No local results for search

[Larry Linson]

I am looking at a keyword phrase in Spanish - a phrase that according to GSC brings the most traffic to my Spanish language page. But my ranking for that phrase is still terrible. This phrase does not have any words reflecting local intent. I notice two odd things: no Google local pack, and the first organic result is in another region of the country. Does this say anything about the keyword phrase, or my opportunities to improve ranking for this phrase?

 

[ElizabethRule]

@Larry Linson thanks for the question.

My question for you is: does this keyword convert and would more traffic from it help your overall ROI for your SEO efforts?

If the keyword itself is not localized, the first organic result is for a region far away from you, and there is no local pack, it doesn't sound like this is a keyword Google considers local. Thus, if you're looking to rank locally this may not be a keyword you want to focus on.

As for your ability to improve rankings for it, that really depends on a number of factors including competition, your website performance, quality of your content, and your backlink portfolio (among others). If all the stars align there, you may be able to improve rankings and get more traffic.

So my recommendation is to really evaluate if more traffic from this keyword will improve ROI and your bottom line, then make a plan accordingly.

 

[Larry Linson]

@Larry Linson thanks for the question.

My question for you is: does this keyword convert and would more traffic from it help your overall ROI for your SEO efforts?

If the keyword itself is not localized, the first organic result is for a region far away from you, and there is no local pack, it doesn't sound like this is a keyword Google considers local. Thus, if you're looking to rank locally this may not be a keyword you want to focus on.

As for your ability to improve rankings for it, that really depends on a number of factors including competition, your website performance, quality of your content, and your backlink portfolio (among others). If all the stars align there, you may be able to improve rankings and get more traffic.

So my recommendation is to really evaluate if more traffic from this keyword will improve ROI and your bTh

 

[Larry Linson]

Thank you Elizabeth for your detailed answer. The phrase is "abogados de seguro social
'. I am in Dallas Texas. If you search the english translation it is clear Google finds local intent. Why would Google not find local intent with a Spanish translation of the same phrase? Is there a way to have a GMB listing all in Spanish?

I don't know if it or any spanish language keyword phrases are worth pursing because nothing in spanish is converting.

Interestingly, if you add "cerca de mi" (near me) Google not only picks up local intent, it gives a knowledge panel to a local law firm owned by a hispanic family of lawyers. Seems very strange, borderline "politically incorrect". Why would Google assume the searcher using Spanish is looking for a Hispanic lawyer? Their website is rather typical - with a toggle button to translate the site to Spanish. I do not see their content in Spanish is any more extensive than other law firms. Certainly not a significant difference that would warrant a knowledge panel.

 

[ElizabethRule]

@Larry Linson when I do a search for that phrase as if I was in Dallas I get a local pack. Interestingly though, Google is giving me local results for "Social Security Administration" (see above the local pack in my screenshot).

Looks like Google is showing pages that are written in Spanish for this Spanish search. I don't think Google is necessarily showing a Hispanic law firm just because they are Hispanic; rather they are showing a website that has high-quality Spanish content related to the search. There are a number of other factors that go into why they may have a knowledge panel beyond the content. Also, perhaps that website has mentions of Spanish-speaking lawyers on staff, which would be another signal to Google that the business serves Spanish-speaking clients.

To your point though, if the Spanish searches don't convert, they may not be worth it to optimize for.

Is there a way to have a GMB listing all in Spanish?

Also, yes you can add another language to your GMB profile by following the steps outlined in thread.