8 Strategies to Boost Local Business in Competitive Markets Using Search

SEO October 2, 2024

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Local search marketing is essential for any location, but in a competitive market, implementing strategies to stand out is crucial.

The closer the user is to a location, the more likely it will rank. However, in denser areas, a location will face more competition.

By accelerating efforts around Google My Business (GMB) and location page management, a location’s relevance and prominence can enhance a business’s rankings, resulting in increased local visibility, especially in competitive markets.

In this post, we will break down strategies for both GMB and location pages to drive more local business.

How Google Ranks Local Results

Google states that “Local results are based primarily on relevance, distance, and prominence.”

Relevance refers to how applicable the result is to what someone is searching for.

Distance looks at how far the results are from the searcher for the location term.

Prominence refers to how reputable a location is in its local market. It takes into consideration factors such as articles, links, directories, review count, review score, and SEO.

A business can only directly impact relevance and prominence. Distance is determined by where the user is and cannot be optimized for.

Maximizing Google My Business in Competitive Markets

Having a successful listing on GMB requires leveraging all the different capabilities and features offered. Maximizing the use of each will allow your business to increase its presence in your local market.

Check out these opportunities to enhance your local listings.

1. Profiles

Google recommends that your profiles be “accurate, complete, and engaging.”

Start by accessing the Info tab within your GMB profile. Take advantage of all of the different features within this section.

All Attributes should be updated so the listing reflects your current business operations.

Make sure to also add any links to your website, for reservations, your menu, or even appointments.

Hours of operations are also found within this tab, and it is critical to maintain accurate hours every day of the year.

Special hours can be added for holidays, events, or during a specific time period. Regularly check and update your listings to ensure they are accurate, complete, and engaging.

2. Google Posts

Another way to make your profile more engaging is through Google Posts.

Posts are a great way to keep your listings current and promote any key offerings. They also allow a business to share quick updates.

Google Post content can impact rankings. For example, if a searcher’s query is for “expert wax grooming,” Google will look at the content in your listing, including the Google Post content.

For more specifics on Google Posts, you can review guidelines on creating effective posts.

3. Reviews

Reviews tend to be an overlooked area of GMB, but Google clearly states in their description of prominence that “Google review count and review score factor into local search ranking.”

Maintaining as high a score as possible is key while also looking to increase review volume. The more reviews you have, the better your listing will perform.

Receiving reviews consistently is critical. Implementing a strategy to solicit reviews can help increase review volumes and scores.

Google provides a short URL for you to share with customers to leave a review. Responding to reviews is equally important.

“When you reply to reviews, it shows that you value your customers and their feedback. High-quality, positive reviews from your customers can improve your business visibility and increase the likelihood that a shopper will visit your location.”

Leaving a high-quality, engaging response that is unique to each customer is the best approach.

4. High-Quality Photos & Videos

Photos and videos are a great way to make your profile more engaging and let a customer know what to expect when visiting your location. Photos that match a product or service query will help a listing stand out too.

Adding photos of new menu items, completed projects, items for sale, or your store’s layout and storefront will increase a user’s engagement with your profile. Consistently add new photos to keep your profile fresh and engaging.

Maximizing Location Pages in Competitive Markets

Location pages are critical to any local search strategy, but how the information is presented and structured will dictate how it performs on Google. This is where prominence is heavily factored in.

Google states, “Prominence is also based on information that Google has about a business, from across the web, like links, articles, and directories.”

“Your position in web results is also a factor, so search engine optimization (SEO) best practices apply.”

Many location pages normally only contain the business’s name, address, phone number, hours of operation, and a short description with a stock photo. By enlisting the strategies below, you can allow your location to stand out in a crowded and competitive market.

5. Hyperlocal Content

Hyperlocal content is a great way to create unique content that stands out locally. You don’t have to create long-form, time-consuming content. Instead, mention specific neighborhoods, nearby highways, schools, universities, museums, arenas, or other key landmarks.

Inside content ideas could include any events or promotions offered specifically in that location, such as a kids night, matinee offering, TVs for a big game or show, live music, even a list of staff members with bios, and any other information that makes that location unique. This provides engaging content that helps increase relevance and prominence.

6. Schema Markup

Another great SEO tactic to implement is schema markup. When adding schema markup to a location page, it allows for microdata to be included in a rich snippet, making your business stand out more prominently in the SERPs.

While schema markup is not a ranking factor, it’s a sound tactic to increase your location page’s prominence.

7. Link Signals

Links are key to any SEO strategy. Links to your location’s page from another site pass PageRank. The number and quality of links determine how relevant a location is.

Building citations through directories is a consistent way to build relevant links. Focus also on building local links through sites considered local authorities, such as local papers, the city chamber of commerce, or the city’s website.

8. Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals are now a ranking factor following a recent major Google update. Businesses should optimize their page’s experience. Google provides a tool to see page performance, and you can act on anything affecting your Core Web Vitals performance.

If you see a local business that is not following the rules, you can report them to Google. By optimizing your GMB listings and location pages, your business can expect to drive more business locally.

Understanding how relevance, distance, and prominence factor into a result will help you more effectively strategize on how to affect ranking. The more unique your local marketing efforts, the more likely you will rank locally in a competitive market.

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