The Importance of Local Search
The Local Search map, also known as the 3-Pack or local pack, was designed to help searchers find businesses or points of interest near them. This tool has become very handy for searchers because at a glance, they can see where a business is located, that company's Star-Rating and the number of reviews it has. But more importantly, they can see the business phone number and click on a the website. Often times, searchers make a quick buying decision based on the information found in this section.
For businesses, this section on the Google search engine results page (SERP) is importnat because 46% of searchers are looking for a local business and 68% of the people doing searches click on the Local Search map! So showing up here when someone searches for what you do is vital if you want to get leads and sales from online.
What is Local SEO?
The strategy and coresponding practices used to get Google to show your business on the 3-Pack or Local Search map is known as Local SEO (search engine optimization).
Two Types of SEO
Before there was a Local Search map, Google only showed websites and ranked them in relevance to the search made. In these early years, search engine optimization was all about getting Google to rank your website on the first page in as high a position as possible. SEO practices at this time were mainly focused on the website, though backlinks were becoming more important. This form of SEO came to be known as Organic SEO, Website SEO or Traditional SEO.
In 2015, Google rolled out the first version of the local pack that showed seven businesses. But later that year, it refined that number down to three. With that adjustment, the modern version of the Local Search Map was born. Getting your business to show here became the second form of SEO, known as Local SEO.
How Goolge Populates the Local Search Results
Google wants to show credible and relevant results in Local Search. To determine credibility and relevance, the search giant is pulling information about businesses from sources around the internet, sources that are not your website. In fact, it's safe to say that your website plays a very small role in getting seen in Local Search.
This fact consfuses many business people who have hired SEO professionals to get their website to rank and yet they don't show in Local Search. The two different organic sections on Google, the organic website rankings and the Local Search map, each have their own set of requirements for being shown.
What Signal Does for Local SEO
Signal helps to feed the information that Google is looking for when it determines credibility and relevance. Google "listens" for over 20 differnet signals that a business can generate when it does certain activities online. For example, running ads on Google, updating your Google Business Profile and making social media posts are just a few things that Google deems as necessary online activity to be credible and relevant.
Signal helps our clients by generating those "signals" for them. We have strategies in place to help businesses with one or all of the activities Google wants business to do.
Signal Pricing
We don't believe SEO should cost you thousands of dollars each month. Depending on the service, our pricing is in the hundreds of dollars, not the thousands. Our Local SEO service starts at $350 per month.
Working With Signal
If you need help being seen on the Local Search map, call us for a free online audit and consultation. For Cincinnati-area businesses, we'll come visit you at your office and take the time to explain how things work. Our low-key approach gives you the room you need to make an informed decision. We recognize that marketing decisions like this need to be right for you.
Call us today at 513-237-5530 and we can set up a conversation today.