Search engine optimisation (SEO) is used by businesses and companies across the world to get websites ranking higher up Google and other search engines. The ultimate premise is that the more ‘ranking signals’ and ‘ranking factors’ a website satisfies, the higher it will rank online. However, the accepted standard is set by Google, although other search engines like Bing, Yahoo and Baidoo have some of their own specific ranking factors.
When it comes to being found by customers though, targeting the best searches and search terms for your business is really what is key in the first instance. If for example you are selling serviced office spaces and meeting rooms, you wouldn’t attempt to target searches relating to mobile phone cases or mortgages (source: Brentano), as such terms would incorporate far less relevant prospective customers.
Therefore, most businesses will turn to either ‘generic’ or local searches in order to capture the best customers for their business. Generic searches are those that specify the item or service or relevant service area, without specifying geographical areas. Local searches are those which target searches around specific geographical locations.
Generic Targeting
Generally, when you target generic and non-geographical search terms online, you will need to focus on the wider industry or product area. This will all be in addition to the usual Google and search engine factors such as meta data, crawling factors, website speed and performance, website content and others.
For example, in the case of content you will need to think about writing about the things that people will be looking for information around, encompassing the wider industry rather than specific areas and products. You will also not need to spend too much time looking for local and location-limited links. Rather, you will more than likely need to be looking for guide, business and general news-style websites for PR and backlinks.
Local Targeting
When you are trying to locally target specific, local searches, you will need to consider what people in the geographical area are likely to be looking for and what they are likely to want in the case of content. For example, the content on your website will need to be focused on the area and geographical area in question. If you were trying to target ‘estate agents in Westminster’ for example, you would need to look at local area information and statistics when planning the content for your website.
You will also however need to satisfy the generic ranking signals and factors, as they are key to getting your locally targeted content on the radar for search engines. When it comes to links and PR, look at local businesses, local media, newspapers and even ambassadors and councils who may be able to promote you to the local community; this is something search engines notice and should not be overlooked