Get your business found in Local Search Business Listings in Hong Kong
Local search is an essential element of marketing, especially for small businesses. It allows small and medium sized businesses to be seen just as much as massive corporations, leveling the playing field for the little guy. Marketers are now having to adapt to the fact that clients need to get onto the local-2 pack, not just the local 7-pack.
What’s Local-2 Pack?
Local 2-pack is the two local businesses that are shown at the top of the search engine results page. They are part of a larger list with other local businesses in the search user’s area, and make their way to the top of the list organically. These results depend on the IP address of the search user, so if they search for doctors in Hong Kong, they’ll first see the local doctors closest to their exact location.
If they travel to another part of town and enter the same search query on a different network, the order of the local-2 pack list would change. This means that the one business can’t dominate the results throughout the city, instead allowing various businesses to draw in an audience. To complement this, you should also work on your SEO and website content.
What Do You Need to Know About Local-2 Pack?
- Only Two Results – Prior to the update, 3 to 7 businesses would be featured on SERP, but now it is just two. This means it’s now more challenging to get into the local-2 pack.
- No Phone or Address Details – Previously, business owners could include their phone number and address in the local search. However, users now have to find these details on their own. This makes sure the company is less likely to be spammed.
- No Links to Google My Business – Previously, My Business fly-out cards were attached to local results, but this has since changed. Now, when you click on the listing, you will see Google Maps and other local competitors when you click on the listing.
How does this Affect You?
Any change in local search will have a big effect on the market. When local-2 pack was announced, there was some concern about how it would affect practices. While good marketers have adapted to the changes, here’s a brief run down of how these changes first affected businesses:
- Top Two are Never Static: The top two results are not static, while levels the playing field for all and gives a great opportunity to be seen.
- Search Users Will Stick to Organic Results – Because all results are displayed on at the top of the SERP, users are found to be more likely to click on organic results than paid ads, as they offer up all the information they need. By getting on the local-2 pack, you will be sure to experience a spike in organic traffic.
- You Will Still Get Noticed – As mentioned before, users are directed straight to Google Maps, which displays 20 listings. Even if you don’t make it onto the 2-pack, you could still be one of the 20 links on Google Maps.
Getting on the local business listings offers an excellent ROI, helping you target local customers who are likely to opt for your business. These “free” spots are becoming increasingly competitive however, so it’s well worth conducting search engine optimisation to ensure you’re seen.
Big or small, appearing on Google’s SERP is important. Make sure your business stays ahead of the game this year and get in touch with a digital marketing agency Hong Kong. The team at Digital Squad can help you with Remarketing, Facebook Marketing Hong Kong, AdWords Marketing Hong Kong and SEO Hong Kong. Talk to our team and find out how our local SEO campaign can really benefit your business and lead to long-term results and ROI which is off-the-charts.
UPDATE – Google now features 1 x single paid listing in local business listings which allows businesses an opportunity to grab a piece of the action.
