Remember the thick yellow phone book that people would use to find businesses or services? They’d flip through the thin pages to find the right business category, organized alphabetically, and then skim down to randomly select a company to call.
Ah, how those were the days… But people simply don’t do that anymore. Instead, they use their phone, tablet or desktop to type in keywords, such as “window tinting near me” or “3M tint,” to find dealers who are offering window film installations in their community.
This is why it is so important to be at the top of a Google search. And in order to do that, there are things that you can do to assist with search engine optimization (SEO) – including local SEO. Here are some tips to help, specifically, with local SEO for your company.
What is SEO and what is Local SEO?
SEO, in simple terms, means “the process of improving your site to increase its visibility when people search for products or services related to your business in Google, Bing, and other search engines.”
SEO can be broken down into four different areas, including off-page SEO, on-page SEO, local SEO and technical SEO. It is important to tackle all of the different types of SEO methods for your company simultaneously because it all works together to improve your Google search rankings.
Specifically, local SEO refers to the strategy that helps your business become more visible in local search results on Google. This is because Google’s search algorithm includes a proximity factor, which means that Google takes into account the location of your business in relation to the searcher’s location. So, if you want to make sure that you are appearing in the communities that you serve, you need to make sure to “tell” the major search engines, like Bing, Google and others, where you are located.
Create a Google My Business Account
Maximizing your Google Business Profile (formerly called Google My Business) should be a priority for your window tinting company. This is a key strategy to assist you in local SEO.
If you haven’t done so, review all of your business listing information, including your business name, location, service area and business hours. Also, be sure to select the correct business category for your company – as this has a direct role in your search ranking.
Here are more tips on how to update and get the most from your Google Business Profile.
Create and Manage Online Citations
In addition to your Google Business Profile, create a series of business listings on some of the top citation websites. This includes Yelp, Angie’s List, Better Business Bureau, Facebook (the About section on your Facebook page actually really matters), Bing, Apple Maps and more. Ideally, you want to have 25 to 30 online citations.
When you build these online citations, it is very important to have an identical NAP – or name, address and phone. By “identical” we mean absolutely identical. For instance, if your business is located at 1234 U.S. Highway 17, then your address needs to be written “1234 U.S. Highway 17” consistently across all citations – not “1234 US Hwy 17” on some and “1234 US Highway 17” on others. The same is true for phone numbers. If you use +19419225268, then don’t use (941) 922-5268 or 941.922.5268. Also, always be sure to match the phone number to the address. This is especially true for those of you who have different locations of your business. Consistency and accuracy are key for online citations.
Manage online reviews
Online reviews are an important part of your Local SEO strategy, too. This is because Google takes into consideration the number of reviews and where those reviews are coming from. The more you have from your local area, the better.
There are some key strategies for managing Google reviews – whether they are good or bad. Not to mention that people use reviews to help guide their decisions – so there are other several benefits for engaging with online reviews of customers.
Be sure to check your reviews daily and respond to those who pose questions or concerns. Engagement is important because it tells Google that you are listening and involved in the conversation – which it wants to see when making the decision to pull you up at the top of a search.
Build Local Landing Pages
If you have several business locations for your window tinting company, consider building several separate landing pages on your website for each location. Be sure each page includes the address, phone number and optimized meta descriptions, title tags and other SEO on-page best practices.
Speak to a Marketing Professional
Once again, local SEO should be done in conjunction with on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO (which basically ensures that your site is working properly – including optimized for mobile).
Have questions related to digital marketing and SEO for your window tint company? Accent Distributing, your 3M™ Authorized Distributor, works with a full-service marketing company and can put you in touch with an expert to answer your questions. Contact Inside Sales at [email protected] for details.
