If you ever wondered about conquering Local Search Engine Optimisation, winning the Local Packs, and getting as many local traffic to your business then this is the information you’ve been looking for.
Any search optimisation requires time and a lot of effort to bring about substantial results. But with the help of this blog you won’t be shooting in the dark.
We will discuss Local SEO also known as Local Packs and why you should get into it.
Search engines use location to provide a better user experience. Gone are the days when you searched for “Emergency Plumber” and got a selection of results ranging across the country. Now, search engines use location based data (IP addresses and geo location) to provide a better search result.
By optimising for local you can take advantage of search engines’ local intent for better visibility for the business within the search results.
Searching for a specific business or service in a location triggers what is called a Local Pack. This is a list of businesses that provide a service or product within the local area and adds an additional layer to the search results.
Local SEO Checklist
There are several types of local pack, but they mostly contain the same blocks of information and do not differ substantially. We’ll be talking about two types: Local Teaser and Local Pack (or Local Finder). Their main difference is that Local Teaser does not have links, which complicates tracking your presence in them. We’ll discuss tracking your results in the last chapter.
Local Teaser (sometimes also referred to as Local Snack Pack)
This is a local 3-pack for dining, hospitality, and entertainment businesses. Results have a photo, no phone number, and no links to the website, but if you click on one of the results, you will see a map featuring more businesses and an extended card of the selected business, with a link to their site.
Local Pack (or Local Finder)
This is the most commonly used type
of Local Pack: a list of three (can be also two or four) businesses with their contact details and other valuable information.
Beneath or beside the map, which is displayed on the Google search page,
is the Name of Business, Address of Business, Phone Number of Business (NAP), unless marked as a Service Area Business (SAB), in which case only town and county (state) are displayed. Other information may be included, such as business hours, star rating, etc.
