Now that we’ve covered the basics of SEO, it’s time to focus on local ranking factors. These are the specific factors that search engines use to determine which businesses to display in their local search results. By understanding and optimizing these factors, you can improve your chances of appearing at the top of local search results in Bakersfield.
Here are some of the most important local ranking factors:
Google My Business: Your Google My Business (GMB) profile is one of the most important ranking factors for local SEO. Make sure your profile is fully completed and accurate, including your business name, address, phone number, website URL, and business hours.
Online Reviews: Online reviews are another key local ranking factor. Encourage your customers to leave reviews on your GMB profile and other review sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Facebook.
Local Citations: A local citation is any online mention of your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP). This includes directory listings, local business associations, and other websites that mention your business. Make sure your NAP is consistent across all of these listings.
On-Page Optimization: On-page optimization includes optimizing your website’s content and meta tags for local keywords, as well as including your NAP on every page of your website.
Mobile Optimization: With more and more people using their mobile devices to search for local businesses, mobile optimization is essential for local SEO. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly on mobile devices.
By focusing on these local ranking factors, you can improve your chances of appearing at the top of local search results in Bakersfield. In the next section, we’ll cover some specific tactics you can use to optimize these factors and improve your local SEO.