Digital Marketing / Brand Manager
A 2017 study was conducted by Local SEO guide with 200+ factors in over 100,000 local businesses to find out similarities that are ranking well in local pack. The local businesses that link to low–value websites receive higher ranking positions in Google’s local pack.
How is this possible?
The study resulted that reviews are one of the most prominent ranking factors in local search results. It helped increase businesses rankings even by just having low–quality link profiles. It eclipsed the SEO common practices and topped the local ranking factors.
The results also established that those businesses ranked well in organic search, will likewise rank well in Google’s local pack. And, the Google My Business reviews influenced the rankings of the local packs.
So, let’s understand what are the ranking factors that affect the Google pack performance.
Reviews Affect Local Rankings
The businesses with Google My Business reviews get boosts to their rankings in Google’s local pack. Those businesses receiving significant number of reviews tends to rank well in local packs. The prominence of reviews is used by Google in ranking websites basing from the crowdsource factors.
However, it is not only receiving significant number of reviews that matters, the most important considerations are what’s being said in those reviews. And also, those reviews in Google My Business that mentioned target keywords, and/or name of the city, have received higher rankings in local pack.
Significance of Links
The high–quality links or backlinks are one of the essential factors in ranking SERPs. But, the data shows that websites ranked top in local packs have low quality and low authority links. There is an obvious exception to this rule when it comes to Google My Business pages with positive reviews.
In the results, Google continues to reward those with optimised anchor text that has both target keywords and name of the city. Even though, the data clearly shows links came from other low–value and low trusted websites but still they top the rankings in Google’s local pack.
In spite of everything, those websites that engage in SEO will always get a positive outcome and higher ranking positions in the organic search result pages.
Website is Important
Also study resulted, the standard practice of small businesses on websites are bad. In fact, so bad that some don’t even opt to have one at all.
One of the key factors to rank in organic search is to have a website, and those websites ranking in organic search means businesses will get higher conversion rates. And also, have the opportunity to rank top in Google’s local pack.
Everyone relies on search engines to find products or information. If businesses will invest in a website, then search engines will be able to display businesses website in the Search Engine Result Pages or SERPs. As well as, businesses will get the chance of people clicking their website link and easily know their products or services.
Today, the website is as important as a business address and has become a necessity to increase business profit. So a website should be one of the highest priorities of business owners.
For more comprehensive SEO recommendations, visit our website. VoovaDigital and we will be able to provide all the information and professional digital marketing services you could possibly need.
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