How to Perform a Basic Local Business Competitive Audit
It’s only natural for business owners to wonder why a competitor within the same local area is ranking higher in Google’s local pack. Since only three businesses are displayed, it’s important to figure out what your competitors are doing to better target the same audience. Performing a local business competitive audit is one of the best ways to find out the reasons behind your competitor’s high ranking in the local pack. Experts at Saba SEO, one of the leading marketing companies in San Diego, share a few tips on how to perform a basic local business competitive audit.
Make a Comparison Chart
Start with the basics by comparing your online info with that of your competitors. By doing a side-by-side comparison, it’s easier to see differences you may not have noticed before. Include the following info in your comparison chart:
- NAP (business name, address, phone number)
- Local pack and organic ranking*
- Google My Business URL
- Anything out of the ordinary (e.g. redirects from another site/page, multiple websites for the same location)
Don’t include review platforms and directories since these aren’t competitors
Look at Business Listings
Go a little deeper and look at Google My Business (GMB) stats. Pay attention to things like number of GMB reviews, average review rating, when the last review was posted, and the age of GMB listings. Note what keyword is being used in a competitor’s GMB name and any keywords that may be in the associated GMB website landing page. Also consider:
- Proximity to competitors
- Whether or not the business is within Google Map boundaries
- What’s in a competitor’s My Business listing (e.g. photos, hours)
- Proximity to city centroid (geographic center)
Compare Website Info
If all things are pretty much equal at this point in your audit process, compare your website with your competitor’s site. Determine if issues with your website are causing your ranking woes. Focus your attention on info such as domain age and authority and links to domain. Some of the most important website info to consider includes:
- Website content (e.g. amount of text, topics, images used)
- Whether or not website design is up to date
- Website user experience
- Mobile-friendliness of a website
- Onsite SEO
- Whether or not website NAP matches what’s listed on GMB
Use the info you get from this comparison to see where there’s room for improvement. For instance, you may need to update your website’s design, optimize your landing page better, correct NAP discrepancies, or make your site’s layout and content more appealing for mobile visitors. When you do make changes, allow some time to see results from your efforts. Finally, keep an eye on your Google Analytics reports to get a better idea of how your adjustments are affecting your traffic and visibility.
If you need help performing a basic local business competitive audit, reach out to Saba SEO. We have a team of professionally trained SEO experts who can analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your existing content, perform a thorough competitor analysis, and offer tips on how to improve it. Our experts can also create a customized, comprehensive, and quality-assured search engine optimization strategy for your business. To schedule an appointment with one of the experts at the leading San Diego web development company, call 858-951-1717 today.