Blog

17. February 2022 by Claudia Rothenhorst

Online Marketing Buzzwords: User-Generated Content

Fans often contribute to a company’s marketing efforts without even realizing they are doing so. User-generated content, however, is becoming more common every day. What exactly is this marketing technique, how it is useful, what is its purpose, and where has user-generated content been of great success? Continue reading and learn the answers to these questions and many more.

What Is User-generated Content?

User-generated content or UGC is any digital content that end-users of a website or online service produce and share. The website or service has no hand in creating this material but benefits from its use. People often hear about this type of content being referred to as conversational media or consumer-generated media. All three terms refer to the same thing and the results are similar.

The content may appear in many forms. Pictures of a consumer holding and using a product is one example of UGC. As long as the user is promoting the brand rather than the brand promoting itself, it falls into this broad category. In fact, videos, blog posts, tweets, testimonials, and more are all considered user-generated content if the company had no hand in producing or distributing the material.

How Is User-Generated Content Beneficial?

Consumers turn to family and friends when they want information about a product or brand. In fact, 86 percent of millennials now report they consider user-generated content to be a good indication as to whether a brand offers quality products and services. When they see friends and family promoting this brand, they are more likely to purchase it.

Take this a step further. When individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 were asked whether they consider information shared on social media when making a purchase, 68 percent stated they do. User-generated content is very popular on these sites and can help a brand go viral in a very short period of time.

The Purpose of User-Generated Content

User-generated content helps to build brand awareness. The content created by fans of the brand is often shared on social media, allowing companies to improve their search engine ranking and increase their visibility. They do so at no cost because the fans are the ones doing the work. The company simply benefits from asking them to share their experience.

Marketing dollars only extend so far, and companies must find ways to generate new content that draws the eye of the target audience. With the help of UGC, companies find they obtain free marketing materials that are ideally suited for the consumers they are trying to attract. Who knows better what a target audience wants than members of that audience? By requesting content from these individuals, a company finds they can obtain new marketing ideas with ease, ones the in-house or third party marketing teams being used overlooked.

How Can a Company Obtain User-Generated Content?

Companies often feel uncomfortable asking consumers to promote their brand. However, there are ways to achieve this goal without appearing pushy. For example, a company may choose to launch a video contest. Simply ask users to share a video on social media pages, including the company’s page, showing the consumer using the product being promoted. Offer a prize for the best video to draw more attention to the contest.

Another option is to start a hashtag contest on one of the social media sites. Businesses that do so often find this contest spills onto other sites as well. As a result, the company gets more exposure than originally intended.

A third option is to set up a challenge. Ask users to find the most unique way to use the product or show the most unusual place they have used the product or service. Companies find this helps to generate interest in the items they are selling. In addition, it may provide the company with a whole new way of promoting the item and could lead to the development of a completely new product, one that is better suited for the purpose consumers are currently using an existing product for. Let consumers do the research and the company can then handle the development aspect of this process.

Successful User-Generated Content Campaigns

The Share a Coke campaign is an excellent example of a user-generated content campaign. The company created Coke bottles with names on them, and consumers would search to find the bottle with their name. Coke took this a step further and asked people to share pictures of them with their personalized bottles. This campaign took off across the world and generated a lot of business for the company. However, Coca-Cola isn’t the only one to have a successful campaign of this type.

Burberry, back in 2009, launched a campaign entitled the Art of the Trench. The company recognized word-of-mouth referrals remain the best marketing campaign available and took advantage of this. The company simply asked consumers to share pictures of them and their friends wearing Burberry trench coats. The best images were then shared on Facebook and a website set up specifically for this campaign.

Ninety-two percent of consumers state they trust the recommendations of family and friends over branded marketing. These campaigns took advantage of this basic fact. When a person sees someone they know and trust make use of a product or service, they feel confident in doing the same. This explains why user-generated content campaigns are truly one of the best marketing techniques today.

Bring consumers together with the help of a user-generated content campaign. Humans often hear about the differences among them and never stop to consider the similarities. These campaigns bring people together by showing how they are connected. There is no push to buy a product or service. Rather, the focus is on these connections and how people come together with the help of a particular brand. It’s a great way to get one’s name out in the public eye and do so in a way that doesn’t appear overly aggressive or pushy. Consumers don’t want or need those types of sales tactics and avoid them whenever possible. A user-generated content campaign is ideal for this reason.

17. June 2021 by Janina Winkler

Every SERP Feature You Should Know About

SERPs, or search engine results pages, started very basic, just listing the possible websites someone would be interested in based on their search phrases. Now, Google has implemented several SERP features that help users find the information they need much faster. Website owners focusing on the SEO of their website can use the SERP features to get more information out to potential visitors and to help promote their website. Right now, there are 16 different SERP features, many of which can be implemented on just about any website.

Featured Snippets

Featured snippets are designed to give specific answers to questions users might have. These always appear at the top of the search results but below the AdWords. To use this feature, websites need to be ranked within the top 5 positions. It also may be a good idea to use Schema Organization Markup and to create a FAQs page that answers specific questions visitors might have when they visit the website. This feature isn’t hard to rank for, but it’s not one of the easiest either. It is perfect for just about any website.

Local Packs

When a search includes a location or a user is looking for something near them, local packs show up. This is seen as a map with pins to businesses that might be of interest, followed by a list of those businesses. This only has a brief amount of information about the business, like their name, but users can click to learn more. This is often used by mobile users.

Businesses that want to take advantage of this feature should have a website that’s optimized for local SEO and mobile use and has Schema markup for the business name, location, and phone number. The website owner should also use Google My Business. Local Packs are perfect for businesses with a local storefront.

Local Teaser Packs

Local teaser packs are very close to the local packs, but there is one main difference. With a local teaser pack, there are only three businesses listed and viewable on the initial map. The list of businesses is more detailed and often includes information like hours open or pricing. This one has a medium difficulty, but those who want to take advantage of it should follow the guidelines for local packs as well as pay special attention to the schema markup. The local teaser packs are perfect for businesses with a local storefront, similar to the local packs.

Reviews

Reviews can show up for just about any keyword search, so long as the website has reviewable content on it. Rating stars show up in the regular snippets in the results as yellow stars underneath the URL. This can be added by making sure customers are reviewing the business or the website and the products on it. Also, make sure the website has the right markup to allow the search engine to see the reviews. This is easy to implement by following the directions offered by Google. Any type of business can use the review stars to boost their links in relevant searches.

Sitelinks

Sitelinks is another feature that adds to the original listing. With sitelinks, there are added links to the site, such as to specific categories on the website. They are designed to make it easier for visitors to find specific information on the website and it’s usually not difficult to add these to the listing. To get this feature, the website needs to have a good structure with plenty of internal linking, a website map submitted to Search Console, and the website schema markup. It’s also important for the website to have plenty of traffic already.

Videos

These are small snippets of videos that Google believes would help the user find what they’re searching for. They typically link to a video hosting platform but can link to embedded videos as well. Most of these include a thumbnail, title, link, and a description.

A featured video is one that has a bigger thumbnail and may provide added information Google thinks would be helpful for the user. This feature can be used by following standard SEO guidelines for videos, using video schema markup, and providing details for the video’s descriptions. Any website can take advantage of this, though the difficulty is medium, so long as they have videos that are related to the keywords their website is ranked for.

Images

Similar to the videos, Google also displays images on the SERPs. This doesn’t appear for every search, but it does appear for most of them. For this feature, Google displays a row of images it thinks are related to the search. Users who click the results will be taken to the “images” tab on Google where they can see more related images. This one has a medium difficulty but does not result in a lot of added traffic. To use this feature, have descriptive filenames for images, make sure the proper alt attributes are in place, and use title tags. Any website can use this feature, though it may be more useful for websites that have more unique images.

Twitter Packs

Google has partnered with Twitter, allowing them to start showing tweets in the SERPs. When Google believes a tweet might be relevant for a user, they display them in a special block along with a link to the creator’s Twitter profile and some of their tweets that were published recently.

It is very difficult to appear in the Twitter box and right now there’s not really any information on how to start using this feature. Most do feature Twitter accounts with a high number of tweets and followers, but there are exceptions to this. The Twitter packs feature is mainly useful for websites about people, organization, or events.

Knowledge Panels

The knowledge panels are similar to the featured snippets, but they are not created by using the information from various website. Instead, this panel typically includes information from Google’s own database called the Knowledge Graph. This panel is located on the top right of the results but underneath the AdWords. This feature has a medium difficulty to use as Google doesn’t take the information for these boxes from websites in most cases. To try to have an answer in the knowledge panel along with a link, website owners can submit their business information to Wikipedia and make sure social media accounts are verified. This is mainly used for larger businesses or businesses focused on a niche topic.

Instant Answer (Answer Box)

Similar to the knowledge panel, the answer box is comprised of information from Google’s Knowledge Graph or from other websites. It is a feature that shows a brief and definitive answer to a question. The answer box can have answers for questions relating to just about any topic, from events, facts, sports, transportation, the weather, and more. It is not easy for businesses to be able to take advantage of this feature, even if they are featured in a knowledge panel. To qualify, the website would need to be very data-oriented, verified by top informational websites, and have a high enough search volume.

Google Ads

The first SERP feature added to Google was Ads. Though this is a little different in that it is paid for, it allows websites to be listed in a featured section at the top of the SERP. Each one has an “Ad” sign and can be a way to get added visibility for a website. However, these ads can have a lowered click-through rate because they are labeled as ads, which can discourage some customers. To get started with this feature, website owners need to follow the steps on the Ads Express page. The difficulty of appearing here is generally low, but it is important to know that ads for keywords users type in more often are going to end up being more expensive. This feature is useful for just about any website, though small businesses might not want to pay for the advertising until they have a larger marketing budget.

Shopping Ads (Product Listing Ads)

Product listings appear at the top of the SERPs and show a photo of a product, the product name, the price, and a link to the website selling the product. They appear similar to the images at the top, with a few different shopping ads in a row, but this is an advertisement, so it is paid for like Ads. To be displayed here, businesses need to register with the Google Merchant Center and then add their products. It’s very easy to be displayed here as long as the bid is high enough. Any business with products to sell can take advantage of the shopping ads.

In-depth Articles

One that’s useful for publishing houses is the in-depth articles. These are located at the bottom of the SERP and provide users with longer content they can read about what they’re searching for. To appear here, it’s necessary to have the right schema markup and have the headlines, images, descriptions, and article optimized properly. Websites cannot have pages that require registrations to read as Google cannot see this content. It is easy to have an article show up here; however, this is mainly for the top publishing companies and is not typically useful for other types of websites.

Search Boxes

Search boxes appear under the link for listings, similar to the review stars. These boxes allow users to search content on the website so they can get more information or find exactly what they need on the website faster. To use this feature, the website needs to have a search engine already on it. The search action schema markup should then be used, so Google knows the search engine is on the website. This is not typically difficult to implement and can be beneficial for a variety of websites, though it’s generally used by larger websites.

Google search results have changed quite a bit over the years, with new features being added regularly. Website owners can take advantage of many of these features to boost their click-through rating and to gain more visibility for their website. Start with the easier SERP features to get started, then move onto the more difficult ones if they’re applicable for the website and are going to provide more visibility or a higher click-through rate.

16. May 2021 by Janina Winkler

How to use Google’s Answer Box for boosting Website Traffic

Even if they may not be aware of it, most of today’s browsers have already seen Google’s Answer Box. This feature allows users to search for a question and have it answered right on the search page instead of having to navigate through to an actual website. Although it is unarguably a benefit for browsers, Google Answer Box can be either a blessing or a curse for website owners.

For those who manage to rank high enough to have information from their sites placed in the Answer Box, this search feature is fantastic. Similarly, those who manage to provide more thorough answers to users’ questions find that they get more click-throughs as a result of this feature. There’s more to optimizing webpages for the Answer Box than site owners might think, though.

Some of the techniques used to improve a site’s Answer Box performance involve focusing on getting a specific page listed as an answer. Others rely on providing more comprehensive answers to users’ questions to ensure that the page will be listed directly below the Answer Box. This article will take a look at a few ways that site owners can get started improving their pages’ User Question SEO.

Pick Your Battles Wisely

There are some Answer Boxes that are literally impossible to rank for. If, for example, a user searches for “current time” Google will simply provide that user with the answer directly without quoting any sources. That doesn’t mean all hope is lost, though.

Site owners have a few options as far as how they want to proceed. They can either decide not to bother optimizing a page for that particular search phrase, they can attempt to offer a more comprehensive answer to the question that will rank lower on the page, or they can optimize a page for that search term so that it will show up directly beneath the Answer Box.

Deciding which of these approaches to take is largely a matter of understanding industry trends and choosing battles wisely to make the most of the site’s SEO budget. Those who want to compete for seemingly no-win Answer Box statuses like the one above can try adding a local touch. A company could, for instance, have its page listed beneath the official Answer Box if that page was optimized for the phrase “current time in New York City.”

Providing Company Information

A company’s “About Us” page should always be optimized for Google Answer Box. This will ensure that any browser who is searching for information about a company using its actual name will be directed to its official site, which gives that company control over browsers’ first impressions. This is a battle that should always be fought tooth and nail.

It may seem like incorporating the search term into the page would be the best way to ensure that a page ranks high in Answer Box, but the reality is more complicated. Site owners should start by optimizing their pages’ SEO titles and meta descriptions. These should contain relevant, detailed information in addition to the target user query.

Backlinks are also key when it comes to improving a page’s Answer Box performance. Build both internal and external links using the target query’s call to action as anchor text. Optimizing a company’s “About Us” page is usually an easy win since few outside parties are likely to be investing the time and money required to rank for someone else’s company name in Answer Box.

When to Shoot for Second Best

If the Answer Box has already provided a sufficiently in-depth answer to a user’s question, chances are he or she isn’t going to click through to the site no matter what page is listed. The best thing to do when this is the case is to aim for second best and optimize a page of the website so that it will be listed directly beneath the Answer Box.

Make a point of offering extra value. A browser who is searching for show times for a movie that’s currently in theaters, for example, is unlikely to click through to a movie theater’s website if its listings are already provided in the Answer Box. He or she might be interested in movie posters, film paraphernalia, or a related product, though.

The process of optimizing a page to catch the prime listing directly beneath the Answer Box is similar to the one described above. However, it’s also important to ensure that whatever information is being pulled up in response to the query offers added value over what is displayed in the Answer Box.

This added value doesn’t have to be in the form of related products or services. It could be a more in-depth answer to the user’s question or a forum for discussing similar issues. Just make sure that the page’s meta description indicates that the browser will be able to find more in-depth information on the site than he or she can find in the short Answer Box response.

Balance SEO With User Friendliness

A balance must be achieved between user accessibility and Answer Box friendliness. There’s no point in tricking a search engine into thinking that useful content is being provided if actual users won’t get anything out of it. Information that is spot-on accurate and extremely helpful will go unappreciated if the page that contains it doesn’t rank high enough to be seen.

Keep both of these factors in mind when optimizing a page for Answer Box. Make sure the information is accessible to browsers in addition to being search engine friendly.

The Bottom Line

Building links, using the right anchor text, optimizing SEO titles and meta descriptions, and providing in-depth information can all help a page’s chances of appearing in the Google Answer Box. Even when it just isn’t possible to rank first, a close second is often just as good. This is especially true when Google does not provide a source for its information.

A page that has already been optimized for high search engine rankings will be well on its way to appearing in the Answer Box. Taking the additional steps described above can also help, though. In many cases, it can make all the difference.

5. September 2019 by Claudia Rothenhorst

Online Marketing Buzzwords: Immersive Storytelling

Great stories have ways of drawing people in, and that is not just true of written and spoken works. More and more often, marketers use cutting-edge technologies and interactive forms of media to engage in immersive storytelling that serves their own purposes.

Many of the most prominent and successful immersive storytelling projects at the moment rely on tech like virtual reality or augmented reality to connect with and engage audiences. Even merely using conventional types of media in ways that allow people to participate and become engaged, though, can enable truly storytelling and experiences. While immersive storytelling has so far been off limits to many, that is beginning to change quickly.

Breaking Through Shields With New, More Immersive Forms of Storytelling

It is no secret that many people today are skeptical about marketing, and that frequently proves to be a real challenge for marketers. Types of marketing that are easy to ignore or which are actively annoying tend to be a lot less successful than in the past.

On the other side of the scale, though, technological advances are enabling entirely new marketing approaches that audiences will engage with eagerly. When a person becomes immersed in a virtual world or simply engrossed in interacting with media, it becomes a lot easier to tell a convincing, engaging story.

The goal of all immersive storytelling is to make audience members feel like a part of the action instead of being mere passive targets. The authentically rewarding experiences that storytelling can enable are powerful tools for marketers to wield.

Many Technologies and Techniques Can Facilitate Immersive Storytelling

Making use of storytelling does not require sticking to any one technology or approach. In fact, many of the most successful examples of immersive storytelling incorporate a variety of different techniques. Some of those that are most frequently employed to great effect include:

Virtual reality. While the field of virtual reality (VR) is still in its infancy, few doubt that it can enable profound immersion. VR puts participants inside artificial worlds defined by features like digital graphics, motion-tracking accessories, and high levels of interactivity. One potential downside of VR is that it tends to require more equipment and special-purpose content than other immersive storytelling platforms. More affordable VR headsets like Facebook’s Occulus Quest are starting to make that less of a problem, while doing away with wires that can detract from immersion.
Augmented reality. The world of everyday life is quite immersive in its own right, and strategically augmenting it can take things to the next level. Augmented reality (AR) sees digital elements being mixed with real-world backdrops, or vice-versa. AR enables immersive storytelling by combining the indubitable substance of the physical world with creative, engaging, artificial embellishments. Niantics’s notoriously successful Pokémon Go mobile game has drawn millions into its AR environments.
Interactive media. Giving audiences agency instead of keeping them passive often proves enough to enable immersive storytelling. A simple, pannable 360-degree view of a home’s interior or a new car can leverage the power of immersive storytelling for commercial purposes. Even supposedly staid newspapers like the New York Times have been using interactive, media-rich web pages to immerse readers in the stories they tell.
Hypothesis-driven design. It can be expensive and time-consuming to engage in immersive storytelling, especially given uncertainty about the results. Organizations like National Public Radio have met with success by using spartan immersive storytelling prototypes to judge whether particular approaches will work. Tweaks to that initial “hypothesis” can be made more easily and aggressively when relatively little has to be committed. Testing and fine-tuning, instead of remaining committed to an initial idea throughout, leads to more storytelling.

Even More Storytelling Awaits

Technologies and approaches like these have been used for years by major brands worldwide to persuade in ways that were never previously possible. BMW’s 360-degree Backwater film was an early star of the New York Times VR app when it premiered in 2015.

Brands ranging from hiking boot manufacturers to cosmetics makers have been employing storytelling to achieve their own marketing goals for years, as well. What has made “immersive storytelling” such a buzzword recently is the fact that the barriers to entry are starting to come down.

Just as even small businesses now regularly make and post YouTube videos and infographics, so will more immersive forms of storytelling soon become more democratized. Immersive storytelling is not only here to stay, it is becoming a far more accessible option for marketers at every level of the industry.

11. August 2019 by Claudia Rothenhorst

Seven Ways You Can Create Better Product Recommendations

Shoppers don’t always know what they really want or need until they actually see it. Modern e-commerce sites make it easy to quickly browse or search through many products, but there are also other options.

Online shops that do a good job of actively recommending products can see their sales skyrocket. Whether by turning browsers into buyers or increasing the size of the average order, useful, personally appropriate product recommendations will almost always drive business levels higher.

Fortunately, proposing products in ways that make shoppers eager to buy is easier than many realize. What follows are seven effective tactics that can be applied by just about any store online.

1) Choose and Use the Most Appropriate Types of Recommendation

Every worthwhile sort of product recommendation will have some rationale behind it. There are quite a few available sources of information and approaches e-commerce sites can use to develop product recommendations appropriate to particular people.

Naturally enough, shoppers will always be more likely to consider and purchase proposed products that actually suit them well. Being familiar with the most common basic types of product recommendations and choosing among them strategically will enable better results in any situation. These are those based on:

Browsing history. Even a first-time visitor to an online shop leaves behind plenty of telling information. Product suggestions that account for the items a shopper has already looked at are some of the simplest to generate and among the most effective. Simply listing some similar items that sell or review well will almost always be helpful.
Purchasing patterns. Any existing customer will have gone beyond virtual window-shopping to express clear, definite preferences. Product recommendations that accurately reflect a shopper’s past purchases will rarely be anything but appropriate. That can mean anything from highlighting a product that will work well with a purchase to informing a buyer about a newer, better model.
Demographic details. Social media sites and certain ad networks make it possible to target shoppers according to dozens of personal factors. Oftentimes, certain types of products will be best suited to people of particular backgrounds. Demographic targeting makes it possible to recommend products even in the absence of browsing or purchasing history.
Overall popularity. It is not always necessary or worthwhile to personalize product recommendations aggressively. Suggesting a highly rated best-seller to a shopper who is looking at a less desirable product can be welcome and effective. Shoppers often feel more confident about checking out with products that others have deemed desirable and worthy of purchasing.

2) Write Better Titles and Descriptions

The mere act of recommending a product does not necessarily make it seem worth investigating further. Think of product recommendations as calls to action that need to be tuned and refined for maximum effectiveness while still feeling natural.

Strong, tight titles and informative descriptions encourage shoppers to take product suggestions more seriously. At the same time, overly “salesy” copy can cast doubt on the sincerity of a product recommendation.

3) Never Neglect Design

Experienced marketers known that visual design impacts moods and thinking. Just as with the titles and descriptions attached to product recommendations, design should always be considered important.

A bit more contrast or a carefully placed highlight can make a product recommendation more noticeable and attractive. Product suggestions, though, should still integrate organically with their surroundings so as not to seem too pushy.

4) Set Specific Goals

Product recommendations are meant, in general, to encourage shoppers to buy more items. Beneath that large umbrella, though, are many more particular options e-commerce sites can pursue.

Some shops online, for example, end up with stocks of high-quality products that do not sell as well as they should. Prioritizing such goods in product recommendations can give them the initial momentum they deserve, with the reviews that result driving them higher on the sales charts. Having goals more specific than merely boosting revenues will simplify many recommendation-related decisions.

5) Position for Success

Product recommendations can be delivered in any of many available outlets and in different positions within them. A product suggestion made in an order confirmation email could meet with an entirely different reception than when published on a “404 Not Found” web page.

Experimentation will reveal how different types of product recommendations perform in various contexts. Oftentimes, the choice of a particular medium or placement will help settle a number of other questions.

6) Test and Test Again

There is oftentimes no substitute for hard data, and product recommendations are an especially clear case in point. Product recommendations are even more amenable to split testing than are pay-per-click ads or landing pages.

A/B testing tools can be used to figure out which recommendation, textual, design, and positioning approaches are most effective and to keep up with any subsequent developments. Over time, that will make it possible to draw firm conclusions about what works best for a given site’s customers.

7) Learn to Think Like a Shopper

A large part of the power of product recommendations stems from the fact that shoppers actually find well-grounded suggestions desirable and helpful. That cannot always be said about other marketing tools, to put it mildly.

It’s possible to take this realization a step further to make product recommendations even more valuable. Stepping back and thinking about whether a given decision is going to make a product suggestion more useful to the targeted shopper will often reveal a clear, obvious answer.

While there is always some salesmanship involved, effective product recommendations do not need to be manipulative or underhanded. Shoppers appreciate those that actually help them make informed purchasing decisions, and that is a fact which sellers do well to respect.

Great Product Recommendations are Simply Good Business

Online shops that make better product recommendations than their competitors will almost always benefit with regard to increased sales. At the same time, e-commerce sites that excel at suggesting products also tend to foster appreciation, loyalty, and other positive feelings in shoppers.

That complete package is one which is easy to recommend to any online retailer today. Putting some effort into generating and displaying more useful, engaging product recommendations will virtually always be worthwhile.

17. July 2019 by Claudia Rothenhorst

Google Local Pack: How to Get Your Website Highly Ranked

Google Local Pack: What’s That all About?

The Google local pack is an excellent way to get a local business noticed. When a search is done for local businesses, a map may appear that has information about three local businesses on it. Under the map is the name, address, phone number, and other data for each of the businesses. Local businesses featured on the local pack have the chance to be seen by any potential customers looking for something near them. This can help with visibility in the search results.

Advantages of Ranking in the Google Local Pack

Ranking high on the local pack offers a few distinct advantages. It is one of the most visible features on the search engine results page because it appears as a map at the top of the listings. If a business appears here, more people are going to notice it. There will also be a higher click-through rate compared to standard search engine results.

Start by Optimizing for Local Searches

It is necessary to begin with optimizing the website for local searches. Your website should include the name of the town, state, county, and more for the business so Google can detect it. The website should be functional, mobile-friendly, secure, and fast. It should also include backlinks from authority websites, especially local sources. If the website is already showing near the top of the search results, it is ready to be optimized to rank in the local pack.

Create a Google My Business Page

Check to see if there is already a Google My Business page for the business. If there is not already a listing, you will need to create one. If there is already a listing, you will need to verify that you are the owner of the business. Above that you will have to verify the physical address of the business. This can take a few days to do, but it is easy to do. You will then need to fill out or verify all the business information on this listing.

Verify Business Information

Go through all the information in the Google My Business listing to make sure it is correct. Pay attention to the business name, category, NAP data (name, address, phone number), hours of business, and photos. If there is any information missing, add it in at this point. Always make sure the information is as accurate as possible. Go through all photos and other information to make sure it is relevant to the business and to check for any potential issues.

Add Business Citations with Keywords

Business citations are descriptions that can appear in business listings. Make sure your business is portrayed positively and add in keywords here where possible. These citations do work like backlinks, so stick with authoritative business directories and make sure your business information is kept up to date. This can help boost the optimization for your website, which gives you a better chance of appearing in the Google local pack.

Add Posts, Messages, and Other Tools

Various tools are available for the Google My Business listings, all of which can be used to help optimize the listing and give the business the chance to rank higher in the local pack. Try adding a messaging feature, creating posts that users can see, or adding a questions and answers section. Keep all of these updated by checking them regularly and responding to user questions or comments. This helps boost the ranking for your business and will help you appear in the local packs for your area.

Launch an Ad Campaign in Google Maps for Ranking in Google’s Local Pack

Ranking high in the local packs is possible to do by following the steps above. It is also possible to appear by launching an ad campaign in Google Maps. Around 35% of the local packs include ads, so this could quickly increase your visibility or help you get seen in Google local packs even though there’s a lot of competition for your area. Start by adding a location extension to your Google Ads account. Then, create a Google Ad campaign that targets by location and uses location-related keywords. Your ad should then be ready to appear in local packs for your keywords and location.

Local packs can help your business be more prominently displayed in the Google search results. But you will further need to make sure the website and Google My Business listing are optimized for this. Follow the steps here to start working on both your website and the Google My Business listing today. You will be able to reach out to more local customers and draw in more business once your website is featured.