Local SEO - what is it?

Imagine you live in Bielefeld and your car needs new tires. You will most likely enter “tire dealer Bielefeld” on Google, because according to a Google study from 2014 every second search query has a local reference. The search result that you are presented with is a list of tire suppliers in Bielefeld and the surrounding area, some with full contact details and the corresponding markings on the displayed map from Google Maps.

If you live in Bielefeld now, just enter “tire dealer” in the Google search field. The search engine may show you exactly the list, or at least a similar one, that you received for the query “Autoreifen Bielefeld”. Why? First: Because Google recognizes your location (unless you prevent this through your browser settings). Second: Because some Bielefeld tire dealers have already heard of Local SEO.

We show you what local SEO is and what website operators should pay attention to.

How does Google know where I am?

On the one hand, Google can roughly assign you to a location using your IP address. In addition, the search engine obtains information about your possible location from your personal search history.

It will be more precise if you allow Google Maps to access your location. The program can precisely locate your PC or mobile device via GPS. Google gets even more detailed information about its user when surfing with a logged in Google+ account. Google+ is Google's social network. Not only the location is stored there, but also further information, from which the search engine creates a personal profile for the corresponding user. This information significantly influences the individual search results of each individual user.

The basics of local SEO

The increasing number of local search queries and the regional reference that Google creates for its users on its own are of great importance in local search engine optimization. "Local SEO" is the term that website operators rely on. A website that should be at the top of the Google ranking must also offer search engine crawlers enough local information - local SEO texts . Therefore: Everyone should check their homepage for a few basic points of local SEO.

Present information about the location

Google uses the information with a local SEO reference that is made available by your website and your internet connection. On the one hand, this is your IP address and, on the other hand, the geographical distribution of the users who have visited your site via Google.

On the other hand, the search engines make use of the information that you actively present on your homepage. For this reason, your full contact details are extremely important for "Local SEO". Therefore, make sure that you have the (company) name and address, telephone number listed up-to-date and in full.

Use reference texts in which you present regional projects to fill your page with local SEO information. Show pictures and mention the location in the captions.

Entry on Google My Business

In order to be able to classify a company homepage regionally, Google should have saved as much data as possible in its own business directory. Therefore, create an entry on Google My Business. Google then not only rates your page as particularly relevant for relevant local search queries, but also shows your profile, as far as it is complete, on the search results page. It is also found via Google Maps and Google+.

Absolutely necessary information is also on Google My Business company name, address and telephone. The profile can be “pimped” with a photo or with positive reviews from other Google users. Encourage your customers from your regional environment to post reviews in your My Business profile. This enables Google to recognize that your company really exists at the specified location. With positive reviews, it lists your website higher up in relevant local SEO search queries.

Entries in business directories

Google also searches other well-known business directories, such as the Yellow Pages, for local information relevant to a search query. You should therefore also ensure that the entries are complete there.

Attention : Pay attention to a uniform spelling of your information everywhere. Credibility is a crucial evaluation criterion at Google.

How important is local SEO?

Very important. The relevance of local search queries and the corresponding reaction from Google, namely the expansion of local services, speak for themselves. Local SEO is currently in the process of developing into a cornerstone of search engine optimization.

And one more note at the end: Locally related search queries are very often made via the mobile Internet. A typical situation: You are in a strange city and want to know where to eat or drink. A website should not only be locally oriented, but also optimized for mobile devices.