Google’s restriction on credit repair companies purchasing Google ads has made advertising online far more challenging in the industry.
Paid ads on Google had been one of the most important advertising methods for a lot of credit repair companies. Thankfully, there are still a number of quality digital marketing options available to credit repair companies.
One of the best options is local SEO. From credit repair directories to creating and maintaining a Google My Business profile, there’s a lot involved in local SEO, but when all is said and done, it’s one of the most effective marketing methods for credit repair companies who rely on local business.
How does local SEO for credit repair companies attract new clients?
Local SEO works to improve a business’ visibility in Google local searches and on Google Maps. And that all starts with a Google My Business (GMB) profile.
GMB profiles make your business discoverable in Google maps…
…and in local search results, below paid ads, and above organic results.
According to Google, three main factors determine these local search results: relevance, distance, and prominence.
Local SEO works to optimize all three of these elements to increase your business’s local traffic.
Relevance
Relevance is how well a given query matches your website. The best way to improve relevance for credit repair companies is to include details about all services offered and have individual landing pages on your site for each service. That way, if someone is looking for services you offer, like help to improve their credit after a bankruptcy or paying off student loans, then your business will match with those queries.
Distance
Distance, also referred to as proximity, is just as it sounds. It’s how far your business address is away from a given location term in a search or based on location services. This is why you see only results within three miles in local search and Google Maps.
Prominence
Prominence is how well known a business is in a given area. This is the area where local SEO can do the most work. By improving your site’s position in search engine results pages, increasing your domain rating, and ensuring consistent business data across all citations and GMB, local SEO can help improve a credit repair company’s prominence.
What are citations?
No, we aren’t talking about a bibliography here. In this context, citations are online references to a business. They usually include name, address, and phone number (NAP), but also sometimes include a backlink to your website, a map, and even business reviews.
One of the best ways to start building citations is through general directories like the following:
- Bing Places For Business
- Yahoo Local Listings
- Foursquare Directory
- White Pages Business Directory
- Yelp
- Bizjournals.com’s Small Business Directory
Here’s an example citation from the Better Business Bureau:
This citation not only includes NAP, but also a link, business reviews, and an overview of business operations.
Still, while general directories are great to build your first citations and add a lot of value, industry-specific credit repair directories are often better for business.
Credit repair directories to boost your citations
The best place to land industry-specific citations are in directories, like the following:
Credit Repair Directory
Creditrepairdirectory.org is a great resource for credit repair companies to land a citation, and for potential credit repair clients to find a company to work with. The directory was started by a former credit repair client who had trouble finding a quality credit repair company. They now have thousands of listed businesses and provide a solid citation with NAP, plus a link.
Credit Consultants Association
The Credit Consultants Association, or CCA, is a membership-based directory for credit consultants. They list their credit consultant member businesses by grade from A-level top specialists down to F-level credit companies. A citation will include NAP, a link and reviews.
Dun & Bradstreet
Dun & Bradstreet are known for their research reports on finance, but they also have a number of business directories, including one of the largest credit repair directories around. Plus, Dun & Bradstreet’s website has a high domain rating, meaning your citation, which includes NAP and a link, will be very valuable for your backlink profile.
San Antonio Chamber of Commerce
One great place to land industry-specific, local citations is your local chamber of commerce. Linked above is a great example from San Antonio. They have a huge business directory and provide citations free of charge.
Woodlands Online
Woodlands Online is best known for its news and events; however, they also offer an extensive business directory that includes a number of credit repair companies. A citation will include NAP, a map, but not a link to your website. Still, they offer links back to your email for clients to easily contact you.
Veteran Owned Business
If you’re a veteran who owns a credit repair business veteranownedbusiness.org is the perfect spot to land a citation. Not only is it free of charge, but it also comes with NAP, a link and reviews, as well as a built-in audience of veterans.
Helplinks
Helplinks.org provides business directories for a number of industries, from financial services to healthcare. They provide one of the most complete citations around with NAP, a link, reviews, business information, a map and more.
Best of the Web
Best of the Web provides business directories for financial services companies. From credit repair companies to financial advisors, Best of the Web has it all. A citation from the site doesn’t include a lot, mainly just a link and NAP, but its industry-specific bend makes it worth putting on this list.
Wall Directory
Wall Directory is one of the most visited credit repair directories on this list. They also provide some of the highest quality citations, including not only NAP, a link and a map, but also a link to social networking sites of members.
Here’s an example citation from the site.
National Consumer Reporting Association (NCRA)
The NCRA is another organization you might consider joining as a credit repair company. Not only will you get a citation with NAP and a link, but also a number of other member benefits from education to annual conferences for networking.
So many citations to list, so little time.
From creating an SEO friendly website to securing citations and backlinks, there is a lot to do when it comes to credit repair SEO.
Sometimes it’s best to reach out to the experts instead of trying to add yet another task on your to-do list. So feel free to give us a call at (480) 550-6336 or schedule a consultation and we can help you get started with your digital marketing journey today.
Markitors is a small business SEO agency. We work with businesses to rank their websites higher on Google, resulting in more traffic and leads. Explore what’s in our SEO toolbox: audits and keyword research, digital PR, technical SEO, and local SEO.
