{"id":126844,"date":"2019-05-13T14:24:23","date_gmt":"2019-05-13T14:24:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.searchenginewatch.com\/?p=126844"},"modified":"2020-02-13T17:29:19","modified_gmt":"2020-02-13T17:29:19","slug":"optimizing-for-the-local-3-pack-mastering-your-local-seo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2019\/05\/13\/optimizing-for-the-local-3-pack-mastering-your-local-seo\/","title":{"rendered":"Local SEO for enterprises: Optimizing for the Local 3-Pack"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fifteen years ago, if a customer needed a hammer, they\u2019d probably get out a phone book, look up \u201cHardware Store,\u201d choose the hardware store closest to their house, drive there, go inside, and ask the clerk \u201cDo you sell hammers?\u201d If they happened to be out of hammers, the clerk might draw the customer a map to the next closest hardware store and the process would start all over again.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now that most of us are walking around with tiny computers in our pockets, much preliminary research is taken care of in a matter of seconds via mobile search. If a customer needs a hammer, they simply google \u201cHardware Store,\u201d and three nearby results pop up instantly. <\/span><\/p>\n

Chances are, that customer will then be done searching. Any stores that don\u2019t pop up will not get their business. Securing one of those top three spots in a Google search is an essential part of nailing local SEO<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

This is especially significant for enterprise brands to be able to compete at the local level. <\/span><\/p>\n

With hundreds or thousands of locations, it can be overwhelming to ensure data accuracy across the board. Partnering with a local search solution to maintain and monitor listings across all locations is a great way boost online presence and drive foot traffic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Content produced in collaboration with <\/span><\/i>Rio SEO<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re just looking at website analytics, you could be missing out<\/b><\/h2>\n

Most consumers are researching businesses on mobile before they make decisions about which locations to visit in person. In fact,\u00a0<\/span>according<\/span><\/a> to RetailDive, two-thirds of consumers conduct research online before even stepping foot in a store.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"how<\/p>\n

And while most businesses know that they should pay close attention to their website analytics<\/a>, many are forgetting that preliminary online research also includes local listings. Research shows that while 75% of consumers use a business\u2019s website as part of their decision-making process, an even greater number, 87%, also consider local listings.<\/span><\/p>\n

Going beyond website analytics<\/a> to understand how your ranking in local search results affects in-person visits to your businesses is key to understanding how to use local SEO<\/a> for real-life traffic.<\/span><\/p>\n

A study by Sparktoro found that in 62% of local mobile searches, the customer doesn\u2019t click search results to visit a business\u2019s webpage. Further, <\/span>Rio SEO found in recent data<\/span><\/a> from enterprise clients that just 1 in 60 Map Pack views resulted in a click-through to a website.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"62%<\/p>\n

Rather, they get the information they need from the local listings that come up at the top of their search results. For many businesses, this means that if you\u2019re not at the top, you might as well be invisible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Optimizing for the Local 3-Pack<\/b><\/h2>\n

Mobile users are most likely using Google to search for local businesses, and those searches are generally limited to what\u2019s called the \u201cLocal 3-Pack.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

In Google\u2019s search engine results, the Local 3-Pack is a colorful, prominent map listing that presents to consumers the three businesses Google considers most relevant to the query and searcher\u2019s location (refer again to the image above). <\/span><\/p>\n

Coming in as one of those first three spots is critical for making sure local searchers can find your business.<\/span><\/p>\n

How can your business break the top three?<\/b><\/h2>\n

The key to breaking into that coveted Local 3-Pack is making sure your corporate and local site\u2019s SEO<\/a> are in order. And the best way to get your SEO<\/a> in order is to optimize your Google My Business (GMB) page to give Google\u2019s algorithm everything it needs to find your company in local searches. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here are a few tips for optimizing your GMB:<\/strong><\/h3>\n