Why Online Local Listings Are Vital to Your Business

Search engine optimization has evolved several times since the concept first came to light, and as a business owner who must constantly find ways to improve your page’s SEO rankings, you have had to no doubt evolve along with it. Businesses that do not keep pace with new trends and cling to old SEO techniques usually find themselves failing, and one of these newer trends is to remain relevant in local business search listings. No matter what search engine you register with or what SEO keywords you use, being visible in local directories can give your business that extra online presence you have been looking for.

Local Listings Can Boost Visibility

Google has typically led the way when it comes to listing local directories and offering the most complete information at a glance. When people search for a business, the first results that usually pop up are local listings for that customer’s area, along with the contact information. Getting into this listing can be vital for the success of your business.

While investing in local listings might seem unimportant to you because you believe that your SEO ranking is already high enough to bring new traffic to your site, cornering the market on local business is just as important, especially if you have both a website and a brick-and-mortar establishment. One may not be successful without the other.

The Google 3-Pack

When customers search businesses in their area, the listings that pop up toward the top of the search and that are listed in numerical order are known by SEO-savvy business owners as the 3-pack. Before a 2016 update, this was formerly known as the 7-pack. These results are the most highly optimized sites and have the highest relevancy in terms of what was searched for. If you have a brick-and-mortar site, having your business listed here can be important for the success of your business, especially if it is located in a locale that is not visible from a street.

It is important to note that creating a Google+ for Business page may increase your chances of making the 3-pack. To get into local directories, you should create and optimize one of these pages. When you completely fill out the information on your business page and the more relevant the information is, the better the chances are that you will make the 3-pack listing.