Local SEO Ranking Factors of 2021: 4 Factors to Watch and Learn

By Kizzy D. Blount 3 years ago

Local SEO Ranking Factors 2020

 

Local search queries have now become a vital part of an internet user’s information search process and with that, a new field of SEO, known as local SEO, has become a widely popular digital marketing strategy among small businesses.

Many small businesses are leaning towards implementing a comprehensive local SEO campaign that will help them connect with more local customers by increasing their search visibility for local search queries. If your business has a physical location, a local SEO strategy is pretty much a given for it. If you rely on street traffic, foot traffic, walk-ins, and website/phone-in appointments, then you need a local SEO strategy.

This increased brand awareness and enhanced visibility in search engines for local search queries is a result of the complicated and elaborate search engine that comes into play whenever you type in a search query. It’s quite simple when you think about it, once you have a stable internet connection, which you can get by calling on Windstream Phone, to search for information on a particular topic all you need to do is type in the search query in a search engine “search bar”. After that, all of the relevant results would appear on the SERPs that would give you the answer to whatever it is you are looking for. This is where search engine algorithms come into play. They help rank the best search results for a particular query.

When it comes to local search results, there are some important ranking factors that the said algorithms use to display relevant results, and listed below are some of them:

  • Google My Business (GMB)

GMB is one of the most essential local SEO ranking factors created by Google itself for users to search for local business through Google Maps. Your Google My Business account is the first thing a user notices when they are searching for your company on Google, so you need to set it up properly.

Search algorithms use GMB signals like contact information, proximity, updated content, and categories to decipher and analyze how and where your business is shown to the locals in your area.

  • Online Reviews

Before making a purchase, every customer reads the online reviews posted by previous customers. If you want your business to have an image of being legitimate, trustworthy, and reliable, positive reviews can help you achieve just that. Positive reviews not only help attract new customers, but it is also a significantly impactful ranking factor.

If a business is generating positive ratings and reviews online, the authority of that business increases which inadvertently leads to increased rankings. Local SEO ranking signals take into account the frequency, quality, diversity, and total number of reviews generated for a business.

  • On-Page Signals

Some of the other major factors that are taken into account when it comes to local search engine rankings are the multiple on-page factors, one of them the use of relevant keywords. Search engines keep an eye out for keywords that are strategically placed and highly relevant to work out what rank should your website be placed on a SERP.

The other factors are the user experience and the mobile-friendliness of your website. Make sure your website is easy to navigate and access through mobile phones without any problems.

  • Online Citations

The online citations and directories are the modern-day version of Yellow Pages. They are a great way of getting the information about your business out there on the web and help in acquiring backlinks from authoritative and legitimate websites.

Users use citations and directories to find the contact details of the brand that sells their desired product or service. Search engines use said citations to verify relevant information about a business.

Wrapping Up

Local SEO is not just about knowing what elements and factors affect the local search rankings, it is also about the way you use this information for the benefit of your business. Having a competitive and elaborate local SEO strategy is more important than ever, especially for small-scale, brick-and-mortar businesses.

It is important to note that implementing local SEO strategies is no walk in the park. Make sure you adhere to a systematic and comprehensive approach if you want to see long-term benefits.