and then you've got to find the competitive-difference-maker that will help you outdistance tough competitors. It could be something social. It could be getting high level press coverage. It could be more community sponsorship/involvement. It really depends on analyzing what competitors are doing and then going one step beyond to move the needle.
Thanks for sharing this Miriam! I really appreciate how you’ve explained the impact of each key point on the 3R’s. I’ve used a variety of keywords to help my clients, most of who are looking for clichéd terms (like the best, leading, amazing, etc).
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment, Patrick. Hope this adds some meaningful touchpoints to your client conversations.
This is a great article, Miriam. It explains the main components of Local SEO to someone who doesn’t even know the basics of this trade. You have given some of the best and accurate advice. I have been working with many businesses, small and large, for many years to help them grow their business in an honest and powerful way but I still have learned something new from this post. I look forward to more great and insightful posts like this in the future.
Cheers,
Cody Oelker
Hi Cody!
Very glad you found this to be food for thought. One of the best things about Local is that there is literally ALWAYS something new to learn. Keeps us all on our toes!
Awesome article, these above three reputation & rankings of your business site directly related to revenue.
totally agree with your post, any firm having good reputation & rankings always earn high revenue.
Hello Miriam,
Excellent content, as always everything you write brings great value.
Thank you!
How nice of you to say, Denilson. Thank you!