74% of consumers ignore reviews written more than 3 months ago. This means that if you run a retail shop in Queensgate or have plumbing companies in Cambridgeshire, and your last review was last Christmas, you are losing customers.
But implementing digital marketing in Peterborough is not about abstract national strategies. It is about the local, right now. Many local business owners are under the impression that if a national corporate brand has a larger budget, it will automatically rank higher in the local search results.
That is not true: the Google algorithm disproportionately favors local proximity and engagement. Are you properly managing your GBP (Google Business Profile)? Are you aware of why having a nice website design is not actually bringing you any phone calls?
Let us show you what is happening in the local search landscape
Local Search Landscape: Why It Is Different To National Organic Searches
National organic searches usually rely on factors related to the structure of your website and a large-scale backlink profile. Local searches, on the other hand, are disproportionately influenced by GBP (Google Business Profile) and distance.
Approximately 32% of local pack results rely on GBP-related factors. Additionally, distance is a critical tie-breaker if two businesses have a similar GBP profile. If you own a local shop, it will be much harder to rank in the map pack for someone who has an office in an industrial estate several miles away. This is especially true for businesses that only have a single location.
Now, which GBP-specific factors have the most influence on your local map pack ranking?
Your GBP (Google Business Profile) is arguably more important than your website for local searches, but it requires a different set of optimizations. First, make sure that you chose the correct Primary Category. Choosing the wrong overarching category (e.g., “contractor” for an electrical company) will make you invisible for most local search queries.
Additionally, double-check that your Business Hours are correctly listed. Google will penalize you if your business listing suggests that you are about to close while a potential customer tries to contact you at 4 PM. Finally, upload relevant photos and make sure to include pictures of your local vans, staff, and completed projects. Stock photos will turn-off many local customers.
How Do Local Shops Beat National Chains In Local Searches
A lot of local business owners are dismayed when a national competitor opens up nearby. But in terms of local searches, big chains have a significant disadvantage: the closer you are to the searcher, the higher you will rank.
Therefore, your local convenience store in the city centre will considerably outrank any national chains with addresses on the outskirts of the city for “near me” searches.
To capitalize on this, local area businesses should use localized landing pages for the surrounding towns that they serve. It is much easier to create a web page for Whittlesey, Yaxley, and Market Deeping and populate them with local client reviews and pictures than it is to try and outrank a big chain in national searches.
Are Paid Ads Worth It For Local Businesses In Peterborough
They most certainly are, especially for local tradespeople and their home service business counterparts. While regular organic local searches are limited by the distance factor, Local Services Ads (LSAs) and regular old Google PPC (pay-per-click) ads can help you dominate the local markets in the surrounding areas. LSAs, in particular, appear at the very top of the search results and help tremendously with local lead generation.
Hyper-Local Reviews: How To Beat The Competition And Get More Customers
Your review strategy is undoubtedly underperforming. The new standard for local searches is between 4.0 to 4.5 stars (47% of consumers will avoid a business with fewer than 20 reviews). Even more importantly, it is not about the total quantity of reviews: you need a steady stream of fresh reviews. It is much better to have 50 reviews from the last month than 100 reviews from a year ago.
Most importantly, make sure to respond to all reviews. This will greatly boost your conversion rate among customers who have actually posted a review. However, avoid using the same response template for every review: it will turn off 50% of your clients. In fact, a generic response is much worse than no response at all.
TekScrum Proof: How We Helped A Local Heating Company Rank In The Local Map Pack
We once had a client who was an independent HVAC (heating and air conditioning) contractor who struggled to get local leads despite operating in the area for about a decade. He was having trouble competing with a big corporate rival who had recently opened up in the region.
When we started working on his digital marketing Peterborough strategy, his GBP category was too broad, he used stock photos, and his reviews were over a year old. We optimized his GBP by narrowing down his primary category and adding fresh reviews with every completed service. We also started publishing weekly photos of the team and local jobs in Peterborough.
We then shifted 50% of his monthly marketing budget from social media management towards local PPC (pay-per-click) advertising. We also published a series of blog posts about local heating tips, which helped generate a steady stream of local reviews. All of these tactics combined allowed him to move up the local map pack by securing a spot in the top 3 positions for his most popular services. The number of his phone calls increased by 65% within 90 days of implementing the new strategy. If you are a local business owner looking to dominate the local map pack, feel free to get in touch with our local SEO experts.
Some Common Local Digital Marketing Mistakes That Kill Leads
We often see the same local business owners making these expensive mistakes:
Using A Virtual Office: A PO Box or a virtual office will get your GBP suspended by Google. Always use a real office address for your local business.
GBP Diversity Update Demotion: If you are trying to boost your GBP ranking, avoid linking it to a top organic search page directly. It will cause a demotion of both your organic listing and GBP profile. Try linking it to a separate landing page instead.
Wasting Money On Myths: Stop throwing money at social media. Having 10,000 followers on Instagram is great, but it does nothing to help your local SEO. Instead, invest in review management and local ad campaigns for better ROI.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need A Local Peterborough SEO Company To Manage My Business Listing
You can technically update your GBP profile yourself, but a professional local SEO agency will be able to generate much better results for you. In particular, you should consider hiring an agency to create localized landing page content for you and manage your LSA (Local Services Ads) budget.
How Long Does Local SEO Take To Work In Peterborough
It can take anywhere between several weeks to several months before your local business listing starts getting better traffic and phone calls. Updating your GBP category or photos may have a noticeable effect on your local visibility in just a few days, but it will take a few months of local content generation before you start getting consistent leads.
Should I Spend My Budget On Social Media Or Google For Local Leads
For local businesses, Google is almost always a better choice than social media. Google is much easier to get right with the right strategy, and it allows you to target customers who are actively searching for your service right now. Social media, on the other hand, relies on interrupting somebody’s organic browsing experience to pitch your product or service.
How Do I Respond To A Bad Review From A Local Customer
Take it seriously but do not panic. Always respond to negative reviews in a timely manner and avoid using robotic responses. Acknowledge the customer’s concerns but make sure to move the conversation offline.
Why Did My Business Not Show Up In Local Searches
This can happen for a variety of reasons. You may have listed incorrect business hours that suggest that the business is closed when it is not. Your review profile may have taken a hit due to excessive negative feedback Your local GBP listing may be penalized for keyword stuffing Or your business may simply be too far away from the searcher for you to appear in the map pack
