Local seo strategy for local gardening business ideas?
-
Hi all,
I am just setting up a local organic garden maintenance business in my home town.
I have set up the website, got social media accounts active (FB, Twitter and G+), set up google local listing (currently 5th in the local maps thingy), I have done loads of citations (many more than my competitors, but not a ridiculous amount), I've got 4 customer reviews on google so far, checked my DA against my competitors (mine 1, my comps 8-9), checked my comps links (less than 10) and been writing a blog on my website every couple of days.
I realise the one thing I have against me is that my domain is just less than a month old. How long until google builds a bit of trust in it to see it come up in the serps?
Also, I would love some ideas of what else I can be doing in the mean time. The idea here is to get the site rocking on all cylinders before the gardening season starts again in March. Do-able?
-
Hmm. Sure looks like you're doing everything you should and correctly. You have more citations that your competitors with the exception of Irrigation. You have more reviews.
"Am I wasting my time optimizing for this? "
I'd wait a while longer to see what unfolds. I'd optimize organically. I'd add "garden center" as a local search category in addition to gardener. (I used Blumenthal's category list to find your options, last updated 2/15/14.) I'd continue to accrue as many citations and reviews as possible. I'd publish a KML and GEO sitemap. (Not sure if these are still used by Google, but they can't hurt. Miriam may have an opinion on that.)
I wish there was a clear and definitive answer I could give you but, as you undoubtedly know, it's just not the nature of this beast. Please do give us an update after more time has passed. I am and will be curious.
-
The Witney Gardener
-
What's the name of your business?
-
Thanks for this Donna. Happy New Year by the way!
I am trying to rank for 'garden services witney' and am currently coming in 5th. If you see the map, I am in the actual town and the 4 comp above me are in the next village.
Am I wasting my time optimizing for this?
It's a totally different story for 'Gardener Witney'.
Cheers Donna,
-
According to Google patents. But if I were you, I'd search for the category and town you're trying to rank for and see what Google shows. I don't think it's always as cut and dried as the patents would suggest. It's definitely a possibility though. Your statement "in a village just outside of my town" will have bearing - depending on whether you're trying to rank for the town or the village.
-
This is very interesting. So basically as 4 of my comp are in a village just on the outside of my town that this is the centre?
-
If it's only been a month, it's still early days. It can take 2-6 months for all your citations to propagate throughout the local search ecosystem.
Also bear in mind proximity to the perceived industry center for your city is very important. Your business ideally would be centered in the area where most other garden maintenance businesses are clustered. Mike Blumenthal explains this concept best in Bright Local's free "State of Local Search" recorded webinar (from 2013). Start listening at time stamp 25:30.
-
It's definitely low competition and I have more citations, links and reviews than everyone else. Still sitting in 5th place though.
Will continue with videos
-
Yep got a video up but it sits on page three for its keywords https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tPwy7oO7qs
-
Richard,
Local optimization will help you show up for your specific local search category and town, but often the real value comes in ranking well for long-tail search queries on a well-optimized website. The fact that you're blogging will certainly help that, but don't forget to go to the effort of making sure that content (and the whole site) is organically optimized. You should be optimizing it for your local business category as well as other terms, and making sure your business name, address and phone number is listed on every page of the site. Local schema tagging would definitely help too.
-
Hi Richard,
It sounds like you are doing the right things, but how quickly you see results is going to be largely dependent on how stiff the local competition is. If it's low, you should see results quite quickly from the type of work you're doing (blogging, building citations, earning reviews) but if it's tough, it could be a matter of many, many months before you can edge out your competitors.
I like Andi's suggestion, in that it's hinting at is doing something your competitors might not be doing. A video or social campaign that puts great stuff out there about your business (in a way your competitors aren't latching onto) could give you a speedy competitive advantage.
-
How about posting some youtube videos and cross posting it on your site and the social media sites? Then you have a chance to rank above the local map search results. Same thing with images, but not as powerful. I think video would kick you into high gear.
Got a burning SEO question?
Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
Is this business considered a SAB to Google?
Hi All, We have a client who designs and installs custom closets, garage systems, wall beds, home offices, etc. They have a showroom that displays all this for their potential customers to visit. I have hidden the address for this business but the client has an idea that, since they have this showroom that customers can go to, they should not be considered a SAB. My issue is with this part of Google's quality guidelines "If you don't conduct face-to-face business at your location, you must select "Yes, this business serves customers at their locations"" This client does occasionally conduct face-to-face business at the location BUT they serve the customers at their locations. Opinions and suggestions greatly appreciated!
Image & Video Optimization | | AmberRobinson0 -
Is city name really a no-no in Google+ Local description field?
I know that adding one's city name in the business name and category tags for Google+ Local is a no-no. And Google says so in its quality guidelines. But what about in the business description? I don't see that in Google's guidelines. Can anyone clarify?
Image & Video Optimization | | HammerandHand0 -
Local SEO
Would like to read articles on local SEO that have been recently published in the past few months. Has anyone come across good articles on this topic?
Image & Video Optimization | | casper4340 -
Issues claiming businesses via Google+ places?
Is anyone else dealing with issues claiming a business location on Google places? After already going through the process of claiming our business locations and verifying ownership. It seems that we have to do it again for google+ places. I don't want to create a duplicate of the business, and i'm not sure If I should delete it from my places account, before trying to claim it again on google places. Have you dealt with this issue, or is it new to you as well?
Image & Video Optimization | | Nola5040 -
Local query doesnt trigger local maps listings?
Hi guys, Ive been doing local seo for quite some time and had great results from both organic listings and local maps listings (and a merged listings). However ive noticed time and time again that local maps listings dont appear in serps on all local searches, even the most popular local search terms. Take the phrase "marketing company glasgow" local phrase,local intent but no maps results. But if you click on maps on the laft hand side, theres clearly tons of mpas results. Any ideas why google dont display local businesses on certain local intent phrases? Is there any way around this? Even with good on page seo, and good rankings organically, it would be great to get the maps listing on page 1 too. Thanks Robert
Image & Video Optimization | | glasgowseoguy0 -
Video SEO - Youtube vs. 3rd party hosting with Video Sitemap
We need some feedback on the best place to upload videos. Should we be uploading our videos everywhere (YouTube, Metacafe, Vimeo, etc.)? Note: Currently we are using a 3rd party video video hosting solution called Treepodia. Previously we used Wistia. Both host our videos, and submit a Video Sitemap through Webmaster tools. When one of these videos shows up in search results and somebody clicks on it, they are directed back to our website. Are we competing against ourselves if we upload videos to other networks like Youtube, etc. if we are already submitting a Video Sitemap through a 3rd party? I've noticed we rank higher in Google Videos search for our Youtube videos vs. our 3rd party hosted videos. Also, how do Youtube video views tie into this situation... we used to embed videos via Youtube embed code. Now we seem to be missing out on the extra views we were getting by doing so. Ultimate question: host videos through a 3rd party and submit a video sitemap OR host videos on Youtube and embed on our website?
Image & Video Optimization | | tennisexpress0 -
Multiple Businesses in One Location + In One Google Places Account Under Review
HI, My Problem: Multiple businesses in one location, under one Google Places account, one being reviewed. My Question: see very bottom of this post Background: I am trying to help a client get both of his businesses ranking in Google Places. The problem is the office building has multiple doctors/practices in the same building and gave no business suite numbers to doctors that rent office space. Here is the list of the other businesses in the office: http://www.fullcirclefamilycare.com/health_care.htm. The problem escalates because the doctor I am trying to help has a chiropractic business & a spinal decompression business, both legal entities, both different registered company names, different phone numbers, and websites, but both located in this office building. He rents two offices (they should be suites) in the building. The problem escalates even more because the doctor has registered both locations (see below) in his Google Places account: Westchester Spinal Decompression Center
Image & Video Optimization | | WebBizIdeas
1241 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605 (914) 421-1502 Joint Effort Chiropractic
1241 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605 (914) 368-7668
jointeffortchiro.com The first (spinal decompression) was registered a long time ago and ranks #1 for "spinal decompression white plains NY." The second he just confirmed the Google Post card a few weeks ago and has been under review since. More research so you can help me better: The "The Shop for Holistic Health / The Shop at Full Circle", a businesses location in the same office building has verified their account and ranks #1 for "women's health care white plains NY" and "midwife white plains NY." Another business,in the same office building "Keras-Donaghy Melissa S", has not claimed their listing and ranks #1 for "Women’s Health physical Therapist white plains NY" Another business, "Kuhl Josephine MD," has not claimed their listing ranks in the top 10 for "Adolescent Psychiatrist white plains NY." My Question: What do I do, wait it out and see if Google will remove the "under review" under his current Google Places account or do I add a suite number now and see if Google will send another post card? Or do I create a new account, add the business, add a suite number this time, and see if they will confirm it. I don't want to do this because the doctor already has 12 reviews on this Google Places account. If I do do this, what do I do with the Google Places account under review?0 -
UBL or LocalEZE? Local listing submission vendor.
We are between UBL and LocalEZE for our preferred local listing submission vendor. DIfferences:
Image & Video Optimization | | qlkasdjfw
*UBL does not have a relationship with local data vendors, but submits to axicom and infousa (as examples) which LocalEZE does not.
*LocalEZE has active feeds set up with many local vendors. What are your preferences? We are leaning twoard LocalEZE, Razorfish (the agency) is among their notable clients. What about submitting to both? I would be fearful that the data will overlap.0