This article is designed to help you understand the WHY behind your reputation management/local seo tasks. Included is common questions a client might ask, and how I would recommend you answer.
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One of the 4 products you offer is reputation management, what does that mean?
Reputation management is the practice of monitoring, influencing, and maintaining the public perception and visibility of an individual, brand, or business.
In simpler terms, we want you to be easy to find online, and look good when you do get found.
How do you improve my online ranking?
Google has provided us 3 ranking factors that help them determine how they rank a business in any given search.
What are the 3 ranking factors according to Google?
DISTANCE
How close your business is located to the searcher. Google will only show businesses within a 40 mile radius, prioritizing businesses that are closer to the individual.
RELEVANCE
How similar the products or services you offer are to the searchers intent.
This is where keywords play an important piece of the puzzle. There are lots of areas on your business profile where we can include relevant keywords to help you show up more often.
PROMINENCE
How established your brand is online compared to your competitors. If the only places your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) show up are your google profile and your website, you won't have much prominence. We help this by building out citations, or online directories similar to yelp or bing, that will help build your online presence.
How do you measure results?
There are 2 ways that we can measure results - 1st is by measuring your actual ranking. Where you are now vs where you ranked a couple months ago.
The second is by the data that google shares via analytics on your profile. This includes total impression count, calls, messages and direction requests.
How quickly should I start seeing results?
Local SEO does provide results quicker than website SEO, but can still take time. If there is an obvious error on your profile that we fix, it could be as short as 2-3 months, otherwise expect 5-6 months before you see REAL results.
Can you guarantee results?
While we can't guarantee results, we can guarantee that we are taking all the necessary steps for you to rank. There are too many factors out of our control to guarantee any sort of results. What if all the competitors in front of you also start optimizing their profile?
What is the point of the random online directories you put us in?
While most people aren't going to a site like "ezlocal" to find a real estate agent, Google uses these directories to help establish your prominence.
Google scans these sites, and the more of them that your NAP (name address phone) is listed, the more they trust you.
If Bills Real Estate ranks above you, and is only found in 18 sites across the web, we want to make sure you are listed in at least 19 or more.
Do reviews impact my ranking?
While reviews aren't a direct ranking factor according to Google, they do help you get picked above others, and as you get more reviews, and respond to them, google will see you are active, and trust you more