Ways On How To Strategize, Optimize, and Compete In SERP Localization

Last Updated on June 6, 2024 by Troika Gellido

Did you know that Google has a separate local algorithm to promote local businesses in the search results?

Say, if a user searches for “pizza delivery,” they will see listings for pizza places that are close to them rather than businesses in another state.

A Search Engine Results Page (also known as SERP) is the page of links you see when entering a question or phrase into a search engine such as Google or Yahoo. Search engine positioning works by placing your website higher on search engine results pages. Theoretically, this should increase traffic as people are likelier to see and click on your listing. However, there is a problem with this system – localization.

These localized results can pose a problem if you’re not a local business, meaning Google SERP will push your website down the rankings. There are things you can do how to compete in SERP localization to ensure potential customers still see your website.

What Is SERP Localization?

Localization occurs when search engines such as Google and Yahoo adjust the ranking of websites based on the user’s location. If you want to rank for a keyword in the United States, but most of your traffic comes from Europe, you will have difficulty getting to the top of the SERPs and Google search results.

SERP localization tailors search engine results pages to the language and location of the user. This process uses geo-targeting techniques, such as IP address detection, to deliver results based on the user’s physical location.

This targeting means that different cities see different SERPs for the exact keywords. For example, someone searching for a “lawyer” in New York City will see a different results page than someone searching for a “lawyer” in Los Angeles.

Strategies On How You Can Beat SERP Localization

There are a few ways to beat SERP localization.

1. Host your website in the country you’re trying to target

This tells the search engines that your website is relevant to that particular country and should be ranked accordingly.

2. Use a keyword search to find popular keywords

Search for popular keywords in your target country that are not as competitive, and create your featured snippet with this in mind. This process and unique use of terms will help you get a higher ranking without having to battle against the big guns.

3. Start a link-building strategy

Try link building through hyperlinks from websites in your target country to your website help improve your website’s authority and makes it more likely to rank higher in the search query results.

4. Ensure optimization based on the target location.

This optimization means using local keywords and phrases and ensuring that your site’s content is relevant to the local market.

If you’re looking on how to compete in SERP localization, try not to rely too heavily on SEO. While it can be a powerful tool for result ranking, SERP should function as a supplement to your overall SEO strategy.

5. Keep an eye on your competition.

SERP localization is a great way to get ahead of your competitors, but if they’re also using it, you’ll need to adjust your strategy accordingly.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your SERP localization efforts are successful and that you can avoid the potential pitfalls. 

Using Google Analytics To Track Localization

Google Analytics can be used to track SERP localization. To do this, create a new Google Analytics account and add the tracking code to your website. Once you’ve done this, you’ll see where your traffic comes from and what keywords they use to find your site. 

To track SERP localization:

• Go to your Google Analytics account
• Click on “Traffic Sources” 
• Click on “Source/Medium” to see the various ways people are finding your site
• Find the “Google/Organic” link

This guide will allow you to see if most of your traffic comes from a specific country or region. Paid results appear as Google ads at the top of the search engine return page. “Organic results” results follow, and here you’ll be able to see the rank tracker and if localization plays a role in your traffic.

Geo-Modification and Geo-Location

The two terms are often confused, but they are two different things. Geo-modification is changing the geographic location associated with a web page, while geo-location is simply identifying the geographic location of a web page.

Geo-modification can be used to improve SEO by making it easier for search engines to find and index pages that are relevant to a particular geographic region. Google can use geo-location to enhance the user experience by providing relevant content and ads to users based on their location.

Geo-modification is a relatively new technique, and it is not yet clear how effective it is at improving SEO. However, it is effective at improving the user experience.

There are a few things to keep in mind when using geo-modification or geo-location:

• Make sure that the geographic location you are targeting is relevant to the content on your page.
• Do not use geo-modification to trick search engines into thinking your page is more relevant than it is. This manipulation could result in your page being penalized by search engines.
• Geo-location can improve the user experience, but companies should not use it to collect personal information about users without their consent.
• Test your pages with different browsers and devices to ensure they are still accessible after modifying or adding the geo-location tags.
• Keep an eye on your web server’s access logs to ensure that your geo-location changes are applied correctly.

Geo-modification and geo-location can be powerful tools, but companies should use them carefully. They can improve the user experience and help you reach your target audience. Misused, they can result in search engine penalties and negative user experiences.

Why Is SERP Localization Important?

SERP localization is crucial because it allows businesses to target their marketing efforts at a specific audience. By optimizing their website and content for a particular location, they can ensure that they appeal to the people likely to convert into customers.

This result is significant for businesses with a brick-and-mortar location, as they can use SERP localization to target potential customers in their area.

13 Ways On How To Compete In SERP Localization

There are a few things you can do to optimize your website for SERP localization:

• Use geo-targeted keywords
• Create location-specific pages
• Optimize your website for mobile devices
• Register your business with local directories
• Use Google My Business
• Monitor your SERP results

1. Local Search

When looking for ways to compete in SERP localization, maintaining contact information across all your online listings is essential to local SEO. Customers should be able to contact you no matter where they find you, and having consistent information makes it more likely that they’ll be able to do so.

In addition to your name, address, and phone number (NAP), you should also consider including your hours of operation, appointment availability, and service area.

Including this information on your website is a good start, but it’s not enough. You must also include it on all your online listings, such as your Google My Business listing, Yelp page, and Facebook business page.

Including consistent contact information across all your online listings will make it easier for customers to reach you and do business with you.

Local SEO is essential for any company that wants to be located online by potential customers in their area. Optimizing your site and online listings for local search can increase your visibility and draw in more leads and customers from your target market.

2. Link Building

Link building is important for any SEO strategy but vital for local SEO.

Links from local websites and directories carry more weight than links from non-local sites. Additionally, Google prefers websites with a strong link profile from high-quality websites in the same country or region.

For example, if you’re a US-based business, having a link from a local website or directory would be more beneficial than a website based in another country.

There are several ways to build links from local websites and directories, such as submitting your site to online directories, working with local businesses to get listed on their websites, and guest blogging on local websites.

You can improve your local SEO and get ahead of your competition by building links from local websites and directories.

3. Citations

Citations are another critical piece of the local SEO puzzle. A citation is an online mention of your business, including your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number).

Citations help search engines verify that your business is legitimate and that your listings are up-to-date. They also signal to Google that your business is relevant and trustworthy.

There are several ways to get citations, such as submitting your business to online directories, listing your business on local chamber of commerce websites, and adding your business to Google Maps.

By building up your citation profile, you can improve your local SEO and get your business in front of more potential customers.

4. Reviews

Reputation is vital for any business but significant for local businesses. Local customers are more likely to decide whether to do business with you based on your online reputation. Studies indicate consumers hesitate to use or purchase from a company with negative online reviews.

There are several ways to build and maintain a strong reputation, such as:

• responding to all reviews (both positive and negative)
• monitoring your online listings for accuracy
• proactively soliciting customer feedback

Linking between your website and page is also crucial. Google uses website links as signals when determining the ranking of your place page. So, if you want your place page to rank well, you must ensure that your website is linked.

There are different ways to accomplish this, like adding a link to your place page on your website’s contact page or listing your address on your website’s home page.

By linking your website and place page, you can improve your local SEO and get your business in front of more potential customers.

Local SEO is vital for any business looking to be found online by potential customers in their area. Optimizing your website for local search can improve your visibility and draw in more leads and customers from your target market.

5. Customer Service

Customer service is essential for any business but vital for local companies. Local customers expect a higher level of customer service than online customers. A recent study showed that most consumers are likelier to do business with a local company that offers better customer service.

Several ways to improve your customer service include offering a satisfaction guarantee, responding to customer reviews, and offering live chat on your website. Creating quality content doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. You can start by creating a blog and writing about topics relevant to your business and target market.

By providing quality, detailed content, you will help Google understand your business and improve your chances of ranking well in local search results. This explicit content makes it easier to tie your site to user search intent and improve your overall SEO.

6. Competition

You need to identify your competition and what they’re doing to improve their local SEO. Once you know what they’re doing, you can develop a plan to beat them.

Local SEO is a process that requires ongoing effort, and you must continuously monitor your listings, build links, and get citations and reviews. Also, you must watch your competition and ensure you’re doing everything possible to stay ahead of them.

Reverse engineering competitor websites and listings are a great way to find new opportunities to improve your local SEO. By monitoring your competition, you can stay ahead of the game and ensure your business is visible to potential customers in your area.

7. Physical Location

The physical location of a business is essential for local SEO. If a customer is searching for a business in a specific city or town, the search engine will return results based on the company’s location.

For example, if someone searches for “pizza delivery Denver,” the search engine will return results for pizza delivery businesses in Denver. Ensuring your business lists are in the correct city and state is imperative.

Including your business address on your website is also vital for customer trust. Customers are more likely to do business with a company that includes its address on its website.

It’s also important to include your business address on your website and all your online listings. By having your business address, you’re giving the search engine another signal that your business is relevant for local searches.

Ensure your NAP is consistent across all your online listings. Inconsistent NAP information can confuse the search engine and hurt your local SEO.

You should optimize your content for local SEO, meaning you should include city and state, meta descriptions, and H1 tags in your title tags, and it also means having a geo-targeted landing page.

A geo-targeted landing page is a page on your website specifically designed for people in a particular city or town. For example, for that pizza delivery business in Denver, you’ll want a geo-targeted landing page for Denver.

You can create geo-targeted landing pages by including your city and state in your title tags, meta descriptions, and H1 tags. You can also use a plugin to help you create geo-targeted landing pages.

Local businesses need to build links to improve their local SEO, and links are an important ranking factor for local search. Many processes are available to obtain links, like creating local business listings, getting listed in directories, and creating city-specific pages on your website.

You can also get creative with your link building by hosting local events, sponsoring local sports teams, and partnering with other local businesses. Building links can be time-consuming, but it’s essential for improving your local SEO.

8. Mobile-Friendly

Make sure your website is mobile-friendly. Many people are utilizing their smartphones to search for local businesses, and you’ll miss out on many potential customers if your website isn’t mobile-friendly.

You can make your site mobile-friendly by employing a responsive design that adjusts to any screen size. You can also employ a plugin to create a mobile-friendly version of your website.

Content should answer questions for which people are searching and be keyword-rich and relevant to your business.

Creating helpful and relevant content for your customers can improve your local SEO and attract more customers to your business.

Mobile search and local are closely connected. The majority of mobile searchers are looking for local information.

This result means that if you want to improve your local SEO, you must ensure your website is mobile-friendly and that your content is relevant to people searching for businesses like yours.

By following these tips, you can improve your local SEO and attract more customers to your business.

9. Schema Markup

You can also use Schema markup to help the search engine understand your content. Schema markup is code you can place on your site to help the search engine understand your content.

Schema lets Google know the meaning behind your data, which helps Google display your content more user-friendly way.

You can use Schema markup to help the search engine understand your business name, address, and phone number. You can also employ it to mark up your reviews and ratings.

Adding Schema markup to your website is a great way to improve your local SEO.

10. Social Media

Local businesses need to be active on social media. Social media is a great way to connect with your customers and build brand awareness.

Make sure you are on major social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You should also consider creating city-specific social media accounts.

A solid social media presence can help build trust and credibility for your business. Sharing content on social media hubs should be done frequently and with high-quality visuals.

By being active on social media, you can improve your local SEO and attract more customers to your business.

11. Long-tail Keywords

Using long-tail keywords is a perfect way to improve your local SEO. Long-tail keywords are specific and relevant to your business.

For example, using our pizza delivery business in Denver, you would want to use long-tail keywords like “pizza delivery Denver” or “Denver pizza delivery.”

Using long-tail keywords can help you attract more targeted traffic to your website and improve your local SEO.

12. Site Speed

Make sure your site is speedy and responsive. People are impatient and will quickly leave your website if it’s slow or unresponsive.

You can increase your website speed by optimizing your images, using a caching plugin, and using a content delivery network.

You should also consider switching to a faster web host. A fast website is essential for improving your local SEO.

13. Google My Business

One of the most valuable ways to boost your local SEO is to claim and optimize your Google My Business listing. Your GMB listing appears in the map pack when someone searches for a local business.

When claiming your GMB listing, you can add your business name, address, phone number, business hours, photos, and services. Make sure your GMB listing is complete and accurate. The more data you can offer, the better the result. You should also consider adding a call to action to your GMB listing, such as “Call us now” or “Order online.”

By claiming your GMB listing, you can improve your local SEO and attract more customers to your business.

Wrap Up

SERP localization is a challenge that all digital marketers face, and learning how to compete in SERP localization can be challenging. Understanding and using the proper techniques can beat the system and improve your website’s visibility in local search results; your business’s success depends on it.

Beating SERP localization isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. By following these tips, you can improve your local SEO and attract more customers to your business. When your business or company ranks high on a search engine results page, your site sees more organic traffic, resulting in a successful business.