How do you properly target locally with anchor text?
-
I'm trying to figure out the best method for externally linkback anchors to my site for local results.
What would be the best way to do this for some local SERP love:
Cheeseburgers Chicago, IL
Cheeseburgers Chicago
Cheeseburgers Chicago illinois
-
Local search is a bit different than universal search and yes, you there are things you can do off-site to optimize the results. This Whiteboard Friday touched on the basics: http://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-basics-of-local-seo-whiteboard-friday.
You may also want to check out the list of Local Ranking Factors on David Mihm's site http://www.davidmihm.com/local-search-ranking-factors.shtml.
Hope this helps!
-
I recommend you reading this article:Â http://www.davidmihm.com/local-search-ranking-factors.shtml
This is the bible for me in terms of local search.
-
Thanks Barry, great information
-
excellent tool! thanks
-
Are you talking on-page optimization? is there such thing as an off-site optimizing for local search?
-
I generally would try to mix them up - keeps your link profile looking more "natural". I would also focus on optimizing for local search (Google Places, etc.), if it's a local business. For many verticals, the Places results take up a LOT of real-estate on the results page.
-
Well, all three!
Plus Chicago cheeseburgers, Chicago cheese burgers, best cheeseburgers in chicago and a whole bunch more
A variety of "location + keyword" anchor text is a must, getting links from other Chicago sites (both about Chicago and I want to say that sites hosted in Chicago, though I don't know how granular Google takes that and it's not a must), set up a business location in Google local and get reviews (protip: http://www.seomoz.org/blog/one-dead-simple-tactic-for-better-rankings-in-google-local)
Danny did the basics of local seo on this whiteboard Friday - http://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-basics-of-local-seo-whiteboard-friday
-
As long as it reads natural, just using cheesburgers will probably be enouth. assuming your site has the address on it.
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
-
Google's Search Algorithm update to 'Local Snack Pack'
Hi there - I was wondering if anyone else has noticed a big shift in the Google Local 'snack pack' in the past 48 hours? We have noticed a big change in clients results - specifically today. Has anyone else noticed any changes or perhaps data on possible changes? I am aware of this update: https://www.seroundtable.com/big-google-search-algorithm-ranking-update-29953.html but perhaps there maybe another update since. Any input would be much appreciated! Phil.
Algorithm Updates | | Globalgraphics0 -
What is the feeliing of "Here's where our site can help" text links used for conversions?
If you have an ecommerce site that is using editorial content on topics related to the site's business model to build organic traffic and draw visitors who might be interested in using the site's services eventually, what is the SEO (page ranking) impact -- as well as the impact on the visitors' perceptions about the reliability of the information on the site -- of using phrases like "Here is where [our site] can help you." in nearly every article. Note: the "our site" text would be linked in each case as a conversion point to one of the site's services pages to get visitors to move from content pages on a site to the sales pages on the site. Will this have an impact on page rankings? Does it dilute the page's relevance to search engines? Will the content look less authoritative because of the prevalence of these types of links? What about the same conversion links without the "we can help" text - i.e., more natural-sounding links that stem from the flow of the article but can lead interested visitors deeper into the ecommerce section of the site?
Algorithm Updates | | Will-McDermott0 -
Do keyword target landing pages increase rankings?
Let's say we create landing pages for targeted keywords in our niche. So like we have landing pages optimised for 80% of the top keywords with decent search volume. If these pages started ranking at first page or around; will this scenario improves the ranking of website? Right now, only few of our top pages are ranking good. Planning to create more of such.
Algorithm Updates | | vtmoz0 -
How Does Google Treat External Links to URLs with # Anchors?
Here are two URLs to explain this example: **Original URL:Â **example.com/1/ **URL that points to anchor within the webpage above:Â **example.com/1/#anchor Does Google treat these two URLs as separate entities or the same? For example, does an external link to the anchor URL pass full PageRank value to the original URL? How does Google handle this? Is there anything negative about this situation? Are there any risks associated with links to the anchor URL? Finally, is it more valuable for an external link to point to the URL without an anchor?
Algorithm Updates | | SAMarketing0 -
“Service Location” in Lieu of Separate NAP to Avoid Merge on Google+Local?
A client has two businesses out of the same address, same phone: an eat-in restaurant and a catering service. He has a separate website for each. He’s dying to optimize the catering, although long-term wants to optimize both. For the moment, Google only knows this restaurant and his only social media presence is set up as the restaurant as well -- thus the links to his social media even off of the catering site link to his restaurant accounts. I think he has two options: 1. Really do separate them. Get a different address (suite # or use his home address?) and phone. Set up new, separate social media. Register both, separately, at all the directories, etc. 2. Merge them both into the restaurant site and have the restaurant offer both eat-in and catering. Have some pages on the site optimized for lunch and others for catering, with the home page saying both. Register the one domain with all the directories, social media under the restaurant, but with a description that includes both lunch and catering as services offered. Variation on #2: Continue to have Google show the address, since it’s a restaurant, but add the “service location” area to show as well, for the catering part. My questions are: 1. If he kept the two websites separate, would hiding the address and just using a “service location” area for the catering one keep Google happy? I mean, could he keep the same address -- although I suppose he’d still have to get a new phone -- and set up the catering entry to show only the service area? And if he did that, would Google not merge them then? In directories, though, he’d still be listing both the restaurant and the catering separately but under the same address, so maybe this is a silly scenario anyway. What do you think? 2. Which option would you choose? 3. Are there any other better options? 4. In the #2 scenario, if a directory allows registry under one category, would you choose “restaurant” or “catering” -- or sometimes one and sometimes the other? Thank you for your insight!
Algorithm Updates | | rayvensoft0 -
Homepage dropped from Results as I get #1 Local
Today, I noticed for a website I have (www.ghosttoursinsavannah.com) the homepage dropped out of the rankings for only one keyword. This site was previously number 3 for s specific keyword, 'Savannah Ghost Tours'. Â This keyword is also the keyword most customers search for, by far. Hence my mini-panic. All other keywords (roughly 200 of them) I was previously ranked for are still, pretty much, in the same location rank-wise that they were before. This is for Google by the way. The other thing I noticed is that for many keywords I am all of a sudden the (A) Local Result. I wasn't even on the map previously. Now, the keyword for which my homepage dropped from the rankings, 'Savannah Ghost Tours' is also the 'name' of my company according to Google Local. I haven't had this happen before and am quite confused by it. If anyone can help me understand why this happened and if there is anything I can do to get my organic ranking back, I would appreciate it. The only change I made wasn't even to the site. I did go out and use GetListed to add my company to a number of sites, that is all I have done in the past month. Also, These two things happened the same day, the drop in rank and the promotion to number one position for local. google-rankings.png
Algorithm Updates | | TimNealon0 -
Did The Last Google Algorithm Update, Hit sites with poor anchor text?
My content is quite strong within my niche, so I ranked well, but last month my rankings plummeted. On closer examination and scrutiny I discovered my anchor text needed updating.  Has anyone else seen this happening in the last four weeks?
Algorithm Updates | | simonberenyi0 -
How does Google treat anchor tags on badges after penguin update?
We have a website builder that creates sites in sub-domains (i.e. yoursite.breezi.com) on every site we have included a badge that has anchor text and an image. My question is given the fact that we will include this on many if not most of the sites created inside our builder how will google treat backlinks with the same anchor tag/text from non relevant sites after the penguin update? I am concerned about the backlinks from non-theme related sites and it's SEO implications. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Algorithm Updates | | breezi0