In last week’s blog, we outlined the results of the 2017 Moz report on its analysis of local search ranking factors (remember, this is where marketing experts rank the most important factors that influence Google’s local search algorithm). Check out our full summary of the report here. Highlighted by the importance of local search SEO, the top local pack finder factor was Proximity of Address to the Point of Search (Searcher-Business Distance). That leads us to an even broader topic of what hyper-local marketing is as part of local SEO.
Defining Hyper-Local
According to Facebook, hyper-local marketing means being in the right place at the right time, producing and distributing relevant, timely and unique content that hinges on where each customer lives — despite where your home care business is based. This might be a breeze if you are a small location in one city. However, it gets a bit tricky when you are a large, multi-location home care business that has offices all over a particular region or even the whole country. The needs of your clients in one region may be different than those in another. Events at each location may differ. Heck, even the weather is different, which can impact operations. You may have to get a message out to your Boston-based home care clients that the office is closed during a blizzard; but your clients in Tucson, Arizona are experiencing 90-degree stifling heat and it’s business as usual.
Think Digitally, Spend Locally
You don’t want each of your customers to see the same messages. Hyper-local marketing is about diversification to the extent that each patient or contact is targeted. Often times, this is easier said than done. What needs to happen, then, is that national brands, not just your local branches or clients, need to think digitally and spend locally, says CIO. Specifically, this means you must gear your content-generating resources toward social and mobile, which work well with a local crowd. Building a network of communicators is key, which involves getting into the local conversations about what people want in their home care services.
As a small home care business focusing on hyper-local content, you’re positioning yourself up against the big boys — those larger national providers that may have the money but not the clout within each neighborhood like you do. Creating hyper-local online content will help capture potential clients who search specifically rather than generically for what they need, says Inman. That way, you’re putting yourself in a good position to rank ahead of the larger aggregates despite your smaller size.
How to Stay on Top of Hyper-Local
As mobile continues its meteoric rise, people are conducting more and more searches with hyper-local intent, says Search Engine Land, and Google is responding to this trend. In fact, Google Trends is showing a dramatic increase in “near me” search queries for the last two years. Hyper-local marketing helps you appeal to customers within your area based upon their location, allowing you to answer their immediate needs. Miss those opportunities and miss out on prospects. Period.
With more than 80 percent of users searching for providers on their mobile devices before making a decision, you as a business owner must adopt a mobile-first mindset. Thus, you need to incorporate a mobile-friendly site design and display integral contact information that’s easy to read and respond to (think click to call buttons). You will have an easier time drawing in local traffic the more you understand your prospects’ needs and what they’re looking for as part of a carefully-planned website design. You can’t do that if you have a slow, outdated, non-mobile-optimized site.
Tips
You can better align your home care business with a hyper-local strategy when you follow these tips:
- Make sure your Google My Business page is complete, accurate and optimized. Include high-quality photos and verify that your business is listed correctly within all relevant categories.
- Create localized content that interests people in your community. As a home care business, you may want to focus on area massage therapists, geriatric physicians, senior centers, rehab clinics, etc.
- Create separate local landing pages if you have multiple locations. This way, you can further optimize content specific to each neighborhood or community you target. Use keywords related to the exact location, such as zip codes and city names.
Contact A Servant’s Heart Web Design and Marketing
We are the local home care experts skilled in local SEO and hyper-local marketing. Let us help you target your audience based on local search, backed by the crafting of unique, relevant timely content. Contact a Servant’s Heart Web Design and Marketing today at (760) 227-2720 or fill out our online form to request a free website SEO consultation.
