Identifying local competitors

Before creating or optimising of a Google Business Profile Listing, a crucial step to comprehend the successful strategies employed by competitors,

The process involves a straightforward search to uncover these local competitors.

Our tip: Employ this keyword research guide and template, aiding in the discovery of competitor keyword rankings, identifying opportunities for keywords, and generating innovative content concepts.

Utilize google maps search, for your specified keyword and location. As an illustration, consider “plumber phoenix” as the target keyword and Phoenix, AZ as the search location.

Examine the first page results on Google to identify the top three competitors, relevant for customers searching within a specific location.

The proximity of a searcher significantly influences the visibility of a GBP Listing, owing to its substantial impact as a local ranking factor. Consequently, search outcomes are prone to significant variations based on distinct location settings.

A noteworthy tip: In numerous niches, customers tend to initiate searches not from extensive metropolitan areas but rather from adjacent residential neighborhoods, particularly noticeable in the home services sector.

Regardless of your choice to utilize BrightLocal’s tool, the search location can be easily located at the bottom of the screen.

Additionally, discover related keywords that can be advantageous to incorporate into your overall keyword strategy.

Another pro tip: Optimize BrightLocal’s SERP Checker Tool to tailor location settings, ensuring precise and accurate SERP outcomes from any locality.

Having assessed the competitive landscape within our target search location, the subsequent step is now within reach.

Audit the competition

For this next part, we’ll be using the Google Business Profile Audit Template…

Add the target keyword and location as we found in the previous step. Then, enter each competitor’s name as it appears on the profile

Proximity audit

In local search, proximity stands as one of the most influential ranking factors. It dictates that users with location settings matching an address or physically situated in the same area are more likely to encounter the search result.

For your business to maximize visibility, it’s crucial to be physically positioned or in close proximity to the targeted location or service area.

Let’s delve into analyzing our competitors…

Observe how each of them lists Phoenix, AZ, the target location. This signifies their physical presence or verification of their service area in that locale.

Upon closer examination, Competitor #1 is physically established within our targeted locality…

With this data in hand, let’s annotate it accordingly within the Google Business Profile audit template…

These insights can be immensely beneficial, particularly when setting up a new listing or contemplating a new business location.

Pro Tip: Service area or hybrid businesses can enhance their profile by incorporating Google Business Profile service areas.

Moreover, this serves as a quality check. If top-ranking competitors share a physical location in the targeted area, it strongly suggests that your business should also be situated nearby. For instance, if your aim is to target Phoenix, Arizona, but your sole office is in Tucson (112 miles away), reconsidering your strategy is advisable.

Pro Tip: If this checklist & audit template has proven useful, I offer a private template and a step-by-step GBP Framework to elevate local search rankings.

Listing Title Audit

As we progress to the next phase, our focus is on scrutinizing the presence of keywords or the target location within the listing title.

Taking our initial competitor as an example, their listing incorporates an extensive array of keywords.

Here’s a visual representation within the audit template.

Understanding the significance of this aspect is paramount.

In an extensive local SEO study conducted by Moz, it was revealed that Google Business Profile signals, encompassing the listing title, significantly impact rankings. However, it’s imperative to adhere to Google’s Guidelines, which mandate the use of the business’s authentic name devoid of legal suffixes or keyword embellishments.

Pro Tip: Despite being a ranking signal, adding keywords to GBP titles is a common cause for suspensions. Should you observe competitors resorting to such tactics, you can report them by suggesting an edit to their listing. This action can revert their business name to its genuine form, eliminating any artificial ranking advantages they might have been leveraging.

Hence, your listing title should precisely mirror your business’s real-world name.

Referring to the audit template, competitors utilizing keywords or location modifiers in their listing titles should be reported. This action can potentially elevate the visibility of your own listing.