It’s been quite a year for local SEO and social media. Rounding up all the changes that Google alone have made would be an epic post – home services, Snack Pack, local splitting from Google+ and more. Facebook continue to make inroads in local and Apple now have far more iOS users on Apple Maps rather than Google Maps. So what could 2016 hold for us? We take a look at some local SEO predictions for next year in this week’s roundup. Also featuring is a rather seasonal take on some local SEO tips along with another look at the importance of click through rate and location data management. This will be the final roundup for 2015, so all the best to everyone for the upcoming festive period and the New Year. Enjoy!
What’s in store for local SEO in 2016
Tis the season right? No, not Christmas. Prediction season. Some of them sensible, some not so much. The links below all head off to ones on the more sensible side of the spectrum. They look at some of the basics that you’ll need to continue getting right, such as focusing on mobile. They also look at the rise of Apple search and the need for a more holistic view when it comes to local marketing. Some good stuff.
24 Top Tips for success in Local SEO
Continuing the excellent local themed series on Search Engine Land, this month features a list of 24 simple tips that any local business owner should be able to implement. Advice from using a local phone number to looking to gather more customer reviews, each tip will have an incremental positive impact for your business. If you’re too busy following the advice in tip #25 then make sure you revisit this one in January and take care of things then.
Click Through Rate revisited
Last week’s roundup looked at a couple of posts specifically related to a post in the Google Support forum stating that click through rate is a ranking factor. The original post was edited but debate still continues. The two articles below take a wider view than just local and investigate if Google really does does use click through rate when it comes to a ranking factor. While no-one really knows for certain, it would appear to be highly likely that they do. Some interesting thoughts.
Importance of location data management
There are plenty of places where people can search for a local business, from Google to social media and specific directories. In order to remove “friction along the customer journey from online search to offline purchase” it’s vital that a business’s location data is consistent and accurate. That means strong citations, among other things. This article points out just important they are, especially in this day of mobile and social. Well worth a read.
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