What ongoing Local search actions can be done

[Oliver Keates]

Are there any other actions ongoing i can carry out after the doing the following to rank higher to get more leads:

Create and optimize GMB listing
Create GMB posts
Built all relevant citations
Local onpage seo
Link building

 

[Tim Colling]

@Oliver Keates one key item I would add, unless you've assumed that it's included in one of the actions that you listed, is to cultivate the creation of favorable reviews, both 1st party and 3rd party reviews.

 

[Stefan Somborac]

Phil Rozek has a good post about one-time tasks vs. ongoing work

 

[mborgelt]

You will definitely want to continually create content about your business, location and common user/market questions if you want to continue to rank well in local search!

 

[Phil Rozek]

Thanks, @Stefan Somborac.

@Oliver Keates, the main long-term, ongoing tasks are to keep rustling up links and reviews. Most of the on-site work and listings work tapers off.

On the site, the main ongoing task is what I call "content CPR": making existing pages more in-depth and useful, adding relevant reviews to those pages, adding new internal links wherever a new opportunity presents itself, etc.

The only other item I'd add - which I didn't think to include in the 2016 post Stefan linked to - is what I call "spam patrol." That is, submitting edits on competitors' Google My Business pages that are violating the guidelines. It's usually a game of whac-a-mole, and takes a long time to see payoff, but does help. Undoing competitors' ill-gotten gains makes you a whisker more visible. (Might as well make them work to outrank you.)

 

[Tim Colling]

...It's usually a game of whac-a-mole...

What a great analogy, @Phil Rozek! It truly is like that sometimes, isn't it.

 

[Phil Rozek]

@Tim Colling, for sure. Spam patrol is a Sisyphean task.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Haha I 100% agree about spam patrol (we call it spam fighting here at Sterling Sky). We have found, however, that it takes very little time to pay off. It's the one tactic that I've repetitively been able to use that gets clients ranking increases in less than 24 hours.

The other thing I would add is that we regularly do things in our monthly tasks that align with changes Google makes.

For example, in May when Google started emailing people when a business responds to a review, we started responding to reviews for our clients. Previous to this, we'd only really respond to the negatives. Now that people actually get alerted about your response, we see it as a valuable customer service opportunity.

In June when Google allowed brands to claim their KP, we did this for big brands we work with.

Recently, with the announcement of Google Plus dying we are going and removing G+ sharing buttons from client websites

etc.

It never ends. I'm not sure I've ever run out of stuff to do for a client.

 

[Phil Rozek]

Very true, @JoyHawkins. I should have said that some of the payoff is short-term, and some is longer-term. If you get a spammy listing removed, the payoff is instant, of course. But if you fix spammy GMB names, often those spammy listings continue to rank well for way longer than they should, before eventually sagging or dropping off. At least in my experience, how long it takes to see payoff just depends on what kind of mapspam it is.

 

[Oliver Keates]

Thanks @Phil Rozek .

What type of ongoing relevant content should i be creating for an internal company blog that can help local search rankings.

 

[John Vuong]

I would also like to add:
- optimize your website page speed
- link detox (health check on a quarterly basis)
- A/B test onpage tags for optimal results

In terms of content, look for local relevant content that will apply to your company. Industry information or updates, association updates, local news that maybe relevant, local events your company is hosting or sponsoring, if you have something new product/service that you are now offering for your company, anything news worthy.

 

[Oliver Keates]

@LocalSEOSearch Is it worth creating an events page on a website dedicated to this topic?

 

[John Vuong]

It all depends on how often you will be posting Events on the page and updating it. If it is a blog where you will be posting regularly sure. You can have sub headings on the events tab for Local events, industry events, etc.

If it is for an internal company blog, then navigation isn't as important. Headlines are probably more important and the content.

 

[Oliver Keates]

@LocalSEOSearch thanks for the advice. This webinar about local link building that includes events is a useful resource "building local goodwill"

Building Local Goodwill, Nationwide: A Guide for Enterprise Brands

Webinar Slides ZipSprout BuzzStream Webinar Deck

 

[Phil Rozek]

@Oliver Keates, I probably wouldn't blog. It's hard enough for a "local" business owner to do it well, and nigh impossible for a third party (in this case, you) to do it for him or her.

You'll want to focus on what I call "content CPR," which includes steps like:

1. Create an in-depth page on any service for which you don't have a page already. (Link to it generously from other pages, as appropriate.)

2. Add more detail (and perhaps reviews) to existing "service" pages, which may need a shot in the arm.

3. Get the homepage in-shape, like by adding a blurb on each specific service, a blurb on the service area (or on each location of the business), a section on the business's USP, and maybe some customers' reviews.

I've found there is much more payoff in working on fleshing out the site in that way than in splattering stuff on the client's blog.

 

[Oliver Keates]

@Phil Rozek Thanks, i am actually just working on my agency website.