What is a Geographic Modifier?
Geographic modifier – aka geo modifier or geotag – is a keyword that is used to locate a local business. In simple words, if a keyword is “Pizza”, adding a geographic modifier like “near me” or “shops in NYC” will make it a location-specific keyword.
When searching for a local business, people usually enter a keyword such as "Pizza" and hope that the search engine will display relevant results.
However, if you are far away from a specific location, adding a geo modifier such as "Pizza shops in NYC" can help you refine your search results.
Why are the geographic modifiers important?
Geographic modifiers are significant because they offer additional context and specificity to a particular location.
They help differentiate one place from another and can provide vital information that helps people understand a location's cultural, historical, or environmental features.
For instance, when you mention "New York," people generally understand that you are referring to the state of New York in the northeastern part of the United States.
However, when you say "New York City," people know that you are talking about the city of New York, which is only a part of the state.
Similarly, when you talk about "the Rocky Mountains," people understand that you are referring to a particular range of mountains that stretches from western Canada down to New Mexico in the United States.
But when you say "the Sierra Nevada Mountains," people know that you are talking about a different mountain range located mainly in California.
To sum up, geographic modifiers help avoid confusion and offer critical information about a location.
They are particularly useful when communicating with individuals who may not be familiar with the location in question.
How do geo modifiers affect local business ranking?
Geo modifiers play an important role in local search engine optimization and can impact a business's local ranking.
Here are a few ways that geo modifiers can affect local business ranking:
Improve local relevance
By including geo modifiers in your website content, meta descriptions, and title tags, you can indicate to search engines that your business is relevant to a particular geographic location.
This can increase the likelihood of your business appearing in local search results for users in that location.
Increase visibility
Including location-based keywords in your website’s content can help your business appear in "near me" searches, which are becoming increasingly popular among mobile users.
Attract local backlinks
By including geo modifiers in your content, you can increase the chances of earning backlinks from other local businesses or organizations. These local backlinks can improve your local ranking.
Boost Google My Business listing
Including your location and service area in your “Google My Business” profile can improve your local ranking.
This can help your business appear in the "Local Pack" or "Map Pack" at the top of search results for local queries.
Geo modifiers are an important part of local SEO and can have a significant impact on local business ranking.
By including location-based keywords in your website content and optimizing your ”Google My Business” profile, you can improve your chances of appearing in local search results for users in your area.
Do keywords with geo modifiers produce the highest ROI?
The performance of keywords with geo modifiers can vary depending on the specific context and goals of the advertising campaign.
While they can be effective for targeting users in specific geographic locations, they may not necessarily always produce the highest ROI.
In some cases, using keywords with geo modifiers can be highly effective for businesses with a physical presence in a specific area, as they can help attract local customers who are more likely to convert.
For example, a restaurant in New York City might use keywords like "best pizza in NYC" to attract local customers searching for pizza in the area.
However, for businesses that primarily operate online and do not have a physical presence in a specific location, using geo modifiers in keywords may not be as effective.
In these cases, broader, non-geographic keywords might be more effective in attracting a larger audience.
Ultimately, the best approach for maximizing ROI with keywords will depend on the specific context of the campaign, including factors such as the target audience, business goals, and industry competition.
It is important to continually monitor and analyze the performance of keywords and adjust strategies accordingly to optimize ROI.
Best practices for beginners to rank locally
If you are a beginner looking to improve your local search ranking, here are some best practices to consider:
Claim your Google My Business listing
Google My Business is a free tool that helps businesses manage their online presence across Google, including search and maps.
Make sure to claim your GMB listing and fill out all the necessary information such as business name, address, phone number, website URL, hours of operation, and photos.
This will help potential customers find you more easily and give them a better understanding of your business.
Optimize your website for local search
Make sure your website is optimized for local search by including your city or region in your website’s metadata, titles, and content.
This will help search engines understand that your website is relevant to local searches.
Build local citations
Local citations are mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites.
These citations help build your business’s authority and can improve your local search rankings.
Make sure your NAP is consistent across all citations.
Encourage customer reviews
Positive customer reviews can improve your local search ranking and give potential customers confidence in your business.
Encourage your customers to leave reviews on your Google My Business listing and other relevant review sites.
Use local keywords in your content
To improve the visibility of your business in local search results, consider incorporating local keywords in your website content, such as the names of nearby neighbourhoods, landmarks, or attractions.
This will signal to search engines that your business is relevant to local searches.
Monitor and analyze your local search performance
Regularly monitor your local search performance by tracking your website traffic, search rankings, and customer reviews.
Use this data to identify areas for improvement and adjust your local search strategy accordingly.
Takeaway
Geographic modifiers or geotags are keywords used to locate a local business.
These modifiers provide additional context and specificity to a particular location, differentiating it from others and providing crucial information about a location's cultural, historical, or environmental features.
Geo modifiers play a significant role in local search engine optimization and can improve local relevance, increase visibility, and attract local backlinks.
The use of geo modifiers in keywords can be highly effective for businesses with a physical presence in a specific area, but for online businesses, broader, non-geographic keywords may be more effective.