The 3 key SEO factors; In continuation to my last post which talked about CONTENT which is the the top most key factors to rank higher on SERPS, this post is about the 2nd most critical factor; LOCATION.
Location: Key SEO factor no 2
The importance of location has increased a lot over the years, and so much so that the online success of your business depends upon you providing accurate data on your local presence.
Basic information such as the ones mentioned below need to be provided so that visitors have all the information they need:
Products or services provided,
Opening time of your business,
Special offers,
Contact number
Address
Businesses must ensure that their local businesses are updated and have the correct information
The information provided is visible to anyone searching for a product that you may be offering. Absence of, or outdated/ incorrect information may resulting in the customers logging off and heading towards your competitors site. A simple thing like keeping your online information updated and accurate will help in ensuring that you are not losing out on potential customers.
More and more people are connecting to businesses after finding them locally. Today it is even more important that the local information is current and updated on a regular basis.
If local businesses do not have updated basic information such as, the ones mentioned above, then businesses are at risk of losing potential customers to competitors.
Optimizing your local presence is one of the most critical things that you must do in order to have a successful presence online, and it should be at the top of your “Must do” list. Therefor location is number 2 in the key SEO factors for ranking.
In tune with local, the third most critical factor that is impacting the success of businesses online is :
Reviews and ratings
Reviews and ratings is one of the most critical factors today. Largely in the hands of a customer, reviews and ratings are provided by customers, and published online.
Businesses no longer have the discretion of hand picking and publishing reviews, they can still do so in their websites, but with the dynamic nature of reviews being published online, business can no longer have a say or control on the reviews and ratings that are being published online.
Today, customers have the option of rating your local business online on Google, Amazon, and on any shopping site. For Amazon, and many other online shopping sites, ratings are one of the key factors in the buying decision. Before making any buying decision, I always check the reviews…a lot of my decisions to buy a certain product depends upon what people are saying about that product (at least one can make an educated guess based on these reviews). This is especially true for an unknown brand, a new product, but even for an established brand, it helps to see the feedback.
What used to be considered as a “good to have” feature earlier is now a “must have”.
Positive or negative, all reviews and ratings are now online, and for everyone to see. As a business owner the requirement today is to be proactive, and responsive. Businesses can make the reviews and ratings work for them and in their favour (I don’t mean for businesses to buy out reviews and ratings, some businesses may do so, but it is not an ethical practice, and does not help in the long run). If a business provides great products and services, the reviews and ratings will automatically pour in..
Negative feedback can be dealt with in a positive manner. This is an area for improvement, where else can businesses get authentic feedback straight from customers. This is a great chance for businesses to interact with their visitors, and sort out issues and concerns. Businesses can improve their services by acting on a feedback, thereby converting an unhappy customer into a happy one. By doing this it will tell your existing customers that you care, and new customers will start trusting you. A business just needs to be transparent, honest, and care for the well being of its customers. This alone, along with good products/services will help you succeed online.
Businesses can improve their services by acting on a feedback, and convert an unhappy customer into a happy one. The best part is, it tells your existing customers that you care, and new customers feel that they will be treated with the respect that they deserve. A business just needs to be transparent, honest, and care for the well being of its customers. This alone, along with good products/services will help you succeed online.