What will matter most for Local SEO in 2022? This is always on the minds of local business owners and marketers. Every year, there are changes in the ranking factors, and sometimes even more drastic changes. This makes it challenging to determine the best course of action for local SEO.
To try and get a better idea of what will matter most in 2022, we took a look at some data from GMB. We analyzed the top ranking factors for businesses that achieved first page results on Google over the past year. Here are the five factors that appeared most often:
- Having a complete and accurate profile
- Having a website with high-quality content and good user experience
- Getting positive reviews online
- Being included in relevant directories/citations
- Having strong Local SEO signals (e.g., NAP consistency, verified GMB listing, etc.)
So, what can we expect for GMB ranking factors in 2022?
What is Google My Business (GMB)?
Google My Business is a free tool from Google that allows businesses to create a listing for their business on Google. This can include information such as the business name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and more.
GMB is an integral part of local SEO because it is one of the most visible places that businesses show up on Google. When someone searches for a local business on Google, the GMB listings often appear at the top of the search results.
Here are several ways to improve your chances of ranking high in GMB?
Make sure your profile is complete and accurate.
One of the most critical factors for ranking well in GMB is having a complete and accurate profile. This means that all of the information in your listing (e.g., business name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, etc.) should be up-to-date and accurate.
Optimize your website for SEO.
Another important factor for ranking well in GMB is a website optimized for SEO. This means that your website should have high-quality content and a good user experience. Google wants to show searchers the best possible results, so they are more likely to rank websites higher that meet these criteria.
Get positive reviews online.
Getting positive reviews from customers can also help you rank higher in GMB. Google considers the number of reviews and the average rating when determining where to rank businesses in the search results.
Be included in relevant directories/citations.
Including your business in relevant directories and citations can help you rank higher in GMB. Google looks at these signals when trying to determine the relevance of your business for a particular search. This is crucial for companies in highly competitive industries.
Have strong local SEO signals.
Finally, having strong Local SEO signals can also help you rank higher in GMB. Local SEO signals include things like your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) consistency, whether or not your GMB listing is verified, and more.
All of these factors are important for ranking well in GMB. However, if we had to choose the most crucial factor, it would have a complete and accurate profile. This is something that you have full control over, and it is often the first thing that Google looks at when determining where to rank your business in the search results. So make sure that your profile is up-to-date and accurate.
How Can I Optimize My GMB Listing?
There are several things that you can do to optimize your GMB listing:
- Complete all of the fields in your listing: Make sure that all of the fields in your listing are completed. This includes your business name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, etc.
- Choose the right categories: Choose categories that accurately describe your business and relevant to the products or services you offer.
- Get verified: Make sure that Google verifies your listing. This is a simple process that you can follow the instructions on Google’s website.
- Add photos and videos: Adding images and videos to your GMB listing can help it stand out from the competition.
These are just a few things that you can do to optimize your GMB listing. If you take the time to do these things, it will go a long way towards helping you rank higher in GMB.
Hire a local SEO Agency in Arizona for GMB Listing and Optimization.
If you are looking for help with your GMB listing, we recommend hiring a local SEO agency in Arizona. At Magnet Marketing SEO, we specialize in local SEO and can help you with everything from creating a complete and accurate listing to optimizing your website for SEO.
Our team of experts will work tirelessly to help you rank higher in the search results and get more customers from Google. Contact us today for a free consultation, and let us show you what we can do for your business.
