Getting Links to Improve Your Local Rankings

April 12, 2017
by Kelsey Johnson
Tips
SEO
Marketing
Local Search

This blog post is for business owners who already have an SEO optimized and mobile-friendly website, and are doing local optimization either with ServeNow/PInow or on their own.

I’ve done Local Optimization but I want to do more!

Many businesses that have already claimed Google and Bing profiles, built quite a few citations (like listings in Yelp, Manta, and Foursquare), and are actively seeking reviews still aren’t ranking as well as they would like to in their area. This often happens in larger cities like Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York, but can affect process serving companies in smaller cities with strong competition. For business owners, this can be frustrating and they often look around for other ways they can help.

Getting links back to your company’s website can often be the boost you need (in the online marketing world, we call these backlinks).

As a process server, why should I care about “links”?

A link is when your website can be accessed by someone clicking in a specific place on another website. Think about a resources page or business directory. All of the websites displayed on the page are links! According to Google and other search engines, the number of legitimate links to your site can determine its popularity, importance, and value. And when Google thinks you’re more valuable, you rank higher in the search results.

Note: Hiring a company to create hundreds of links from irrelevant websites does not work.

Benefits of Directories

Directories benefit your search engine optimization by providing targeted leads, citations, and relevant links. These three factors combined help improve your rankings by spreading your company's information online.

Targeted Leads

Industry directories tend to rank well for the keywords in your profession, like "process server", "service of process", and "get papers served," helping your website itself rank for organic searches for process servers.

Relevant Links

Directories that rank well for the industry keywords also are a great place to link your website since it is a web authority. Listing your business on directories that allow "follow" links to your website will help your website rank for the industry-specific keywords you are targeting.

Citations

Citations help ranking. This is especially true for localized business - a process server in Los Angeles, for example. Several citations of your business name, address, and phone on directories are going to help with your local ranking.

Types of Directories

Not all directories are created equal. You should prioritize the directories you are submitting to or spending money on by value. It's also important to have your process serving firm listed in a good mix of places.

Industry Directories

There are online directories for every profession, including process serving. Directories in your specific field are a great way to to get inexpensive, relevant traffic and links. ServeNow.com and PInow.com are all examples of industry directories.

Associations

Like industry directories, process serving associations and associations for your clients, like paralegals and legal attorneys, are also a good source of targeted traffic and links. Not only are associations often seen as authority domains on a topic, but most association membership dues are reasonable and members tend to source business to other members. As a process server, it makes sense to identify relevant associations in your state and join as a vendor member or sponsor.

Local Web Sites, BBB's, and Chambers of Commerce

Do a Google search for your city + businesses directory (i.e. Denver business directory). Typical results will be chambers of commerce, local business directories, and other business groups. These are great citations and links for your business to help rank for local keywords. Better Business Bureaus will also offer the same benefits.

Online YP's and Localized Directories

Online Yellow Page sites and localized directories (like Manta, 411.com, Brownbook, MerchantCircle, etc) are good places to get links to your website. These are also sites you will occasionally see ranking for your localized searches. There are dozens of these sites though, and submitting them by hand is not efficient. Your best bet here is to find a local optimization company who can submit you to the data feeds that seed these directories.

That sounds great! How do I get a bunch of these magical links to my site?

The most important thing to remember is that you need a link from a relevant source, whether in your industry or in your area. These can include process server or private investigation associations, non-profit companies in your area, or listings of local businesses.

So to make it simple, I have created a three-step process for getting more of these links to your site. Note: Running a full SEO link campaign can be far more intensive, thorough, and expensive than the simple process I’ve created, but this is a good, easy place for process servers to start.

Step One:

Make sure organizations and associations to which you are already a member are linking to your website. If you are a member of NAPPS, TPSA, or a Notary Association, check your listing on their site and make sure you can click on a link that brings you to your site. See the example below:

If not, reach out to these organizations and politely ask them to link to your website. If your company is an active member of a local organization or engaged in the community, there are opportunities for links there too.

Note: Your NAP information (name, address, and phone number) should be present and consistent on all your listings.

Step Two:

Sign up for more organizations in your industry and location. Below is a list of places where you can start looking for backlinks in your area. Please note that these listings may cost money and won’t guarantee a boost in your rankings, but often a small fee is worth the marketing you receive from the listing. Try to think about the return on investment you get from these listings.

Step Three:

Get a ServeNow listing in your area! ServeNow is a great industry resource and is considered a web authority. Also, you get the added benefit of the phone calls that a ServeNow listing brings in (which can be very beneficial on its own).

Okay, I’ve signed up for all the listings I feel I can afford. Now what?

The ranking boost you see from these listings can take months to show (similar to a local optimization product), but you will see the results for years to come! In case you change your phone number or address, keep records of all the places where your business exists online and any logins and passwords. The name, address, phone number, and URL of your business needs to be consistent and accurate anywhere it shows up online.

For process servers, private investigators, and notaries who are interested in our Local Optimization product or a mobile-friendly website, please contact us at [email protected].

Start Here to Get Your Business Website Listed

National

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Georgia Association of Professional Process Servers

Hawaii

Idaho

Think Local Boise

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Omaha Local Independent Business Alliance

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

The West Virginia State Bar

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Wyoming State Bar

Please also check out your local Chamber of Commerce as they are likely to list you as a business. If you find a directory not included on our list, let us know at [email protected].

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