Search engine optimization isn’t easy, but for contractor companies that service a specific area, it’s something you need to learn. While there are numerous resources available about on-page SEO for local search, there are two off-page resources you need to take advantage of because they have a tremendous impact on your rankings and your website traffic.
Google My Business and the Local 3-Pack provide some of the best results for local SEO, but many contractor businesses don’t know about them. If they do, they barely use them to their fullest extent. We’ll examine these important resources, how they’re connected, and how you can take advantage of them.
Your Google My Business Profile Is Your Most Important Online Business Listing
There are many business listing sites and review sites out there and you’ve probably claimed your listing on Yelp and a few other sites, but none of them have the power of Google My Business.
Google created it in 2014 with a whimper. There wasn’t a grandiose announcement and it’s been flying under the radar ever since. Why is it so important?
If someone searches for a specific business such as your contractor company, then it’s possible on the right side of the screen a profile of your business can come up. Odds are you’ve seen them a million times, but never thought about how the business got there. This is the profile on Google My Business.
It’s important because its owned by Google and it’s a major resource they use in determining your fit for specific search queries. It’s not enough to just have a listing. You need to have one that is filled out with accurate information.
In fact, based on expert research, it has been estimated that 25% of your Google Local 3-Pack rank is determined by your Google My Business profile.
Even if you’ve never created a Google My Business listing, there’s likely already one for your business. It will be in the most basic form and may have incorrect information because you’ve never claimed it.
Google uses the listing as a blueprint for local SEO. It impacts your ranking in search engines and the Local 3-Pack, which we’ll get into a little later.
Complete Your Google My Business Profile
Google uses your Google My Business listing as a ranking factor, so the more information you have the better off you are. There’s no such thing as too much information in your Google My Business listing.
Much like Google’s other tools, it’s free to use and set up. The first section is your business profile. This includes all the relevant information about your business including hours, contact information, synopsis of what you do, service area, etc. There’s even an app you can use to update your profile with new items at any time.
The media section is where you get to personalize your profile and share your products and services. You can have pictures of your employees, videos of people out on the job, and more. It’s important to have this section filled out because it puts a face to your name.
The most important section after the main profile is the reviews section. If you’ve been around for a while, you’ve likely already received reviews from past customers good or bad. It’s important to keep an eye on this and encourage customers to fill out positive reviews if they had a good experience.
This is an important area for potential customers because they’re getting the opinion of actual customers. You should thank positive reviews and try to mediate negative ones. Find out what went wrong and be courteous and polite. Negative reviews are going to happen, but how you react to them can impact how customers think about your company.
If you have any company news you want to share, you can always write a post. It’s not much different than a Facebook post and regular posting shows you’re active on the page.
Google’s Local 3-Pack for Contractor Marketing
When someone searches for a type of business in their area, above the search results is a special section that contains a map and three business profiles. This is the Google Local 3-Pack. It’s valuable Internet real estate and listed businesses get higher traffic because of it.
It was originally the Google 7-Pack and looked a lot different. Google determined only the top three results were getting traffic and it wasn’t easy to see on mobile screens. The company shortened it and made it easier for mobile phones by adding click to call capability.
Competition can be fierce, and businesses listed in the 3-Pack have a definite advantage, but how do you get your business on it?
Google My Business and Local 3-Pack Connection
We mentioned how Google uses My Business profile as a blueprint for your business. The information found in the Local 3-Pack comes directly from your profile. Everything from the address and hours to picture and review ratings.
The first step to getting on the 3-Pack is having a completed Google My Business profile. It not only provides accurate information but looks better than a competitor who doesn’t have their information filled out.
You can create SEO optimized local content, blog posts, and other local SEO tactics for your website to improve your overall rankings. While there’s no way to optimize specifically for the 3-Pack, having a website with optimized content and informative blog posts can improve general ranking and thus your 3-Pack ranking.
Contractor Marketing for Your Company
LMM can help your contractor company rise above the competition by providing you with expert services through our contractor marketing platform.
If you need help creating your Google My Business listing or optimizing your website for better organic rankings, we are here for you. Unlike other marketing firms, we have expertise in contractor marketing. We know your business and we know how to increase your traffic and revenue.
If you want more information about Google My Business, Google Local 3-Pack, or our marketing platform, please feel free to contact us today. We’ll be happy to answer your questions.