Links (and there were a number of factors related to links that were explored)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nIt turns out that the organic algorithm outweighed the local algorithm. Links are the key to ranking. Websites matter a LOT!<\/p>\n
“As the internet and our understanding of the internet have grown in complexity, the Toolbar Page Rank score has become less useful to users as a single isolated metric.”<\/p>\n
Key piece of advice<\/strong><\/em> – Meta Keyword Tags are NOT important (anyone who says this is important should be summarily ignored)!<\/p>\nLocal Search Algorithm Drivers<\/h2>\n
So, in your pursuit of the magical (unicorn) algorithm, where do you focus your efforts?<\/p>\n
\n- Links<\/li>\n
- Website<\/li>\n
- Google My Business Listing<\/li>\n
- Off-Site Local (Citations)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Have Andrew and his team completely “cracked the code” yet? Not quite but they’re getting close. What is clear is that links dominated the quantitative analysis of local SEO ranking factors. If you are not focused on, and investing in, building links and your website, you’re not focused on, and investing in the right things.\u00a0 Yes, Google My Business listings and citations (and ‘traditional SEO’) do have a place in your strategy, but they should not be your primary focus. And, given the data from this study, it seems like Google is working to expand the scope of what it takes to rank in local search.<\/p>\n
![\"Andrew](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/andrew-shotland-localseoguide-2016.jpg\")
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