Local SEO Google Ranking Factors 2022

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Chapters

Local SEO

1. What is Local SEO?

2. Local On-Page SEO Optimization – Complete Local SEO Guide

3. Local Business Link Building Ultimate Guides to Creating Backlinks

4. Local Listings and SEO

5. Local SEO Google Ranking Factors 2022

6. How to Rank Higher in Google Maps? – Strategy Guide 2022

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As you would expect, there are numerous different ranking factors when it comes to local SEO in 2022. If you want to ensure your website ranks at the top of localised search results, it’s essential you take into account all of these when creating your pages and posts. Your Google listing matters hugely, so make it a priority to learn these local search ranking factors in SEO.

So what are these local SEO ranking factors? To help illustrate the point, we will detail what influences the two main portions of local SEO: “3 pack” results and organic listing results. However, before we dive into these search ranking factors, you must learn some vital information about local SEO, including what it is, why you need to pay attention to it, and which of the listed factors are important for local SEO. If you’ve been looking for the ultimate local SEO guide 2022 edition, you are in the right place!

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO is about helping businesses become more visible in Google local search results. It works very similarly to regular SEO in that you are optimising your website to meet the search engine‘s results page ranking factors. The vital difference between the two is that your aim is to appear in the local listings, more specifically, in the local pack ranking. You won‘t need to compete against an empire business in the US with local SEO if you are a small business in York, and if you optimise it well, you have the chance to dominate the local search for your relevant key terms. Often businesses who need to be on these local rankings are brick-and-mortar companies.

Why You Need to Focus on Local Ranking Factors

You may be wondering if it is worth focusing on local SEO factors. The short answer is absolutely it is, but especially if you have a physical location or you serve a certain geographic location. If you don’t focus on building a local SEO strategy 2022 campaign, you risk missing out on potential customers and extra revenue. For any business that wants to stay relevant, grow and earn more customers, paying attention to local SEO ranking signals is a must.

What affects local SEO 2022 Rankings?

There are many factors that affect SEO, especially local SEO. For instance, whether you claim or don’t claim a business listing can impact how well you rank. So if you don’t have your Google My Business profile set up, now is the time to do so. Without a well-managed listing, you can’t make many improvements to your local SEO 2022 ranking position. In addition, if you don’t manage your reviews, ratings, or social media engagement, you could find yourself much further down the rankings than you would like.

If you are finding that a certain page isn’t coming up on Google search, there could be another unlying problem that is affecting your local search. Your page may not be indexed.

Top Tip: How to Index My Site on Google

You need to get Google to index all pages that you want to show up on Google search, so this quick top tip is about teaching you how to have Google index your site. First, check that you are indexed. If you are, you will be somewhere – you can find a Google position checker UK tool to show where you are and how far you need to climb. If you aren’t indexed, make sure:

Remove crawl blocks, noindex tags, canonical tags, and low-quality pages
Include this page in your sitemap
Make sure your page isn’t orphaned

Include internal links and build backlinks
Make sure your page is valuable
Fix nofollow links

With these all affecting your indexing, you should get crawled and indexed properly once fixed. Then, you can start focusing on the relevant Google SEO factors, specifically the 2022 SEO ranking factors that are a priority to focus on.

What are the top SEO ranking factors 2022 campaigns must consider?

There are over 200 Google ranking signals, but if you want to start or improve your local SEO campaign, knowing the most important SEO factors 2022 campaigns should include is vital. You must pay attention to these top SEO factors if you want to dominate the local search rankings. These are the Google top 3 ranking factors:

Google My Business ranking factors
Google Maps ranking factors
Behavioural rank factors

When it comes to the top SEO ranking factors, your goal impacts what you should focus on too. For instance, within the Google local ranking pages, you can find yourself in the Google 3 Pack or organic search results. The sections do look different from one another. Although the organic results resemble the search results pages you are already familiar with, the 3 pack appears at the top with details like their address, opening hours, and key information.

Appearing near the top of the organic search results is great, as is appearing in the 3 pack; the only question is, what do you want to focus on first? Do you want to move from organic to the 3 pack or just find yourself in a higher position on the organic results?

If so, there are specific factors related to SEO to help you reach these that are vitally important:

Google 3 Pack ranking factors
Organic search ranking factors

Let’s look into this in more detail.

Google “3 pack” search engine ranking factors

Now that you are familiar with local SEO, you’ll know there are two main areas to target. The first of these is the Google 3 pack local ranking results, also known as the “snack pack.” As this boxed area appears above organic search results, the “3 pack” is often the primary focus for local ranking SEO. However, this isn’t the case for everyone looking at the local search engine rankings.

As for the main influences over the “3 pack”, the Moz SEO guide listed the following factors in order of importance:

My business signals
Link signals
On-page signals
Citation signals
Review signals
Behavioural signals
Personalisation
Social signals

These Moz local search ranking factors can really guide you in the right direction. Make sure to check out the full blog for more information. As the guide shows, the biggest ranking factor for the “3 pack” is ‘My business signals.’ This essentially means you have to fully optimise your listing on Google My Business, as touched upon earlier, if you want to meet the right local SEO factors. This includes filling in the right essential info, using keywords when appropriate, adding eye-catching images, and so on. You need to also manage your Google reviews. Make sure Google reviews most relevant to your business show up and sing your business’s praises. If you don’t know how well your Google My Business profile is currently doing, seek a Google My Business rank checker that will let you know where you are.

As you go down the SEO ranking factors as listed in the Moz local ranking factors guide, you realise that elements such as on-page signals, citation signals, reviews, and behavioural factors SEO Google looks at also play an important part in your site’s chances of being one of the lucky three to join the ‘pack.’ Based on these, you can also see how much website ranking signals affect the process – something that previously wasn’t a significant component for “3 pack” results.

Organic ranking factors

While organic results may not be seen as desirable as the “3 pack”, a previous study suggests the former actually receives more clicks. As ranking facts go, appearing in the organic results is a great achievement. As a result, it pays to be top local SEO-wise for both. Based on the Moz SEO ranking factors listed in the previously referenced guide, here are the main organic ranking points in order of importance:

Link signals
On-page signals
Behavioural signals
Personalisation
Citation signals
My business signals
Review signals
Social signals

As link signals place #1 and #2 respectively for both organic and “3 pack” ranking factors, it demonstrates just how essential link building is for the process. So regardless of whether you are focusing on ranking factors Google puts in place for organic or 3 pack, link building must be a priority.

Similarly, on-page signals are also deemed one of the biggest local SEO ranking factors. This means your website has to be furnished with high-quality written content, the type that is populated with targeted keywords when appropriate. The more you optimise your site, the better it’s going to perform on the likes of Google – local SEO or not. The process of local ranking Google puts in place does enable people to make changes and climb their way to the top. You just need to pay attention to these Google SEO ranking factors, focusing specifically on the Google ranking factors Moz highlighted as most important.

It’s Not Only about Search Engines

Yes, you’ll predominantly target SEO behavioural factors to please search engines. This is the main aim for any attempt to improve a local SEO ranking position. With that said, a local business can also do things away from search engines – and the internet on the whole – to improve the ranking 2022 supplies them with. It might not sound logical, but it’s true!

For instance, print media and word-of-mouth can go a surprisingly long way to contributing to your local SEO efforts. Say you mention your social media profiles and website in any offline promotion/communication. This will naturally lead to an increase in site visitor numbers, Facebook followers, ‘Likes’ on Twitter, etc. These aspects may not be like the significant SEO factors 2022 businesses should include individually, but they build up and help your business become more visible to Google – even if it’s in an indirect fashion for local SEO. You can watch your progress with your ranking by looking at a local ranking checker.

More importantly, you have an increased chance of convincing customers in person to leave positive reviews about your business. As highlighted above within the Moz local guides section on factors, one of the main SEO factors is review signals. Therefore, the more five-star reviews your business possesses, the more favourable Google will view your business. If you want a good Google local ranking, getting those 5-star reviews is one step forward to achieving this.

If you look at a ranking on Google London hairdressing businesses, those at the top will likely be using all of these Google local search ranking factors, including those that are away from search engines.

The Use of Local SEO Tools

To boost your Google SEO local 2022 efforts, there are tools available to maximise your reach. One of these is the Moz local search tool. This allows you to monitor results and see what’s working, make quick SEO edits to what isn’t, and ensure you meet all of the Moz local SEO guidelines, including the Moz SEO factors.

Trying to make sense of the Moz Local SEO tool, however, can be tricky – particularly if you’re new to the world of local SEO and ranking factors of SEO. This is where we can help. You don’t have to worry about making sense of all these ranking factors and tools. Plus, as Google places ranking factors regularly to help improve the user experience, there is every chance that the Google local ranking factors will update in time to come, as the local SEO history will attest to. It can be difficult to keep on top of the 2022 Google ranking factors as it is, let alone keep on top of whether you are focusing on the right Google local ranking factors.

With our managed SEO campaigns, we can ensure you not only rank high with local searches but also for more general queries. We’re always aware of the constantly changing SEO behavioural factors Google places an emphasis on, and our experts know how to work these to their advantage. If you are concerned about what the next Google ranking update 2022 could bring, you need a local rank checker that is reliable, or you need help implementing any of the Google top 3 ranking factors, we are here to help.

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