Local KW Research

[rodowdy09]

I am working on a site for my uncle, who is in the psychotherapy field. I have found some threads about KW research that have helped a little with coming up for KWs to target. I had a question for those that provide Local SEO services and internet marketing to clients.

With Google's local algorithm, do we need to include the location modifier in the KWs we target (ie. psychotherapist durham, nc or counseling durham nc) or does Google simply use the user's location/IP to provide local results? Also when researching for potential KWs, how do you go about finding additional KWs and traffic potential?

I have found that when I use another therapists site in the KWP, that it seems they are not targetting KWs with the location; just things like "couples counseling", "marriage counseling" and the like. So am I going about this the wrong way? Is there a better way of helping my uncle?

Thanks in advance for any insights,


--Rich

 

[Techxan]

You should target the term with the geo modifier, if that modifier is a city or a community, but not if it is a state.

Here is why.

When local search terms are used in a query with no geo modifier, Goofle will serve up what is called blended results. This actually means that the results will be partly organic and partly local based on IP address resolution.

When a search query is made with a geo modifier, all results will reflect that modifier.

If you target only the non geo modifier, you will not rank as well with searches that have the geo modifier.
Essentially, the geo modifier is a long tail keyword.

Also consider this:
When you write a phrase on a web site, it targets many many keywords.

The phrase"Boston Carpet cleaning" targets "Boston carpet cleaning" "Boston Carpet" and "carpet cleaning" (exact match) and "Boston Cleaning" (phrase match). (FYI permutations of those terms are broad match.)

So when you target a long tail, you are also targeting the short tail within the long tail.

THAT means you can use a local search term to rank globally in Goofle, especially if you are in a large market.

In other words if you rank for "New York water gardens", a lot of people will search in NY for just "Water Gardens". Since your site is a local site it will show up in the (blended) serps, and if they click on it, they will come to your site, but not on the keyword phrase "Wew York Water Gardens". They will have arrived on your site just buy using the term "water gardens".

Essentialy, when you use a keyword and go to a site, Goofle watches to see what you do. If you leave immediately, the algo will slightly adjust the ranking for that keyword down.

But if people come to your site and stay, or better yet, engage the site, the algo will elevate the ranking for that keyword. Over time, this will cause the keyword to find its ranking and it settles there.

Now, remember how they came to your site: Using the global search term "Water Gardens". Over time, goofle will begin to raise your rankings for "Water Gardens', and you can get spot 1 in goofle globally for your industry terms this way with a small business site.

Lastly, if you do not target the geo modifier, when it IS used you may not be considered for that query at all.

 

[Carolo]

you would definitely need to mention location with general keywords of your business is local. BTW the local keywords are easier to compete

 

[rodowdy09]

Ok.. That lines up with everything I have been doing and reading. It was just weird that when I use the GKWP and research the keywords with the local modifier, I get different results than if I search just the keyword and change the location from United States to Durham, NC, USA... Searching with "durham nc + KW" returns very low or non-existent traffic. Changing location and searching just "KW" returns higher numbers... So I am not sure which to trust.

And a suggestion I read to expand potential keywords, was to put in a competitor's URL in the landing page section.. But all the KWs that came back were without the local modifier. It would seem, after reviewing the sites on the first page that none of them would be to difficult to outrank.. They are just older... But I am just struggling finding decent KWs to target...

Thanks for all the input and help thus far..

--Rich

 

[Techxan]

Remember that local traffic is not going to be anywhere near what global traffic volume will be.

If you can find 100 visitors a month for a small business website targeting all the keywords you can find, you will be doing spectacular.

You see, the power in local is acquiring a customer, not a sale.

If you were to bring in 100 visitors a month and convert 10% of them to new customers, each month your small business will gain 10 NEW customers, or 120 NEW customers each year.

Such a growth rate for a local business is doing very well, especially when you consider the lifetime value of a customer.

Target the low traffic local terms, you will be surprised how effective that will be.

 

[dr.Hus]

for ideas you can run http://keywordshitter.com/
if you have Scrapebox you can use it to for ideas

 

[rodowdy09]

Remember that local traffic is not going to be anywhere near what global traffic volume will be.

If you can find 100 visitors a month for a small business website targeting all the keywords you can find, you will be doing spectacular.

You see, the power in local is acquiring a customer, not a sale.

If you were to bring in 100 visitors a month and convert 10% of them to new customers, each month your small business will gain 10 NEW customers, or 120 NEW customers each year.

Such a growth rate for a local business is doing very well, especially when you consider the lifetime value of a customer.

Target the low traffic local terms, you will be surprised how effective that will be.

I get this part and I would LOVE if I could tell for certain there is actual interest in the KWs I see.. For example when I check "psychotherapy durham nc", "counseling durham nc" there is 0 or ' - ' search volume... Now if I change the location under "Targeting" -- Remove United States and add Durham, NC and check "psychotherapy" and "counseling" the results are 40 & 50 respectively. I have no qualms about the lower number because like you stated, this is more targeted and should be people looking for local counseling/psychotherapists. But I guess I was concerned about 2 things or at least wondering. 1) Is the number reflected in the second search reliable? 2) If I am using the local modifier on the site and content, am I targeting these 40-50 searches properly?

Techxan, I believe we have talked in the past (I am the guy from Hickory, NC) and the information you share on here is awesome! I seem to remember you doing Local SEO close to here (I believe it was Charlotte or pretty close).. If you are interested in a partner that is a quick learn and trustworthy, we should talk LOL roud:

--Rich

 

[rodowdy09]

for ideas you can run http://keywordshitter.com/
if you have Scrapebox you can use it to for ideas

That's a pretty good idea! Thing is I have used SB for some Adsense/Amazon projects to generate KW ideas. I have no idea why I disregarded that when thinking of Local search. Appreciate the input Doc lol!

--Rich

 

[1ksao]

http://www.keywordrevealer.com/ is a great tool for long tail keywords + city name. I use it pretty often. Techxan's post is very good.

 

[Techxan]

I get this part and I would LOVE if I could tell for certain there is actual interest in the KWs I see.. For example when I check "psychotherapy durham nc", "counseling durham nc" there is 0 or ' - ' search volume... Now if I change the location under "Targeting" -- Remove United States and add Durham, NC and check "psychotherapy" and "counseling" the results are 40 & 50 respectively. I have no qualms about the lower number because like you stated, this is more targeted and should be people looking for local counseling/psychotherapists. But I guess I was concerned about 2 things or at least wondering. 1) Is the number reflected in the second search reliable? 2) If I am using the local modifier on the site and content, am I targeting these 40-50 searches properly?

Techxan, I believe we have talked in the past (I am the guy from Hickory, NC) and the information you share on here is awesome! I seem to remember you doing Local SEO close to here (I believe it was Charlotte or pretty close).. If you are interested in a partner that is a quick learn and trustworthy, we should talk LOL roud:

--Rich

Trust the larger number. To google local results are within a 30 mile radius. The traffic bening reported will come from those adjacent communities that are not considered when you search for a specific city modifier.

if I remember my geography right, Raleigh and Durham are close together (35 or so miles?) so the local searches for a keyword based in durham will actually count searches from a good section of Raleigh.

This also includes community names that are not cities within that area. Many times people search by a community name, like the "Lone Pine Mall" area, or a popular subdivision name even.

All of these searches are local searches (within the 30 mile local service radius), but not with the "durham" geo modifier.

 

[Avid Learner]

Trust the larger number. To google local results are within a 30 mile radius. The traffic bening reported will come from those adjacent communities that are not considered when you search for a specific city modifier.

So, 30 miles is universal? That is, the radius does not increase with the size of the metropolitan area?

Similarly, if a search specifies a neighborhood/community/city in the far suburbs of a metropolitan area, does it reference/divert to the radius of the metro area, or does it have its own radius? If it is on its own radius, the results would be less effective, as the user would likely be more oriented to the urban area vs the rural outer region.

Not sure if you have this level of insight, but thought I'd ask.

 

[Techxan]

The thirty miles is pretty much universal when talking about the local algo.

If it is on its own radius, the results would be less effective, as the user would likely be more oriented to the urban area vs the rural outer region.

Not sure if you have this level of insight, but thought I'd ask.

Precisely right. The 30 mile area is based off the address of the searcher and your site's. (We are not talking maps here, pigeon changed maps significantly).

If a searcher searches, the local results will be based on their search location, and if they are in the suburbs, there will be less results shown, but those shown will be closer to the searcher.

Keep in mind that there are now three ways to rank a local site.

With the organic algo that does not consider the local algo influence.
With the local algo.
With Maps.

The discussion above is related to the local algo only.