When potential customers search for contractors or home builders, they normally look for businesses within or near their location. Google is the top search engine used by many so understanding how Google near me searches work can give you the upperhand.
Potential customers may not exactly include the location when searching for a specific type of business. They may simply type 'kitchen remodelers' and Google will list kitchen remodelers within their area. There are ways you can use this to your advantage. Here are some strategies you can follow to make sure your business appears on the top of the search list.
1. Create a Google My Business Account and Update Google My Business Page Listing
Online presence is important and having a Google My Business page is one way to do this. Google My Business is a free tool that can help put your business on Google maps and Google search. It is advisable that you take advantage of this. Make sure your listing is accurate and all details are updated.
Every time someone searches for home builders, Google will list down businesses whose addresses are near that person's area. If your address in your listing is correct and complete, it increases your chances of showing up on the search results.
2. Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly
Google primarily indexes desktop versions of websites and pages. However, most people are on their mobile devices these days when using Google so Google has switched its priority of indexing mobile versions of web pages.
To make sure your business follows the current trends, have your website optimized to make it mobile responsive. There should also be a URL specific for your website's desktop version and a separate URL for the mobile version.
3. Create Separate Pages for Each of Your Business Location
This is applicable for businesses with more than one location. If you have several showrooms, it is advisable to create a page for each location. This will help provide specific information about each site such as the address, phone number, and staff. It can work to your business' advantage if one location happens to be out of range of a person searching for your type of business but another location is close by.
4. Encourage Customer Reviews on Google
Reviews from previous customers can actually serve as a guide for a potential customer when making decisions. So how exactly does this come into play on near me searches? When customers mention the type of service you have rendered such as bathroom remodeling and potential customers located in the same area search for 'bathroom remodeling,' it will help push your business on the search results.
5. Use Relevant Keywords in Your Website Content
This may be related to the whole SEO process, but to put simply, it will help Google recognize your website if your content has keywords related to the search parameters or words potential customers use when conducting a search.
If you are aiming to rank on 'near me' searches, keep in mind that this is always dependent on the searcher's location and not based on a keyword that you need to target. However, if you need assistance on Local SEO, HBR Digital can help you in this area. Visit their website at hbr-digital.com.
