Local SEO Company Vetting Made Easier

Posted at Apr 22, 2020 12:30:00 PM by Katie Weedman | Share

Who is the best local SEO company? You can skim through pages and pages of rankings, but the best company is really the one you can trust. Ok, then how do you know who to trust -- especially when you aren't exactly fluent in the language of search engine optimization? This article, and the brief local SEO glossary within it, can help you bridge the communication gap and identify the best SEO firms to service your business.

For the true beginners, following is a succinct explanation of what local search engine optimization is and how partnering with a local SEO company can benefit your business.

What Is Local SEO?

Local search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of grooming your website to rank higher in the organic search engine results for a geographically local audience.

WHY iS It iMPORTANT?

Since the world wide web is in fact worldwide, optimizing your website to reach people searching for products or services in or near your geographic area makes sense, as it can help people find your physical location in the real world. It can also generate more website traffic by moving your website up in the organic search results (and even into prime search engine results page real estate, like Google's Carousel). And more website traffic can lead to more calls and more online form submissions, resulting in increased sales and revenue for your business.

However, as previously mentioned, you need to find a local SEO company who is trustworthy and reliable -- one who accurately tracks, analyzes, and reports your website user behavior. To help make your vetting process simpler, here is a short glossary of search engine optimization terms to know. The point being that, by having a better understanding of "SEO speak," you can more clearly define your goals and determine which company you can trust to help you achieve them.

Local SEO Glossary: Terms to Know

Google Analytics - This popular tool is used by many professionals in the SEO industry to track website user behavior. Verify that any company you're considering uses this or another comparable analytics program.
Google Local Pack - Often referred to as the Google 3 Pack, the Google Local Pack is Google's current format for displaying local business search results. A savvy SEO partner will work to get your business into one of the three coveted spots in the Google 3 Pack.
Google My Business - This is Google's proprietary tool for businesses to manage their online presences across all Google platforms. (Tip: If you're a business with multiple geographic locations, be sure you ask any of the SEO firms you're vetting about how its team would manage your Google My Business listings. The best practice at present is to claim and verify all business locations using a single, unique Google My Business account -- that way you don't get penalized for duplicates.)
Location Landing Page - Also called a city landing page, a location landing page is a web page that provides location-specific information about a business. These kinds of pages can help your website achieve search engine visibility in multiple geographic areas.
Structured Citations - Fingers may "do the walking" on the screens of handheld smart devices, but searchers no longer need to page through paperback phone books or hardbound directories to find local business listings. Structured citations, appearing on platforms like Facebook, Yelp, and the aforementioned Google My Business, are the virtual cousins of the printed listings of old. Any SEO partner worth its salt will understand the value of these citations.

When vetting local SEO service providers to determine which is the best SEO firm for your business, put THAT Agency at the top of your list. Contact us today to let us show you why!