Are you frustrated that your business is not listing as high as you think it should for local searches on Google? Your business and every one of your competitors are competing for the top five spots when it comes to local Google searches. If your business has dropped in local ranking during searches, it may be due to some outdated marketing efforts that need to be addressed. Here are some troubleshooting tips to identify the problem so you can resume a higher position on Google’s local listing for your business type.
Location Is Key
Not only is where your business located key in searches, it is important where the search is being conducted. If you are searching for businesses like yours in Golden Valley, but your business address is in Bloomington, it is less likely to rank high in local listings. The same is true on where you are located when searching. If you do a search for your business when at home in St. Louis Park, the results may be different than when you are at your business in Bloomington.
Google Constantly Updates Its Search Criteria
What gets you to the top of local listings in 2018 is not necessarily the same as it was in 2017. It is important to know what updates Google has made in the search criteria for local listings. Staying up on Google updates and bugs can help you make changes to your digital presence to match their expectations and get you the higher ranking you desire (our free workshops are a great way to do this). What is considered “spam content” is often changing with Google; updating your content to clear it of any spam is vital to advancing your listing.
Investigate GMB
Google My Business (aka the red pins on Google Maps) needs to be kept updated to get local listing gold. Often the reason your business is not ranking as it should can be due to simple issues with GMB. A quick look at GMB can give you the answers. Some of the elements to monitor include: verification status, map markers, categories, hours of operation, URL and reviews.
Staying on top of local listings in Google searches requires staying on top of your digital marketing. What worked a few months ago may no longer be performing at optimal levels. Our team at Skol Marketing can help you manage your digital marketing to stay on top of Google searches for local listings and maximize your efforts to grow your business. Contact us to get a digital marketing evaluation and watch your business rise in local and organic searches.
