What do you need to start local SEO?
Standing at the trailhead of a local SEO project, there are four key things you need before you begin auditing a local business and creating a strategy for it.
1) The guidelines for representing your business on Google
Skipping this step means running into trouble later. Make a copy of this simple, free spreadsheet, assign a store number/code to each location of the business, and fill out all of the fields. If the brand you’re promoting qualifies for multi-department or multi-practitioner listings according to the guidelines for representing your business on Google, be sure you are filling out a column for each of these entities as well.
Add additional fields to the spreadsheet if you need them. For example, if the business is a franchise, consider adding fields for franchisees’ contact information so you can quickly reach out to them when you need to communicate.
Finally, if the business has 10+ locations, you will have the opportunity to work with Google’s bulk upload functionality, which means filling out their bulk upload spreadsheet.
3) Clear identification of the business model
Take extra time to carefully identify your business model in particular. Business models include:
Brick and mortar, like a retail shop or restaurant customers can visit
Service Area Business (SAB), like a plumber or caterer who goes to customers' locations
Hybrid, like a pizza restaurant which also delivers
Home-based, like a daycare center
Co-located/co-branded business, like a KFC/A&W chain location
See AlsoThe 3 Pillars of SEO - KeyweoMulti-department business, like a hospital or auto dealership
Multi-practitioner business, like a real estate firm or dental practice
Mobile business, like a stationary food truck
Kiosk, ATM, and other less common business models
The guidelines for representing your business on Google have unique requirements and opportunities for each model. We won’t reproduce the entire document in this guide, because it frequently experiences editorial changes — take the time to read the entire set of guidelines to be sure you know how to strike a good path through Google’s online territory.
4) A clear statement of business goals
In some scenarios, your goal will be to develop the entire spectrum of online (and possibly offline) assets for a local business location. You’ll be touching everything from the website to local business listings to email marketing to social media profiles to review management. At other times, you may only be focusing on a smaller piece of the picture. But whether the scope of the work ahead of you is broad or narrow, setting goals at the outset is the only way to measure your success after completing your tasks.
It’s typically best when the business owner can state their goals by answering the question:
“What will success look like?”
Try to formulate an answer to that question by defining success as:
An increase in foot traffic
An increase in phone calls
An increase in transactions
An increase in form submission leads
An increase in requests for driving directions
An increase in links
An increase in positive reviews
An increase in local pack visibility for X search phrases
Steer clear of vanity metrics like “I want to be #1” or “I just need more website traffic.” At the end of the day, what most businesses really want is increased profits. How to get from A to Z is where strategy comes in, defining which tactics and messaging may result in reaching the stated goal that then translates into increased profits.
Once any relevant contributors have agreed on a goal, set a timeline. In-house and third-party marketers should be extremely clear about developing realistic time estimates. It takes time for the impacts of nearly all local search marketing efforts to fully mature, so be sure any timeline you offer avoids over-promising and under-delivering.
Now that you have the canonical business data, know the model and goals of the business, and have Google’s guidelines well in hand, you’re ready to begin your local SEO journey.
