4 simple steps that are important in Local SEO in 2017 part 2

In previous article I explained two of the 4 simple steps in Local SEO. In this article I am going to explain two other simple steps.

3. Try to get reviews

Businesses are finally starting to realize the importance of reviews from their customers. According to a recent survey, more than 80 percent of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation.

There are several reputation marketing software and tool options you can use to track, manage and proactively try to get reviews.

Additionally, many social media platforms, like Hootsuite allow you to monitor and get alerts any time your brand is mentioned. Whenever a review is left about your business, positive or negative, take your time and respond to it.

You should focus on getting reviews in your business’s Facebook page and Google My Business page. These are big ones. Many people turn to social media to see what their friends and family think about a business, so having good reviews on your business’s Facebook page can help to draw in prospective customers. Getting positive reviews on your Google My Business page is crucial because these reviews show up on Google when someone searches for your business.

4. Online directories and citations

According to Google, roughly 80 percent of the consumers use search engines to conduct local searches. Yet many small businesses have not claimed even a single local business listing online, which is a missed opportunity.

It’s important that you get your business listed correctly and consistently on top online business directories, like Yelp, Merchant Circle, YellowPages and others. You will also want to seek out respectable local directories to get your business listed on. You can also do a search for keywords like “city directory” to find other local citation sites or directories.

It’s also important to get your business’s name, address and phone number (NAP) on the major citation data aggregators like Infogroup, Neustar (aka Localeze), Acxiom and Factual. Always make sure that your company’s NAP is consistent on as many of these directories and citation sites as possible. Discrepancies like misspellings and wrong phone number can create havoc when Google can’t determine which information about your business is correct. If Google’s not sure, they may display incorrect information — or not show your business at all in search results.