Optimize Local Search on Mobile

July 18th, 2016 | by: Lauren Biedenharn | Posted in : Marketing, Social Media, Real Estate Tips, Digital Trends

Are you optimizing your site for mobile use? A mobile marketing strategy is essential to local searches. This day and age, everyone is using their mobile device as their main source of technology. Even when there is a computer in the room, 77% of mobile searches happen at home or work according to Search Engine Land.

Why waste all the money you spent on building your site and using SEO when it isn't optimized for local mobile searches? Another question you may have is – What classifies as a local search and why isn't my site optimized for it on phones? The simple answer is that mobile devices index local searches in a different way than computers. The criteria is based on a specific location, city, and zip code. 

If you want to make sure that your realty business shows up on mobile searches, here are 3 tips to help.

1. Create a business Yelp account
2. Create a Google+ Local Page
3. Create a business page on associated search apps

Yelp is essential when it comes to local mobile searches. Siri is powered by Yelp, therefore you need to market on the direct source. If you're not on Yelp, iPhone users won't find you. On top of creating a Yelp account for your business, the search queries are sorted by positive reviews. So there, you have it. Create a page and rack up those reviews to be found on iPhone searches. Side note: Yelp will only publish reviews of active Yelpers, so ask your current and past clients if they use Yelp and get them to leave positive feedback. Click here to create a business page on Yelp.

As for Google+, your business will be indexed in mobile Android searches, regular Google searches, Google map searches AND Google+ searches. Yes it is like a Facebook business page, but Google+ local pages have better SEO capabilities and you don't have to post on it. Although, posting content will help your SEO efforts. Just make sure that you have a complete bio, contact information and photos. From there you will want to ask current and past clients for reviews. Like Yelp, it's another place to rate your business and the positive reviews move your business to the front of the line.

We can't forget app users! Beyond an internet search, many mobile users look to apps for answers. Make sure to create business pages for these too. Here's a list of top used apps to look into:

1. Google Maps
2. Facebook
3. MapQuest
4. Apple Maps
5. Bing
6. Yellowbook
7. YPMobile
8. Yelp
9. SuperPages
10. CitySearch

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