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Do you often use “Near Me” keywords in your local SEO strategy? If yes, I have some shocking revelations for you. Do you know what usually happens? When we do the keyword research, we go ahead & choose the “near me” keywords with good search volume & intent, as if, we will use them effectively & Google will rank us without any hassle. (Google be like ‘Joke’s on you buddy’) Let me break the bubble, Google doesn’t give a flying finger about it. Let me tell you why & how you can optimize your websites & profiles to rank for those keywords in the local searches. Before answering how to do that, let’s answer why it won’t work.
Let’s begin with what happens when we search for “near me” keywords.
What Happens When Someone Searches a “Near Me” Keyword?
When a user types a “near me” keyword into a search engine, a domino effect takes place & a series of events unfolds, let’s check them out.
First, Location Detection
- Device-Based: The search engine puts the device’s GPS or IP address to work & to pinpoint the user’s approximate location/vicinity.
- Search History: Chances are that the location services are turned off, then, the search engine relies on previous search history to estimate the approximate location of the search.
Next, Query Analysis
- Keyword Extraction: Once the location is intact, the search engine will identify the core “near me” keyword and any additional search terms. (for example in “Gemstone engagement ring near me”; “Gemstone engagement ring” will be the core keyword)
- Intent Understanding: This helps the search engine determine the user’s intent of search (e.g., finding a product, service, or place).
Showdown with Local Search Results
- Dominance of Google My Business (GMB): Businesses who have optimized their GMB profiles will then appear prominently in the map pack at the top of search results.
- Organic Listings: Then relevant local businesses with strong fundamentals in on-page SEO and good local citations may appear below the map pack.
- Distance & Relevance: Search engines then show results based on businesses closest to the user’s search location & those most relevant to the core search query.
Poooooofff…I can now see the “near me” keywords taking a turn for good.
Wait, Wait, There’s More
- Reviews & Ratings: If your business profile has positive reviews, it can significantly impact the business’s ranking & click-through rate.
- Mobile Optimization: Now we all know most “near me” searches occur on mobile devices, right? So, having a mobile-friendly website is crucial.
- Business Hours & Availability: Apart from all this, it comes down to who’s serving & open, at the time of the search.
Let’s take an example: If you search “burger near me,” you’ll most likely see a map with nearby burger joints, along with a list of optimized organic search results & possibly local business listings.
What Did We Just Learn?
- “Near me” searches are almost completely location-dependent.
- Optimizing for local SEO using GMB & website both is essential for businesses targeting nearby customers.
- Hands down, Google My Business is a cornerstone of local search visibility.
Now, we are all up to speed on What happens & why it happens. Let’s deep dive into How.
How To Rank for “Near Me” Keywords?
Optimizing your website for local SEO & “near me” keywords is simpler than you might think. Let me show you:
Create & Optimize Your Google My Business Profile
To rank for “near me” keywords, you have to have a Google Business Profile, kind of mandatory. Having a GMB profile makes your business look more prominent in search results. Let’s see how to optimize it:
- Create your Profile: Head over to business.google.com & start creating your business profile on Google and follow the steps to verify it.
- Update Information: Ensure all your business details are accurate and complete.
- Expand with Content: Put your creativity to use & add relevant content like posts about your products, services, & events.
- Enable CTAs: Add a clickable phone number, website, and E-Mail ID & do not forget to turn on your messages feature.
- Use Bookings Feature: Google business profile allows you to add a booking link. Use a contact form to gather hot leads directly.
Hot Tip: The key to a highly relevant & successful Google Business Profile is an optimized Business title & by optimized, I mean, infused with targeted keywords.
Take Care of NAP Data
Ensuring consistency in your business name, address, & phone number (NAP) across the web is crucial for local SEO.
- Choose a Universal Format: Work only on a consistent format for your NAP.
- Update Listings: You can use tools like Moz Local to find & correct any discrepancies.
Local Citations Always Help
Try to build your presence in local directories by creating citations that include your NAP data:
- Find Directories: Find key local directories for your city and industry.
- Create Profiles: Add your NAP information to these directories.
Examples: YELP, Crunchbase, TrustPilot, SiteJabber, Thrillopedia, Yellow Pages, TripAdvisor, & Many More.
Target Local Keywords
Choose keywords that are relevant & make sense to your business, services, products and location, and embed them into your website content, meta tags, and heading tags & create dedicated landing pages for them:
- Use Keyword-City Combos: Use phrases like “Authentic Jamaican Food in New Delhi” in your content, URLs, titles, headlines, and image data of the target page. Let me show you an example:
- Target Keyword: Authentic Jamaican Food in New Delhi
- URL: “/authentic-jamaican-food-new-delhi” or “/new-delhi-jamaican-cuisine”
- Meta Description: Craving authentic Jamaican flavors in New Delhi? Discover the best spots for jerk chicken, curry goat, and more! Savor the Caribbean taste in the heart of India.
- Title: Authentic Jamaican Food in New Delhi | Best Restaurants
- Headline: Discover the Best Jamaican Restaurants in New Delhi
- Image Data
- Image File Name: authentic-jamaican-food-new-delhi.jpg
- Alt Text: Authentic Jamaican jerk chicken with rice and peas served in a New Delhi restaurant
- Image Description: A mouthwatering image of a traditional Jamaican jerk chicken dish served with rice and peas, showcasing the vibrant colors and flavors of Caribbean cuisine.
- Add a Google Map: Include a map on your landing page to highlight your location.
Mobile-Friendly Website is a Must
Since many “near me” searches are done on mobile devices, you already know this, you being one of them, ensure your website is mobile-friendly to cater to this audience.
Build Local Links
Acquire backlinks from local websites/publications/magazines/news sites to boost your local SEO:
- Link Building: Ask local businesses, news, magazines, listings, industry blogs, and event sites to link to your website.
- Sponsorship & Awards: Sponsor local events, & apply for awards
Building backlinks is good for website & rankings & traffic but you have to avoid any & all black-hat SEO practices. Take a look at this detailed article that briefs you about Parasite SEO.
Schema Markup Goes a Long Way
Schema markup helps search engines understand your content better & provide rich results:
- Use Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper: Select your data type, mark up your elements, create the HTML, and add it to your site. Once done, test your schema to ensure it’s correctly implemented.
Business Reviews – The Gamechanger
You won’t believe but the impact of online reviews is directly proportional to local SEO rankings. Actively managing your reviews not only boosts your reputation but also builds credibility & boosts your search rankings:
- Encourage Customer Reviews: Take reviews on business listing sites like YELP, Google Business Profile, Apple Maps & Bing Maps as well.
- Manage Your Reputation: Do not forget to respond to all your reviews and maintain a positive rating.
Quick Tip: Ask your customers to add a couple of keywords here & there to give local search rankings a push.
Interesting, Right? By following these steps, you can easily & effectively optimize your website for local “near me” keywords, driving more local traffic & business to your site than ever.
To Wrap the Local SEO Saga
From the experience that I hold, I believe that effectively using “near me” keywords is crucial for local dominance on the internet. By optimizing your digital presence, you not only increase your chances of ranking higher in local search results, but you also attract more potential customers & build a healthy relationship within your community as well.
Bidding goodbye, I would say one thing, local SEO is an ongoing & never-ending process. Monitor your search rankings daily, track your organic website traffic, and keep a close watch on your competitors to stay ahead of the trend.
Now, it’s your turn. Tell me the biggest setback you have encountered while doing Local SEO for yourself or your clients in the comments below.
