1. Optimize your website for local keywords
Include relevant keywords in your website’s content and metadata, such as the name of your city or region, to help search engines understand the location of your business.
2. Claim your business on local directories and review sites
Sites like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and Google My Business can help improve your local search visibility by providing additional information about your business, such as your address and phone number.
3. Get listed in local business directories
There are many online directories that list local businesses, such as Chamber of Commerce directories and industry-specific directories. These can help improve your local search visibility and drive traffic to your website.
4. Encourage customer reviews
Customer reviews can help improve your local search visibility and can also provide valuable feedback on how to improve your business. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on your business’s listing on review sites and directories.
5. Use structured data on your website
Structured data, also known as schema markup, can help search engines understand the information on your website and display it in a more useful way in search results. This can include things like your business’s address, phone number, and opening hours.
These are just a few ideas for improving your local SEO. It’s important to keep in mind that SEO is an ongoing process, and you may need to experiment and test different strategies to see what works best for your business.
Win the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT)
Google’s Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT) describes a revolution in the way consumers search for information online and make decisions about brands. Researching a product online prior to purchase has become the “new normal” as the internet and mobile continue to advance.
This mental model of marketing focuses on what Google is calling the Zero Moment: the exact moment when the consumer has a need, intent or question he/she wants answered online. Consumers have transformed the way they make decisions, and the ZMOT model embraces this change.
If you are in the hospitality industry, the term “Moment of Truth” may sound familiar. The phrase was coined by Jan Calzon, former president of Scandinavian Airlines, in 1986 as “anytime a customer comes into contact with any aspect of a business, is an opportunity to form an impression.”
For many years, hospitality companies used this concept to create customer service success. But now, more than ever, is the time to “zero” in on another moment.
At the Zero Moment of Truth, customers are:
- Searching online with a search engine
- Talking with friends and family about the product
- Comparison shopping products online
- Reading product reviews online
That is why the local SEO steps above matter: your listings, reviews and website content are what people find in that moment.
Use Social Presence to Build Trust
In 1976, way before virtual social networks, the Internet and even home computers, John Short, Edryn Williams and Bruce Christie theorized the impact of social presence and the way we connect with one another. The Social Presence Theory is a simple, yet profound approach that we’ve translated into hundreds of successful marketing campaigns for organizations across virtually all industries.
Simply put, it is the ability to use non-personal communication (marketing) to create and foster a relationship, just like when two people (a salesperson and a customer) are in the store together talking. The conversation is guided by the customer’s questions, reactions and expressions.
The higher the level of social presence, the deeper the trust generated in both parties. And this translates into loyal customers.
What if you could take the same personable face-to-face interaction that occurs in your store every day and replicate that level of trust and likability across hundreds, thousands, and even tens of thousands of potential customers? Personal, relevant communications that ask for the sale at precisely the right moment form the framework of Your Brand Voice’s approach.
Related reading
- Local marketing services
- Why you should post weekly on your Google Business Profile
- The content refresh SEO strategy
Talk to Your Brand Voice
Want help putting this to work for your business? Book a quick intro call or call us at (407) 203-6767.
