by Bob Bevilacqua, SEO & Marketing Maverick
Listen up, Agents, and Sales teams – this is the kind of hard-hitting, no-nonsense advice you need to crush your competition and dominate your market. As a world-renowned SEO and marketing maven, I’m going to lay it all out for you straight.
The market for any location of your local business is made up of two components:
The first is a geographic radius within which Google will show your business to nearby searchers. These potential customers will only see your business as a local or organic result while they are physically located within this radius; once they move outside of it, your business is no longer returned as a result for them.
The second is your direct competitors who are shown within this same customer radius.
If you don’t know your market, you will misunderstand who you are serving and who you are competing against. Getting clear on this point is the foundation of your local search marketing strategy, and while local SEO can help you expand your market, it’s vital to know that there are limitations.
No more excuses, no more “woulda, coulda, shoulda” – it’s time to stop making the same dumb mistakes that are costing you customers and slashing your bottom line. 16 common local SEO screw-ups? I’ve got news for you – I could write a whole book on the bonehead moves I see “experts” making every single day.
But hey, I’m feeling generous, so listen up. Burn these tips into your brain, and thank me later when you’re swimming in leads and printing money hand over fist.
- Misunderstanding Your Market and Competitors
First off, let’s talk about understanding your market and competition. Too many Agents and small biz owners are walking around with their heads in the clouds, thinking their tired old products and services are gonna attract customers from miles away. Newsflash – Google only cares about what’s physically closest to the searcher. If you’re not in the right location, you’re already behind the 8-ball.
- Picking the Wrong Business Location
And speaking of location, you better make darn sure you’ve set up shop in the right spot. Because if Google’s proximity bias has you filtered out, good luck trying to outrank the competition, even with all the SEO wizardry in the world.
- Misnaming Your Business
Look, your business name is like your digital calling card. Mess that up, and you’re going to be fighting an uphill battle from day one. No vague, generic names – you want something that’s going to pop up in all the right local searches.
- Misunderstanding Google
And let’s talk about the big G for a minute. Stop thinking they’re here to help you – they’re here to make money. Period. This is not your local library, this is a cutthroat, profit-hungry mega-corp that could care less about your problems. They’ll yank your listings, nuke your reviews, and laugh all the way to the bank.
- Misunderstanding Your Business Model and GBP Eligibility
Before you even touch your Google Business Profile, you better make darn sure you understand how Google sees your business model. Otherwise, you’re gonna be wasting your time on a system that was never meant for you in the first place.
- Mis-categorizing Your GBP
Speaking of your GBP, you better get your categories right. Because if you don’t, you can kiss your local search visibility goodbye. No more half-baked, one-size-fits-all stuff – you need to nail those categories if you want to show up for the right searches.
- Muddling Your GBPs
And if you’re running multiple locations or departments, you better keep those GBPs airtight. No overlapping service areas, no shared phone numbers – you gotta keep everything separate and streamlined.
- Making a Minimal Effort with Your GBPs
Look, your GBP is your virtual storefront. If you’re not pulling out all the stops to make it look sharp, professional, and engaging, you’re already behind the curve. No more half-measures, no more cutting corners – go all-in or go home.
- Making a Minimal Effort with Your Reviews
And don’t even get me started on reviews. That’s your free sales force, your online customer service – you neglect that at your own peril. If your star rating’s in the tank and your customers are griping, you can kiss those leads goodbye.
- Not Tracking Your SERPs Over Time
Wanna know if your latest SEO efforts are paying off? Start tracking your local rankings, dummy. Without that data, you’re flying blind – and that’s a recipe for getting lapped by the competition.
- Misunderstanding Who Your Website is For
Your website isn’t for you, it’s for your customers. Stop talking at them like some outdated brochure, and start speaking their language. Make it all about them, not your ego.
- Neglecting Keyword Research
You think you know what your customers want? Prove it. Do your keyword research, learn how they search, and make sure your website reflects their exact needs and pain points.
- Neglecting On-Page SEO
An optimized website is the foundation of local domination. Make sure you’ve got your title tags, headers, alt text, and everything else dialed in – or you’re just wasting your time.
- Not Maintaining Your Own Website
Look, I get it – running a local biz is tough enough without worrying about web stuff. But if you let your site turn into a hot mess of broken links and outdated info, that’s on you. Stay on top of it, or watch your reputation (and rankings) go down the toilet.
- Misunderstanding the Online Component of Customer Service
Your online reputation is just as important as your in-person customer service. Ignore it at your own risk – unhappy customers will trash you online, and it’ll cost you big time.
- Neglecting to Keep Up with Local SEO News
The local SEO landscape is constantly evolving. If you’re not staying on top of the latest changes and opportunities, your competition is going to leave you in the dust. Subscribe to the right newsletters, and make sure you’re always ahead of the curve.
Look, I get it – running a local business is tough. But the harsh reality is, if you’re not dominating your market online, you’re gonna get steamrolled. So suck it up, put on your big boy pants, and make sure you’re not making any of these other rookie mistakes I’ve laid out.
Keyword research, on-page SEO, local rank tracking – it’s all mission-critical stuff. Master these fundamentals, and you’re already miles ahead of 90% of your pathetic competitors. But get sloppy, take shortcuts, or think you can coast by on your “amazing products” – and let me tell you, you’re digging your own grave.
Best part is, I’m just getting started. Want the real goods on how to dominate your local market and pile up cash like nobody’s business? Just wait ’til you see what else I’ve got in store…
