What people search for and how they search within a specific industry can vary greatly. Tailoring local SEO (search engine optimization) efforts to these specific search patterns is essential for attracting potential customers.
The Search Engine Results Page (SERP) is where potential customers discover companies after entering a query into a search engine such as Google. Understanding the various parts of the SERP and how search algorithms interpret user intent can help local businesses optimize their online presence and reach their target audience effectively. First, let’s briefly describe the different types of search results and how they appear on the SERP.
Organic Search Results
The standard listings that appear based on their relevance to the search query are called organic search results. They include:
- Title: The clickable headline of the page.
- URL: The web address of the page.
- Meta Description: A brief summary of the page content.
Organic results look like this on the SERP:
Paid Search Results (Ads)
The listings that appear with the ‘sponsored’ label are paid placements by businesses targeting specific keywords. They might look like one of these examples:
Local Pack:
The set of three local business listings that appear for queries with local intent is called Local Pack (We’ll go into more detail about user intent later in this article). The Local Pack includes details such as the business name, address, phone number, and a map that looks something like this:
Local businesses don’t have to have a brick and mortar store or office in order to show up on the map. Establishing a home address as a business address is an option, and many home-based businesses can be set up as service area businesses so they can show up on the map.
For any business that functions within a local market, it is imperative to have a Google Business Profile. It is even better if that profile shows up on the local pack for the most relevant search terms in the business’s industry.
Featured Snippets:
Search results displayed as brief excerpts from web pages that directly answer the search query are called Featured Snippets. They appear at the top of the SERP like this:
Knowledge Graph:
The section that provides a comprehensive answer to a search query is called the Knowledge Graph. It often includes images and detailed information about a very specific thing or topic. Again, this depends on the query, but here are some examples:
Understanding User Intent
For local businesses, understanding the context behind a search is crucial. The specific words used in a search can reveal a lot about what the searcher is looking for. Every local business should be competing to show up in the searches that have local intent.
To explain in more detail, a broad search like “cabinets” might indicate a general interest in cabinet styles or materials, while a search for “cabinet maker” or “kitchen cabinet installation” strongly suggests the searcher is looking for a local service. Google’s algorithms analyze these search terms and the user’s location to provide the most relevant results accordingly. The broad search terms might not show local businesses, but the search terms that are interpreted to have local intent will show local results.
By diving deep into local search trends within their industry, businesses can optimize their online presence to better connect with their target audience.
Conclusion:
By understanding the components of the SERP and the importance of user intent, local businesses can better optimize their content and strategies to improve their online visibility. Leveraging local SEO can help ensure that your business appears prominently when potential customers search for services in your area.
This is the type of work Tavallo does all day every day for our clients, helping them attract the right customers by showing up for the right searches. Let us know how we can serve your business!