Local Search Engine Optimization
Local SEO for Churches
Home > Local Search
WHAT WE DO
Local Search
When someone searches Google for something that mentions a location or has “near me” as part of the search, Google generally responds with what’s called a local pack. This is a set of three results that Google deems most relevant to the search, as well as geographically near the searcher.
Show Up On Google
Google will only place items in the local pack when they are confident in their locations and confident that they are appropriate results based on the searched keyphrase.
A great example is when someone is looking for a new church. They might search “church near me” or “local church in Atlanta.” The first search results that come up will be items in that local pack, meaning the searcher is most likely to select one of those results rather than something farther down the page or on another page altogether.
Being one of those churches or being in the local pack in general is hugely important for your online visibility and for bringing new people in your doors. Here at Faithworks Marketing, we can help you with this crucial aspect of local search by making sure you
show up at the top of the google search results.
Discovery Searches
Powerful & Effective
Google uses a term to describe searches that are looking for a category, product, or service that requires results, but not brand-specific results. The best example here is a search for “churches near me” or “non-profits in Atlanta.” The people searching for these keywords on Google are looking for you, but they will only find you if your local search is on point. The team at Faithworks Marketing can optimize every aspect of local search for your organization so that when searches like this take place near you, your website shows up in the local pack.
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Map Visibility
When your local search is optimized, your church or non-profit will also show up in map applications. This means that if someone opens
Google maps, Apple maps, or Yelp and searches “church near me” when they’re close to your physical location, your church will show up.
Two Reasons
This is significant for two reasons. First, it helps people find you when they’re simply looking for a nearby church. Maybe they’re in the midst of a crisis, or maybe it’s Sunday morning and they’re looking for a church. Second, it allows people trying to visit your organization to get there easily.
Have you ever typed the name of a location into your maps app, only to find it doesn’t bring up an address? Then you have to go back to their website, find the address, and plug it into the map.
It’s not a huge inconvenience, but it is frustrating, and it could potentially dissuade someone from visiting, especially in today’s world of immediate gratification and fast results.
Local Search Is Priority Number One
We firmly believe that local search should be your number one priority when it comes to your online presence. You can have an amazing website for churches or organizations, a great social media presence, and an incredible library of videos and blogs online, but if no one can find you, your growth will stagnate pretty quickly and your reach will be much shorter than you’d like.
Your church, non-profit, or faith-based organization needs to be found by those near you. In order to be found, you need local search. Put this down as your top priority for your website and online presence, and trust the experts at Faithworks Marketing to get everything in line to optimize your local search. We can guarantee that other similar organizations near you are already engaging in local SEO, and the longer you wait to begin, the harder it will be to catch up and surpass them. With local search, you will be accessible to more people in your local area, allowing them to travel a shorter distance to have their needs met, and simultaneously growing your organization and helping more people.
FAITHWORKS MARKETING
Our Three-Step Process
Our local search optimization begins with a three-step process.
Step 1
Improve Google My Business Listing
We enhance your Google My Business portfolio to ensure the following:
⚪️ You have the correct name, address, phone information
⚪️ You are in the correct and most specific business category
⚪️ You have achieved verified status
⚪️ You have unique and customized content
Step 2
Create, Optimize Content & Landing Pages
You need content to optimize your local search, and we create that for you. This involves a few different things:
⚪️ If you have different campuses or locations for your church or non-profit, we will write location-specific landing pages with appropriate NAP information on each.
⚪️ We make sure your location information on your website is consistent with your Google My Business information.
⚪️ Your NAP information is properly formatted so that Google understands it without a problem.
⚪️ We optimize landing pages and content with location-specific keywords.
Step 3
Manage Online Citations
An online citation is a listing of your organization’s information on a website that isn’t your own. These citations can show up on local business listings, websites, apps, social media, and more. Inconsistency in your NAP information across the web confuses Google and stifles your local search success. Our team will search for your online citations and ensure that they are all correct and consistent.
This step is vital in assuring Google that your organization’s website is trustworthy, legitimate, and where you claim it is, which is crucial for local search success. Additionally, we will explore new avenues for online citations that will offer you the highest value in traffic, and we will pursue those fervently to bring more people through the doors of your church or faith-based non-profit.
Get Started
Grow Your Church with Confidence
Get in touch today to discuss your next project and we will be happy to answer any questions and provide you with a no-obligation free consultation.
hello@faithworksmarketing.com
Monday-Friday: 8:00am-6:00pm
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