Consumers are dropping their once universal habit of conducting local searches by typing the words “near me” in the browser. They now expect searches to automatically produce results near them. It’s time to update your SEO strategy so you capture more local searches.
Google Trends reports searches including the words “near me” were non-existent until about 2013 but became extremely common by 2015. The likely cause: the growth of mobile searches, which have now surpassed desktop and laptop searches. After conducting a local search, more than three quarters of consumers reached out to a business within 24 hours. Marketers must be ready to respond in kind. Here’s how:
- Ensure your online information is accurate and up-to-date and your contact and location information is clear. Consumers have grown even more demanding, dropping zip codes and even city names from their searches but expecting location-specific results. They prefer simplicity and show little patience for businesses that make them scroll.
- Include “near me” within core meta data components on your “location” page: title, description and image alt tag. For example, a title might be written to say, “Pizza parlors near me” while the description might say, “Find the best pizza parlors near me.”
- Secure backlinks to your “location” page that include “near me” text. Backlinks on external websites can always be tricky to acquire, but both free and paid options exist to bolster your online presence.
- Streamline information based on the continuing shift to voice searches – another ripple effect of changing consumer behavior.
ADTACK Your SEO Strategy
If you’re ready to create an SEO strategy to maximize reach and satisfy consumers, contact ADTACK at 702-270-8772 today to schedule a free marketing assessment with one of our expert consultants.
