Local SEO For Mediators and Arbitrators

Local SEO For Mediators and Arbitrators

Local SEO For Mediators and Arbitrators

Local SEO For Mediators and Arbitrators: Best Growth Tips

Did you know that local SEO accounts for over 50% of all web traffic? And that’s not just for small businesses, either—even large; international companies like Coca-Cola and IBM invest heavily in local SEO to ensure they appear when people search for them online.

If you’re a mediator or arbitrator, then you know that local SEO is key to getting more clients. But what are the best ways to grow your mediation business with local SEO?

We’ve got 10 of the best tips for you right here. We’ve covered you, from ensuring your Google Business Profile page is correct to optimizing your website and blog content. Read on to learn more!

What is local SEO, and why do you need it?

If you own or manage a small business, you know how important it is to attract local customers. After all, most businesses rely on a steady stream of foot traffic to stay afloat.

Yet, in the age of digital marketing, many businesses focus their efforts on a national or even global audience. While there’s nothing wrong with this approach, it’s essential not to forget the importance of local SEO.

Local SEO ensures that your website and online content are best for people in your area.

This can be anything from your city or state to a smaller region like a neighborhood or town.

There are several benefits to optimizing for local SEO. For one, it can help you attract more relevant traffic to your website.

After all, someone searching for a product or service in your area is much more likely to use your business than one located across the country.

So, if you’re not already investing in local SEO, now is the time to start.

Importance Of Local SEO For Arbitrators and Mediators

Arbitration and mediation service firms must focus on two types of SEO: global and local. The main difference is that global SEO helps you attract clients from anywhere in the world, while local SEO is specifically designed to attract customers from your geographic area.

Why is this important?

Most of your clients will be local as an arbitrator or mediator. In other words, they’ll either live in the same city or state as you, or they’ll be companies that operate in your area.

To get more clients, you must ensure that your website and online content are optimized for local SEO.

In local SEO, there’s no doubt that competition can be fierce. After all, every business in your area is vying for the attention of local customers.

This is especially true when it comes to keywords related to mediation. For example, dozens, if not hundreds, of businesses compete for the top spot in Google search results.

So how can you make sure your business stands out?

The key is to focus on your CPC (cost per click). This is the amount you pay each time someone clicks on your ad. The higher your CPC, the more you’ll pay for each click.

This means that you’ll need to bid on keywords that have a high CPC.  In other words, you’ll need to compete with other businesses for the top spot in Google search results.

While this may seem daunting, it’s important to remember that there’s no such thing as a sure thing. Even the most significant businesses can’t always guarantee first place in Google search results.

So don’t be afraid to compete with other businesses for local SEO traffic. It may be challenging, but it can be worth it. 

Ranking Factors: Local SEO For Mediators and Arbitrators

To rank well in local search results, arbitrators and mediators need to understand and optimize their websites for the three ranking factors that Google uses: relevance, distance, and prominence.

Let’s further granulate each of these ranking factors!

Relevance for Local SEO

Relevance determines how well a website’s content matches the user’s search query. It’s vital to ensure your website’s content is relevant to your target audience.

Distance for Local SEO

Distance is measured by how close a business is to the user, as determined by their IP address.

In December 2021, with the “vicinity update” launch, Google massively increased the proximity weightage in local searches. Businesses located closer to the user will rank higher in local search results. This is measured by how close a business is to the user, as determined by their IP address.

Prominence for Local SEO

Prominence is determined by how well a website ranks nationally or globally. Businesses with high national or global rankings will rank higher in local search results.

How to use the Google Business Profile to your advantage?

Google Business Profile was created to help businesses manage their online presence on Google.

GBP is a perfect option for those looking for an easy way to get their business listed in local search results.

Recently, Google has changed Google My Business’ name to Google Business Profile!

It is much better than the first one because it is made for small businesses that only need one listing.

For mediators and arbitrators, we recommend having a GBP profile because it will put you on Google Maps and Local Finder when potential clients search for related terms.

Optimizing Your Google Business Profile: Step-by-Step Guide

Without complete and accurate information, there’s no way you will rank in the Local Search Rankings.

For example, if you’re a mediator in San Francisco, you must ensure your business profile includes every possible piece of information that clients might use to find you in San Francisco.

For further optimization, take this guide, and have a look here:

Claim your business listing on Google Maps.

If you haven’t already, claim your business listing on Google Maps. This will allow you to access your business’s GBP profile and make changes.

  • Go to maps.google.com, search for your business, and click on the “Own this business?” button.
  • Once you’ve claimed your listing, verify your business by phone or postcard.
  • Verifying your business shows potential customers that you’re a legitimate business and deserve to be recognized.
  • To verify your business, Google will send you a postcard with a verification code to the address you’ve listed for your business.
  • Once you’ve received the postcard, enter the code on your GBP listing, and your business will be verified.
  • If you’re verifying your business by phone, Google will call your business and give you a verification code to enter on your GBP listing.

Complete your profile fully and accurately.

A complete and accurate profile is the first step to ranking in Local Search. Ensure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are correct and up to date.

Studies suggest that businesses that complete their profile get 1.5 times more leads than those with an incomplete profile.

Upload a high-quality logo and images of your business.

You won’t compromise on the quality of your photos on your Instagram DP, right? Then why do that with your business profile?

Make sure you add a high-quality, professional logo to your profile and photos of your business. These photos should be high quality and show potential customers what they can expect from your business.

According to Google, businesses can get up to 42% more requests for directions on Maps by using a high-quality logo.

Add high-resolution photos of your business’ interior and exterior.

Google allows you to add up to 10 photos of your business on your GBP profile. These photos should be high quality and give potential customers a sneak-peak of what they can expect from your business.

Including photos of your business, interior and exterior, can increase the number of click-throughs to your website by over 35%.

If you’re good at math, 35% more clicks mean 35% more leads!

Add virtual tours.

In the digital age, potential customers want to see your business’s appearance before they even step foot in it.

You can add virtual tours of your business on your GBP profile, giving potential customers a 360-degree view of your business.

Add keywords to your business name and profile.

When potential customers search for businesses like yours, they’ll use keywords.

Make sure you’re using relevant keywords in your business name and profile so that you can show up when potential customers are searching for those terms.

Use structured data to markup your website.

Structured data is code you can add to your website that helps search engines understand your website’s content.

Adding structured data to your website can help you rank higher in Local Searches by giving you a better chance of showing up in rich results.

Check out this guide to learn more about structured data and how to add it to your website.

Get reviews from customers.

Reviews are one of the most important ranking factors in Local Search. The more reviews you have, the higher you’ll rank.

To get customer reviews, simply ask them to leave a review on your GBP listing. You can also send them a link to your listing so they can leave a review without having to search for your business.

Make sure you’re actively responding to reviews.

In addition to getting reviews, you also need to be responding to them.

Customers leave reviews, make sure you’re replying to them, whether it’s a positive or negative review.

  • 89% of consumers are ‘highly’ or ‘fairly’ likely to use a business that responds to all of its online reviews.”

Add relevant categories to your business listing.

Categories help potential customers find your business more efficiently.

Make sure you’re adding relevant categories to your listing so that you can show up for searches related to those terms.

To add a category, go to your GBP listing and click on the “Info” tab. From there, you can add or edit your business categories.

Add your business to as many directories as possible.

The more places your business is listed, the better.

Make sure you add your business to as many online directories as possible. This will help increase your visibility and make it easier for potential customers to find you.

Some popular directories include Yelp, Foursquare, and TripAdvisor.

Be Google Screened.

Google Screened is a program that Google launched in 2018 that allows businesses to get a badge on their GBP listing.

This badge shows potential customers that Google has verified your business and that you’re a trusted business.

It’s like Google is suggesting some people visit your business.

You can stand out in the Google-screened program by ensuring your business is verified, your business information is up-to-date, and you have at least a 3.5-star rating. You can also run the PPC ads to speed up the process.

The complete criteria for mediators and agencies can be found here.

How to get reviews and testimonials from clients?

Getting reviews from your customers is the best showcase of your services.

Many people would attempt to buy fake reviews, which has several drawbacks.

  • It is against Google’s policy.
  • It would only take one person to spot the falsehood, and your business will have a permanent black mark.

The best way to get around this is to ask your customers for feedback. You can do this by emailing them or even including a link on your website.

Another great way to show social proof is through testimonials.

A testimonial is a written or video statement from a satisfied customer that praises your product or service.

Much like reviews, potential customers will see these as third-party endorsements of your business and be more likely to use your services.

You can showcase testimonials on your website or even on your GBP listing.

To get testimonials, ask your satisfied customers if they’d be willing to write a short statement about their experience working with you.

If you have any video testimonials, you can also upload these to YouTube and then embed them onto your website or GBP.

The importance of social media in local SEO

Studies have shown that social media plays a role in local SEO.

A study by Moz found that businesses with active social media accounts tend to rank higher in the SERPs.

Another study by BrightLocal found that 70% of consumers say they are more likely to use a business if it has an active social media presence.

This shows that having an active social media presence can benefit your business.

You can use social media to improve your local SEO in several ways.

You can use social media to:

  1. Get more reviews and testimonials
  2. Increase your visibility
  3. Build trust and credibility
  4. Engage with your customers
  5. Drive traffic to your website

The hottest social media platforms are Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Make sure you’re active on these platforms and regularly post content.

You should also make sure that your GBP listing is linked to your social media accounts.

Tips for tracking results and measuring success

You know that without maintaining a proper check and balance, you can never be sure of the success of your Local SEO efforts. Therefore, tracking your results and measuring your success is important.

Here are some tips for tracking your results:

  1. Check your website traffic
  2. Check your GBP listing views
  3. Check your GBP listing calls
  4. Check your organic search traffic
  5. Check your PPC traffic
  6. Check your social media engagement
  7. Check your email engagement
  8. Check your website conversion rates

You can use tools to track your results, such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Moz Local.

You should also set up some goals and KPIs to measure your success.

4 Tips for Local SEO for Mediators and Arbitrators

Overall, local SEO is not that different from regular SEO. However, you can do a few things to optimize your website and GBP listing for local search.

Cannibalization and Content Fixing

Cannibalization is when multiple pages on your website compete for the same keyword.

This can be an issue because it can confuse search engines and make it difficult to determine which page is most relevant for that keyword.

It can also split your link equity and make it difficult for you to rank high in the SERPs.

If you think you have an issue with cannibalization, you can use a tool like Screaming Frog to find duplicate content on your website.

Once you’ve found the duplicate content, you can either delete it or 301 redirect it to the main page.

Content Fixing is when you have pages on your website with thin or outdated content.

This can be an issue because it can make it difficult for search engines to understand what your page is about.

It can also make it difficult for users to find the information they want.

If you have any pages on your website with thin or outdated content, you should update or delete them.

If you’re unsure how to fix your thin or outdated content, you can hire a copywriter or SEO specialist to help you.

Sponsoring a Local Event Digitally

Another great way to improve your SEO is to sponsor a local event.

Google will greatly appreciate it if it sees you sponsoring an event related to your business.

Not only will this improve your local SEO, but it will also help you build brand awareness and credibility.

If you’re unsure how to sponsor a local event, you can reach out to the event organizers and see if they’re interested in working with you.

You can also use a tool like Google Business Profile to find local events you can sponsor.

Create a Mobile-Friendly Website

A lot of people search for local businesses on their mobile devices.

Over 7 billion people own mobile devices, and over half use them to search for local businesses.

To improve your local SEO, ensure your website is mobile-friendly.

You can use Google’s Friendly Mobile tool to see if your website is mobile-friendly.

If it isn’t, you need to make some changes to your website, so it is.

Some of the things you can do to make your website mobile-friendly include:

  • Make sure your website is responsive
  • Using large font sizes
  • Using short sentences
  • Using images and videos
  • Making sure your website loads quickly

Note that website loading speed is the most important factor regarding mobile friendliness.

If your website doesn’t load quickly, people will leave before seeing your content.

You can use Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool to check your website’s loading speed and get suggestions on improving it.

A Site Audit is All Your Need to Do Research!

To improve your local SEO, you need to do a site audit.

A site audit is when you analyze your website to see how it can be improved.

You can use a tool like Ahrefs to do a site audit. Once you’ve done the audit, you need to fix the issues.

Final Verdict: Local SEO For Mediators and Arbitrators

Mediators and Arbitrators who have just started their businesses may find it challenging to get clients.

They are not visible on the internet, and potential clients can’t find them.

If you’re a Mediator or Arbitrator, you need to do local SEO so potential clients can find you.

If you want to improve your local SEO but don’t know where to start, we can help.

Our team of experts is ready and waiting to partner with you and help you get the results you deserve.

Contact us today for a free consultation and let us show you how easy and affordable local SEO can be.