Internet marketing for local businesses is about getting the best exposure on Search Engine Results Pages (SERP). The problem today is that there are several different page designs and on many different devices. Its not just about getting #1 in natural results, its about real-estate.
How big is your SERP Footprint?
There is a huge difference between getting the #1 spot in natural search results on a desktop computer and getting the optimum number of clicks. #1 in natural search results on the desktop is not the whole story, nor is it an indication of who is getting the most clicks. That is because local search results have lots of placement variations, multiplied by the screen size of the device. Optimizing for all these display variations is a real challenge.
The best SEO firms can get you the most exposure using a nuanced mix of SEO and PPC – natural results vs paid results. That is what we assist you to do – hopefully making your life easier while maximizing the traffic to your website.
The big obstacles to measuring the exposure you are getting is search engine page design. Google’s My Business (GMB) Card, and the Map Card, and Places listings are more important than the #1 spot in natural results.
Page design is a study all of its own, known to some as HID (Human Interface Design). Obviously the best design today will not be the best design of all times. It is changing constantly in an endless attempt to find the best balance between the search engines business model (them making money) and the ROI on your marketing dollars (you making money).
So back to “The Card” as we will call it, is that box on the top right of the search results page. The Card will get most of the clicks if its relevant to the search, and it usually is. Your business needs to be in that card ( which comes from your GoogleMyBusiness account ). This is the most desirable placement you can get in a desktop browser. The Card is also displayed on mobile devices, which dominates most displays.
Alternatively a Map (tile) may be displayed with all competitive businesses in your area, which is not so great. However, if there is a Map Card, that means the potential exists to get your business’s Card displayed there instead.
Google and Bing will only place your business in a Card in the case they have a very high degree of confidence in your online presence – “all your ducks must be in a row” for that to happen.