As quickly as Google’s algorithms have evolved in recent years, the most significant changes in SEO have been driven by user intent.
Twenty years ago, when Google was merely a promising search startup, search was a tool to navigate a cumbersome web.
Today, search is more than that. Search is a mechanism we turn to hundreds of times a day to ask questions like:
- How many tablespoons are in a cup?
- What is the capital of Nigeria?
- Which pizza places are open near me right now?
User intent has shifted from passing curiosity to the necessity of dozens of micro-moments where a few quick taps on a mobile phone reveal the needed information.
As a result, SEO has evolved to look like something very different, yet somehow familiar to what the webmasters of 1998 were optimizing for.
To comprehend micro-moments and their impact on SEO, one must understand the shift from general local search to a more hyper-local, ultra-relevant search engine, and how people now use technology to supplement their everyday decisions.
What Are Micro-Moments?
By 2017, mobile traffic accounted for 50.3 percent of all global web traffic. Ten years prior, it was only 0.7 percent, increasing by 5-10 percent annually since then.
We live in a world where mobile phones are extensions of their users—a tool constantly accessed for reference, insight, or feedback.
We check the time, set timers, buy movie tickets, and order cat food online.
These quick hits on your phone happen in mere seconds.
You think of something and take action on your mobile device in micro-moments that occur several dozen times a day.
Think back to before 2009—you had a to-do list, a grocery list, and a backlog of tasks for when you had time to sit down at your desktop or go to the store.
How we do things has changed.
And it has significantly impacted search. Micro-moments change everything about how brands engage with consumers.
Rather than a funnel built around multi-minute sessions on a computer, businesses must now contend with micro-moments that last mere seconds.
In a recent Google/Ipsos study, 91 percent of smartphone users said they would look up information on their smartphones in the middle of a task. The same study showed that 82 percent would consult their phone while in a store making a buying decision, and 10 percent of those users change their buying decision as a result.
SEO is now as much about the moment as the content.
People have specific needs that need to be fulfilled quickly, and they expect search results to fit those needs.
Consumer expectations are high because the technology they have frequently meets those expectations.
As a business trying to remain competitive in industry and local searches, this shift is crucial and ties directly into how hyperlocal search has evolved to replace more generic local results.
The Evolution of Local SEO into Hyperlocal
The goal of search is to dig to the heart of user intent and show them the most relevant content. This has become more challenging as the volume of online content has increased.
Today, it’s rare to find a business without a website and a listing in online maps.
But it isn’t enough for search engines to show every pizza parlor in New York when you’re looking for lunch. Results need to be catered to the individual, based on location and search preferences.
For this reason, local businesses are encouraged to optimize for:
- Hyperlocal Keywords: Target the neighborhood or even the street on which you operate, e.g., “bay ridge pizza” instead of “new york pizza.”
- Business Address: Ensure your location information is consistently listed across your website and any other owned media.
- Directory Listings: Ensure your business is listed in all relevant local directories, such as YellowPages, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google My Business. Claim any existing listings and ensure data is consistent.
Optimizing for local searches is vital, but search engines want to be as specific as possible in providing results to users.
Take advantage of this to optimize for hyperlocal searches, not just neighborhood searches but also location-supported searches on mobile devices.
The Role Micro-Moments Play in Hyperlocal Search
Mobile search results often differ from desktop SERPs.
Reports indicate that 79 percent of keywords overall and 47 percent of the top 20 SERPs are different on a mobile device.
This discrepancy is a targeted effort to show content relevant to the device and type of search being done.
If someone is searching on a mobile device, they are likely to need a nearby solution.
Consider the mindset of someone searching for a local business on their mobile device. At home, they could be planning an outing, mapping a haircut location, or finding a store to buy a new TV. On a mobile device, they are often out of the house and actively engaged in a buying decision, often in the midst of a micro-moment.
- “Let’s get something to eat.”
- “I have a few minutes; let’s get that haircut real quick.”
These are pivotal buying moments. Consider that 57 percent of people who engage with a business via mobile search are more likely to visit a store, 39 percent more likely to call the business, and 51 percent more likely to buy something.
Since many people use their devices to make product decisions supporting a purchase, SEO plays a significant role here.
For example, searches for “best” have increased by 80 percent on mobile devices as people turn to their phones to determine choices while shopping.
In 2015, searches for “near me” and “nearby” similarly surged by 80 percent. These are “I-want-to-go moments” driven by a desire to take action.
Optimizing for Hyperlocal Micro-Moments
How can you ensure your search listings contain the information people need during these now moments on a mobile device?
In addition to the hyperlocal optimization tips mentioned earlier, consider the following:
- Mobile-First Mindset: Ensure contact information is visible on every page of your website and supplemented with click-to-call buttons.
- Utilize Local Features: Optimize your business listings to provide key information — whatever type of business you operate.
- Develop Relevant Content: Create pages on your website reflecting the “right now” questions people might search for.
- Customize per Location: Create custom landing pages based on each location you are targeting, including relevant information.
- Use Structured Data Markup: Structured data markup allows search engines to easily pull vital information directly into SERPs, affecting your hyperlocal search results.
Summary
For local businesses eager to attract local customers, especially when they are ready to buy, these steps can make you stand out.
If you operate primarily locally or are a retail or service business facing substantial competition, consider the importance of micro-moments and build your hyperlocal SEO efforts accordingly.
