Local SEO Myths
Common Misconceptions in the World of Local SEO
Getting your business to rank locally can be an intimidating process. Even for SEO veterans, the constant changing and shifting in the industry are hard to keep up with. The complexities of local SEO are further emphasized by the staggering amount of misinformation that tends to circulate in the industry. With that in mind, we would like to help dispel some of these common myths so that you can better navigate the field of local search.
Local SEO Myths
Your Service Area Plays a Role in Your Ranking
This is one that tends to come up frequently, and it is easy to see why. Google allows business owners to set the areas in which they serve on the back end of their Google My Business (GMB) page. When a customer is looking at your listing, they’ll see these areas highlighted in red on the map. Although this is handy for communicating to potential clients that they fall within your service area, it actually plays no factor in whether you appear in their search results. Your physical location plays a much more significant role in your ranking, and Google will tend to recommend you to those searching in proximity to you.
Customers Can See Your Home Address
Many people are wary of using their residential address on the backend of Google. The thought of having your home address accessible to the public is concerning to many business owners, but fortunately, that doesn’t have to be the case. The Google My Business platform will essentially use your physical location as your “center of operation”. Google will hide your address to your customers but will use the physical distance between you as a ranking factor. In fact, it is actually against Google’s policy to expose your home address on your GMB listing unless you have permanent signage out front.
Deleting My Verified GMB will Remove it from Google
This is one that is often overlooked. If you have gone through the process of verifying your business on Google, it becomes harder to remove all traces of it from search results. If, for whatever reason, you decide that you no longer need your GMB listing, deleting it from your account will still leave the listing online as an unverified page. This means that users searching for your services will still potentially be able to see your business information.
One way that you can deal with your persisting listing is by changing your business to “permanently closed” before you delete it from your account. This way, people will see that you are no longer open when they come across your page. Although this method will still leave some of your information online, the local SEO specialists at LinkNow Media have been able to remove unwanted listings from the platform in the past successfully.
Staying Informed in the Field of Local SEO
The importance of keeping up to date and informed when it comes to local SEO cannot be overstated. Operating under incorrect information can have a negative impact on your ranking and even lead to your page being suspended from Google.
For the average business owner, becoming well-versed in the intricacies of digital marketing is just not realistic. Luckily, LinkNow Media has an expert team of Local SEO specialists who can help you better understand this topic and take your online presence to the next level.
Leave us your email address in a comment below or give us a call at 1-888-667-7186 to take advantage of our valuable services.
Share: