It can feel frustrating to search on Google and see that your business is missing from the local results. Rest assured knowing that this visibility problem is usually fixable, and our team is here to help. We recommend starting with a local SEO diagnostic evaluation to determine if your website was never fully ranking in Google or if you lost previous rankings. Understanding the history of your website and rankings will help us design the ideal solution that will get the results you want in the future.
Lost Rankings or New Rankings: Figure Out Which Problem You’re Actually Solving
In order to design the ideal ranking strategy, we need to know the root cause of your optimization issues. It’s like going to a medical clinic: the doctor will want to have a clear diagnosis before recommending any treatment plans.
Our team will test your website and look at the ranking history, and then we can provide a personalized strategy that suits your unique needs.
- No History of SEO Rankings: If your site has never had strong rankings in the search engines, then it often points to a setup or account issue that needs to be addressed. For example, you might have an unclaimed Google Business Profile (or no profile at all). We’ll also make sure that your business is in the right category and whether there are any verifications that are missing.
- Recent Loss of Rankings: When your business previously had a presence in the search results, and those rankings have recently been lost, then the approach is a little different. In this case, we are dealing with a shift in the algorithm, or you might even have a suspension of your business profile. Another common cause of a loss of rankings is inconsistency with your NAP listings across different directories and websites. We’ll do some digging to find the root cause, then put together a plan to restore your rankings.
Your Google Business Profile = The Best Place to Start
As we are working through our local SEO audit checklist, the quality of your Google Business Profile is at the top of the list. You want to know how to rank in the Google Local Pack, and that starts with ensuring that your profile is actually claimed and verified.
The harsh truth is that simply creating a Google Business Profile isn’t enough. You need to ensure that the profile is accurate and current, with name, address, phone, images, descriptions, and more. We’ll fill out every available field because Google always rewards complete profiles in the local search results.
Changing the business category can also be an effective strategy. It’s essential to make sure that your category is the specific one that your customers are searching for. Niche down with category selection instead of using a broad, catch-all category. These larger categories cause you to get buried under other competitors, but the niche category selection will make it easier to pop to the top of the results.
Run the NAP Consistency Check
The next step to improving your Dallas local search visibility is to ensure NAP consistency across all online platforms. We’ll make sure that your business name, address, and phone number match your website, Google profile, and every directory listing that is out there.
Even if there are seemingly small inconsistencies, such as how a suite number is formatted in the address, these issues could cause a loss of trust with Google. You need to ensure that your business information is consistent so that Google sees your brand as a reliable resource.
Why Online Reviews Really Matter
Positive reviews are more important than ever, especially when you have recent review activity on your Google Business Profile. Even if you have just a handful of recent reviews, it’s possible to outperform competitors who have a lot of older reviews. The local ranking signals depend on current, updated information.
Additionally, the quality of your reviews will play a role in your local SEO rankings. While short, one-line reviews are better than nothing, the ideal solution is to have detailed and specific reviews. For example, “Great service and friendly staff” won’t perform as well as a more detailed answer:
- “We stopped by this restaurant for dinner after hearing good things from our friends in the area, and this place definitely lived up to the hype. The staff made us feel right at home from the moment we walked through the door, and the food was fresh and delicious. Make sure to try the lasagna and house salad, and the tiramisu was the perfect way to end the meal.”
Finally, make sure that you are proactively responding to all reviews, both positive and negative. These responses show that your business is proactive and customer-oriented, which helps to build your local trust factors with Google.
How Your Website Affects Local Search Visibility
While your Google Business Profile is important, don’t neglect the quality of your website. As we are completing your local SEO diagnostic, we’ll look at the technical details of your website and see if the site is user-friendly.
One of the biggest issues that could hurt your local SEO is if your website is slow-loading or not mobile-friendly. Even the strongest Google Business Profile can’t overcome these types of website issues.
Think about it this way: if you are trying to maintain strong rankings, then it’s critical to ensure that Google’s crawlers can read your website cleanly. So, we always include website improvements in our strategy for how to fix Google Business Profile visibility.
FAQs
How long does it take to appear on Google after fixing my profile?
This process takes time: anywhere from a few weeks to a few months before you will notice improvements in your Dallas local search visibility. If you are recovering from a bigger issue, then it usually requires a few months of work and consistency.
Why do I appear in regular search but not in Google Maps?
If your website is showing in the organic search results but you are missing from Google Maps, then it typically indicates an issue with your Google Business Profile. We’ll look at your website’s general SEO health as well as the quality of your business profile to improve overall results.
Expert Advice to Maintain Reliable Rankings for Local Search
Our team at ARYU Advertising is here to help with proven strategies that will help you achieve the SEO rankings you desire. Contact us for a chat about your current rankings and the possibilities for the future.
