Many folks talk about SEO like it’s all the same thing when in reality, there are many different aspects of Search Engine Optimization you need to consider when trying to get your business ranked online. In this blog, we will explain the Local SEO, Organic SEO and what to consider for each.

I like to explain Local SEO as any listing that comes up in Maps such as Google Maps, Bing, Yahoo etc. Getting ranked in Maps is especially important for businesses like restaurants who’s customers are looking to dine within a specific location. These customers often times shop on their smartphone and Maps are often times the first listing they in search engines.  Many times the customers won’t even get to the website before making their decision on where to eat. Additionally, digital assistants like Siri and Google Voice pull listings from Maps when their users ask things like “Hey Siri, where’s a good restaurant near me?”

Here are the top factors according to one of the top thought leaders in the digital marketing industry(SEO Moz).

1. Google My Business Signals: 25.12%
   1. The proximity of the business to the person searching
   2. Google My Business category listings on the account
   3. Keyword in the title of the business
   4. Learn more about Google Business here: https://www.google.com/business/
2. Link Signals: 16.53% (Personally, I’d rate this higher than 16%, but SEO is so damn nuanced it’s hard to put a percentage on every factor)
   1. Links pointing to your website – called “inbound links”.
   2. The quantity and quality of the websites you’re getting inbound links from.
   3. The anchor text of the inbound link (this is considered anchor text)
   4. from other websites to the main we(Inbound anchor text, linking domain authority, linking domain quantity, etc.)
   5. We’ve built local platforms and blogs that help local businesses increase their link signals. Delaware Beaches Online: Local Articles, and Info on things to do, attractions, & fun!  – Delaware Beaches Events: You guessed it, events in southern Delaware!  –  Delaware Beaches Biz: A Local Business Directory  
3. Review Signals: 15.44%
   1. How well your business is getting reviewed
   2. Google also takes into consideration the quantity and quality of the reviews.
4. On-Page Signals: 13.82%
   1. How well your content is optimized for the keywords you’re trying to rank for.
5. Citation Signals: 10.82%
   1. How consistent the information is on your local accounts.
   2. How many local accounts /listings have been created for your business.
   3. We use the best platform in the business for this – Yext Listings for Local Business Data Aggregation with niche segments for Restaurants, Hospitality, Healthcare, and brick and mortar commerce/locations 
   4. Oftentimes, these local directories will outrank local websites. Like, your Yelp profile could very well outrank your website for your top keywords! So, best to make sure you’re meeting best practices and getting found in these directories.
6. Behavioral Signals: 9.56%
   1. Engagement of your website users.  (Click-through rate, mobile clicks to call, check-ins, etc.)
   2. GA 4 Signals Info – learn more >
7. Personalization:  5.88%
8. Social Signals: 2.82%
   1. How well your social media accounts are managed/engaged with
   2. Your social media accounts and content will rank in search engines, we wouldn’t be doing our jobs if we didn’t at least mention this.

Source: https://moz.com/local-search-ranking-factors 

Source: Google Search Central 

Everything non-paid is technically called “organic”, but for the sake of our explanation, we refer to “organic” as anything below Maps and paid listings in search engines.  If you don’t like paying to drive traffic to your website, then organic is right for you! Additionally, users tend to trust organic listings more because the websites have earned the right to rank – instead of paid for the users attention.

As the business owner, getting ranked organically is critical to your marketing ROI. So what do search engines consider when ranking websites? Well, the algorithm is as secret as the Pepsi recipe but they do give the general public a good idea of what they consider when ranking websites.

Here are the top factors according to one of the top thought leaders in the digital marketing industry(SEO Moz).

1. Link Signals: 27.94%
   1. Links pointing to your website – called “inbound links”.
   2. The quantity and quality of the websites you’re getting inbound links from.
   3. The anchor text of the inbound link (this is considered anchor text)
   4. from other websites to the main we(Inbound anchor text, linking domain authority, linking domain quantity, etc.)
2. On-Page Signals: 26.03%
   1. How well your content is optimized for the keywords you’re trying to rank for.
3. Behavioral Signals: 11.5%
   1. Engagement of your website users.  (Click-through rate, mobile clicks to call, check-ins, etc.)
4. Google My Business Signals: 8.85%
   1. The proximity of the business to the person searching
   2. Google My Business category listings on the account
   3. Keyword in the title of the business
   4. Learn more about Google Business here: https://www.google.com/business/
5. Citation Signals: 8.41%
   1. How consistent the information is on your local accounts.
   2. How many local accounts /listings have been created for your business.
6. Personalization:  7.32%
7. Review Signals: 6.47%
   1. How well your business is getting reviewed
   2. Google also takes into consideration the quantity and quality of the reviews.
8. Social Signals: 3.47%
   1. How well your social media accounts are managed/engaged with

Source: https://moz.com/local-search-ranking-factors 

Now you know the top 8 factors that determine the ranking of your website and local listing. Have a question about any of those factors, or want to audit your online presence? Drop us a line, we’re happy to help!