20 Local Search Developments You Need to Know About
20 Local Search Developments You Need to Know About
Every year Google local search updates following contemporary trends and needs and constantly shuffles around rules as explained at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. Google local search updates happen frequently and it is important to understand them to properly monitor SEO trends for your website. This article will look to list 20 local search developments you need to know about.
Google is keen for local businesses to discover Pointy
It has been noted that Google has been advertising Pointy for free, right in the Google Business Profile dashboard as per RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. This brings up questions on whether Google’s efforts to promote its shopping functions can compete with Amazon for control of online transactions and how that may impact local business owners.
Developments in reviews
If you noticed or received complaints from your clients regarding missing reviews in mid-March, it was likely because of a confirmed Google bug. This issue was resolved a week or so later. It also means that it is time to review your review strategy to diagnose why feedback you are expecting from customers isn’t showing up as it indicates that Google’s review filters are becoming stricter. This development is necessary as Google is moving to curb the issue of fake local business reviews.
Owner responses are finally showing on LSAs
Another development is that Google’s Local Service Ad reviews are finally displaying owner responses, though only mobile according to RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. Displaying the work business owners put into writing great responses to reviews is one small step Google is taking to become more local business-centric.
Refine/broaden SERP feature rolls out
This feature, which allows users to access more nuanced results, was previewed at an event last fall and has now emerged in the US English-speaking market. This new option could have the impact of either offering searchers more ways to discover your business or simply distracting them from it.
Google emphasizes recency of business status to bolster consumer trust
Google knows if searchers are getting inaccurate data from listings that then misdirects and inconveniences them, it will erode trust in the product. This is why we have seen the rollout of an updated Chrome extension called Transparency which purports to use AI to predict whether a profile contains fake reviews.
Review snippets can appear right on the map
Reviews have always been hugely influential when it comes to customers and are even more influential now that they appear right on the map as articulated at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. This is another development to be aware of this year.
GBP insights in-SERP
You are now likely to see your Google Business Profile metrics show up right in SERPs when you are logged in. This is one of the developments we will see in this direction now that Google has determined that SMBs should manage more of their experience inside the search engine results.
More information about Vicinity has emerged
As captured at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, this is a topic that is still in progress because local SEOs and businesses are continuing to discover and interpret the impacts of Google’s late-2021 Vicinity update.
The re-branding of Google Business
While this might not be directly relevant to your website, it is always important to keep track of the changes with the company in charge of driving SEO practices themselves. Google My Business is becoming Google Business Profile to make local SEO more convenient for everyone, an update that contained many beneficial changes and allowed all kinds of editing for your business listing.
Addition of better visual elements
Google also added many advanced website marketing strategies and allowed access to very beneficial updates to further efficiency for Local Search. They include integrated visual search, better functions for infographics, and improved carousels.
Local News improvements
By introducing modern elements and modern features into local SERPs, users can find additional help in looking for local results in their feeds as covered at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. Google has released many local search updates to improve the quality of local-based news searches and will include many things on the local news carousel, like top stories, more news, and even local tweets.
New attributes for everyone
Attributes are a great way to provide proactive answers to questions that searchers have on a variety of topics. Now, features like ‘black-owned’ business attributes can help some people decide whether to use their services and allow you the option to better delineate your business from the rest.
Mobile-first indexing
Google has, in recent years, announced that it would be focusing fully on a mobile-first approach to optimize the use of smartphones as described at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. The focus on positive mobile experiences with your website will be the new, essential strategy for any business moving forward.
User experience is now key
If you want to get ahead with local search in 2022, then focusing on user experience is how you do it. Google announced that it would be factoring UX signals into its rankings. This means factors like how fast your web page loads; how easy it is for people to navigate your design to find the content they are looking for among others will heavily influence a website’s ranking on the search engine results pages.
Zero Click Results
This is an important trend to be aware of. In 2019, more than 50% of all Google searches resulted in the user getting the information they needed from the search results page. This means that they didn’t click through to a business’s website, something you need to react to this year.
New free local SEO tools
Local businesses and SEO professionals looking to keep up with all the changes have also gained access to some new free tools discussed at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. One of these tools, developed by Local SEO Guide, is the Local-Pack-O-Meter.
New free local SEO insights
In addition to the great tools released recently, we have also had lots of useful free local SEO insights. One such resource is the research paper by Milestone Inc, which analyzed 500 location-based businesses, their sessions, and page views to understand better which channels had more earnings at the best ROI.
Set up Products
If you are just getting started with local SEO, then make sure that you are setting up Products, which are outlined at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, for maximum visibility and conversions in Google Search and getting the most from Google Maps for your business.
Google Merchant Center
For large, multi-location businesses, ensure that you are leveraging the data available in the Google Merchant Center to power your local SEO campaigns. You will also want to take care of any enterprise local SEO challenges or common Service Area Business issues.
Voice search matters for local search
When people talk to their phone or their smart speaker, they phrase their internet searches differently than to type them into the search bar. These searches are longer. This means you need to think about how people naturally talk when creating content on your website if you want to show up for local voice searches.
These are some of the major search developments you need to know about, with more on this topic, and then some, to be found over at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com.