EngineX Digital Marketing
Getting In the Google local snack pack
Google places / local / maps lists the top 3 businesses that are local when searching in Google. To scroll below the top 3 or better known as the “snack pack” you have to click on a button to display more listings.
Find out why the “snack pack” is so important to your business and how to rank in it with our latest contribution to the digital marketing world.
What's So Important Here?
If you rely on a local market to advertise on then you need more than great Google Ads to stay around and keep your ROI up. PPC (pay per click) is expensive and needs an organic boost. While Google local is not “technically” organic we’re going to call it that in this article since it meets the criteria as in it doesn’t cost you anytime a visitor clicks on it and you can’t pay to rank on it.
Snacking Or Starving
To get customers from Google Local you don’t have to be in the “snack pack” but your prospects from this area drops about 80% if you are below the top 3 on page 2 of the local listings. Page 3? Forget about it.
Is there good news? It’s highly likely (but not guaranteed) that in your market you can make a move to the top 3 as the level of sophistication with competitors is usually low.
Movin' On Up
“Well we’re movin on up,
To the snack pack side.
To a deluxe listing in the Google Sky.
Movin on up
To the snack side.
We finally got a piece of the Google pie.”
Our next part in this series will over the following areas in detail that will help make it easier for you to get in the snack pack and not have to do whole lotta tryin’ Just to get up that hill:
Finish Your Listing
There are some tedious details but this has a major impact on everything else. There are several sections to fill out so take the time to do this. You’re wasting your time if you don’t have this complete including your website link and all information Google asks for but doesn’t require. Consider writing a quick post introducing your company and add pics and videos if you have them.
Content
I’m sure you’ve heard this. You know… Quality content that helps educate visitors on what you offer and learn more about what it does and tips on how to use…etc. Normally I’d be talking about your website but this also includes Google My Business which is your Google Local listings manager.
When visitors see you in Google Local they can click on your listing and it will help Google rank you higher overtime if you add tips/pics/videos over time to improve their experience when visiting your Google Local listing.
Citations
Citations are NAP (name address phone) references that come from various sources such as your Facebook page, website, LinkedIN, YouTube, Yellow Pages Online, etc. These sources must all be consistent and point the the same address/name/phone or you’ll find that Google will penalize you for inconsistent NAP listings.
Reviews
Reviews, bad or good (good is better), show Google your business is relevant and doing business.