Local SEO Geotargeting Tips

As Dreamscape Marketing works with various clients in the healthcare industry and beyond, we couldn’t help but notice that a surprising number of new clients don’t have what we would consider to be effective geo-targeted web pages. Companies either don’t fully understand the concept of geo-targeting or they execute it incorrectly. Therefore, every business these days should prioritize local SEO geotargeting in order to help their websites rank better.

Tips for Effective Local SEO Geotargeting

Geo-targeted landing pages are an effective way to provide relevant search results to local searches. Since Google always wants to provide the best results possible for viewers, geotargeting makes them look good. They are tools for creating effective search results when location is a factor in the search inquiry.

To master local rankings, you have to put yourself in their shoes and try to imagine what’s most useful to them. Let’s try an example. You’re marketing for a drug rehab center in South Florida. Keywords that you’d probably include would be “drug rehab center florida” and “drug rehab centers in florida,” and perhaps something more specific like “heroin treatment center florida.” Although the search terms seem pretty similar, there may be a significant difference as to who is searching which term. For example:

  • The person searching for “drug rehab center florida” is likely a casual inquiry from a prospective patient or a concerned family member.
  • Someone searching “drug rehab centers in florida” is more likely to be a researcher determined to compare and construct various local facilities.
  • The person searching for “heroin treatment center florida” is laser-focused on what he or she wants. This is not a casual inquiry. It’s being made by a person ready to make a decision about treatment.

Although there’s a similarity between the three searchers—looking for drug rehab treatment centers in South Florida—there’s a difference in their intentions. For a drug rehab center in South Florida, the three viewers are not of equal value. The first viewer is early in the decision-making process and not likely to become a lead just yet. The second viewer is taking a more serious, analytical view. There’s a good chance that the third viewer could be a qualified lead. 

Depending on which viewer you’re looking for dictates what kind of local SEO geotargeting you need to do. We’ll break it down for each example and offer some tips to enhance your local rankings.

Viewer #1: “drug rehab center florida… we’re talking about a general keyword phrase here. That means you should have an educational landing page waiting at the other end of that link. This page should probably include some general information about what prospective patients want to know about addiction treatment and why it’s a good idea to pursue it. It’s clear that you will infer that treatment at your facility is an option that this person should consider.

Viewer #2: “drug rehab centers in florida … given the fact that it says “centers,” there’s a clear implication that this viewer is anxious to compare and contrast addiction treatment facilities. This viewer’s objective is likely to narrow down possibilities to only those centers that seem best suited to his or her unique needs. Viewers like this are going to like landing pages that list benefits of your facility. Bullet lists are easy to digest, which satisfies the impatience of someone who may be looking at a number of drug rehab websites during the decision-making process.

Viewer #3: “heroin treatment center florida … this individual is diving down past the generalities. This person is inquiring about a specific addiction problem and likely wants to solve it sooner rather than later. It’s a good bet that this viewer wants to go to a facility’s website to see particulars about heroin addiction treatment (treatment philosophy, specific therapies offered, etc.). More than ever, a facility would need to imply that their treatment center is the right one for the reader.

The Connection Between Local SEO Geotargeting & Google My Business 

Any discussion of local SEO geotargeting wouldn’t be complete without discussing its relationship with Google My Business (GMB) search results. Geo-targeted pages contain a location. That location will in turn show up on search engine results pages that feature Google’s local listings prominently above organic search results.

Known as the Google Map Pack, this is a set of three local business results, accompanied by a Google map showing locations. Getting into the Google Map Pack is important for local rankings. However, that shouldn’t be the sole focus.

Remember that these local results show very little information. Most discerning viewers (such as the 2nd viewer is the example previously) will also want to look at the top organic results below. That’s all the more reason to remain committed to organic results even as you pursue geotargeted ones.

Local SEO geotargeting is another tool in your digital marketing toolbox that you want to get right. Without question, local rankings matter. Dreamscape Marketing can help make that happen. Call us today at 888.307.7304 and let’s discuss how to take your local SEO to the next level of success.