We won't dissect every tweet or quote ever written by anyone at Google, dive into patents, or refute every SEO theory about whether or not CTR is a ranking factor. I share my theory based on what I saw and my recommendations on how to act accordingly. Two years ago, Google released the Pigeon Update, which profoundly affected the way local search results are calculated. Then, about a year ago, Google revealed that mobile searches finally outnumbered desktop searches. In light of this change, Google has made mobile friendliness a key ranking factor for mobile search. More recently, Google introduced Promoted Pins at its 2016 summit, to give advertisers greater ability to leverage the potential of local mobile searches. Can you see where this is all going?
The days of local desktop search fax list optimization are coming to an end. If you want your business to rank effectively for local searches, it's time to focus your efforts on mobile. Understand your mobile audience When it comes to local search, your mobile audience is often very different from your desktop audience. Given the size and (and even laptops), most desktop research takes place at home or at work. Therefore, local desktop searches have delayed search intent. Advertising Continue reading below They may be planning a vacation in your area. Maybe they're cooking dinner for the weekend. Maybe they're just checking to see if there are any local businesses that have the products or services they need.
They might be interested in your business, but they probably won't refer you in the next 15-30 minutes. In contrast, most mobile local searches come with immediate search intent. People are searching on their cell phones because they want something now! To optimize local search on mobile, you need to focus on this immediacy. Give mobile searchers the simple, easy, and easily accessible answers they're looking for, and you'll win their case. Optimization for local search So how do you deliver the kind of immediate results your mobile audience is looking for? For this article, we're going to assume that you've already covered the basics of local search (claiming your business listings, building backlinks, reputation management, etc.).