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SEO is highly competitive, with hundreds of companies battling it out for those lucrative keyword positions. There are several different ways to optimize your website to obtain these positions. As a local business, there may be ways to optimize your site and website presence further.
Whenever we search for local services online, Google shows a map amongst the organic search results without making any further clicks. This Map Pack appears in over 30% of all first-page SERPs, making it one of the most frequently displayed SERP features on Google, along with Featured Snippets.
Businesses affected by the Local 3-Pack service a particular territory, such as plumbing and delivery services, and local businesses like hair salons and restaurants. Due to the presence of the Local Finder in the search results, we tend to skip other organic rankings. This is usually because the 3-Pack provides us with the information we need almost instantly. This means obtaining this ranking is highly recommended if you are a local business with an online presence.
Here are some ways to achieve 3-pack rankings using a WordPress site
Google My Business Page
When achieving better local and 3-Pack ranking positions, the first step is ensuring your Google My Business page is properly optimized. Often, this is just a case of properly filling out the various sections in-depth and with correct information. When it comes to good optimization, here are some things to consider:
- Update Regularly
- Be sure to update your business information regularly and ensure it is current.
- Claim Your Business Page
- This is a simple process and means that Google will recognize your business is real and has a proper location rather than just an online presence.
- Fill Out The Q&A Section
- The Q&A function of your Google My Business page can be useful for potential customers/visitors and your ranking position. If you answer people’s questions before they even land on your site, you may be able to convert them instantly.
Optimize Your Website For Local Search
Around two-thirds of all smartphone users are more likely to purchase from companies or use local services whose mobile websites or apps are customized to their location. When looking at local search results, Google considers distance, prominence, and relevance. Your website should be optimized and relevant for search queries to rank highly in local searches. Your business should also be near users who carry out these searches.
Website optimization is all about relevance. To make your website relevant to a search query, you should optimize the content and be aware of its technical health and link authority. To associate your website with a particular location, it should include the town’s name, county, and potentially postcode on multiple pages.
Updating your website’s title, header tags, and meta descriptions means that Google can use these elements when learning about and understanding your website content. As long as the local content you use is included, you will rank higher in the local results, bringing you closer to that 3-pack Ranking position.
Yoast SEO
When using WordPress, the best way to optimize this content is to use the Yoast SEO plugin, which provides fields for SEO titles, keywords, slugs, and metadata that will appear in Google search results.
Your website’s SEO health refers to the technical condition of your website and includes things such as speed, mobile-friendliness, and security. Technical problems such as those can significantly impact your website’s ranking and authority.
Unfortunately, you can’t optimize your website using the do-it-and-forget-it approach. Properly optimizing your website by Google’s recommendations is a never-ending process that should involve trying out new techniques and fixing glitches or bugs.
Add Blog Posts To Your Site
Typically, blog posts attract large numbers of traffic to a website. They can be a huge ranking factor, as people will link to helpful content rather than just promotional services, which will benefit your entire WordPress site. Just as you would conduct keyword research to optimize your website content, you should conduct similar keyword research for blog posts.
Long-tail keywords have a better chance of securing higher rankings on Google as they tend to be natural search terms that people are already searching for, so aim to use these. By adding 2-4 blog posts per month to your website, you are telling Google that your website is regularly updated with new and fresh content, which will work in your favor and help to secure better-ranking positions for your site.
Ask Customers To Leave Legitimate Reviews
A study found that 84% of people trust online reviews just as much as they would word-of-mouth reviews from friends and family. Having online reviews for your business across multiple channels is one of the most valuable commodities your website can have. These reviews will help people decide whether or not they should use your business and help Google rank your website for the right audience.
If you struggle to get people to leave reviews for your business, the best way to encourage them is to set up automated email campaigns for those who have previously used or shopped with you.
On WordPress, the WooCommerce Points and Rewards plug-in is a great way to incentivize visitors and customers and leave reviews in exchange for points-based discounts and special offers. You should also encourage customers to leave reviews on your Google My Business page, as reviews are essential across multiple channels. This way, you can interact with many customers and positively frame your business.
Conclusion
Overall, proper website maintenance is one of the best ways to achieve 3-pack Rankings in local SEO. By reoptimizing your content, setting up and encouraging customer reviews, and adding blog posts, you are making your website appear more user-friendly and relevant to Google, increasing your rankings. Proper SEO maintenance is essential for all websites that want to perform and rank well and require regular updates.
Natalie Wilson is a freelance writer for many business and technology publications, working closely with SEO Manchester agencies. She is an avid researcher and writer with a wide range of industry knowledge. You can connect with her on Twitter @NatWilson976.
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