What is one way a gym can leverage directories to improve local SEO?
To help your gym leverage directories to improve local SEO, we asked entrepreneurs and PR experts this question for their best advice. From joining local organizations with directories to backlinking, there are several ways that may help you improve your gym’s local SEO.
Here are seven tips for improving local SEO:
- Join Local Organizations Who Have Directories
- Use A Service To Manage Multiple Directories
- Get On Facebook, Yelp And BBB Directories
- Use Directories As Part Of Your Local Keyword Strategy
- Keep It Consistent
- Show Which Benefit Programs You Honor
- Backlinking
Join Local Organizations Who Have Directories
Here in Arizona, several local organizations, such as Local First Arizona or the Tempe Chamber of Commerce, have dedicated directories for members. Joining these organizations to build local citations can help improve local SEO for gyms and fitness centers. Oftentimes, these organizations carry a high level of authority on the local level. Since gyms and fitness centers rely heavily on appearing for searches conducted locally, getting visibility on local organizations can help build visibility on local search queries such as “gym near me.”
Brett Farmiloe, Markitors
Use A Service To Manage Multiple Directories
By ensuring an accurate, updated and robust presence across all the major directories and some of the more niche ones. While everyone knows that you should claim your business on Google, have a Facebook page and a Yelp profile as well, quite often, the information is missing or out of date. This can be very frustrating for a prospective client when the pertinent info is absent, and the page looks like it hasn’t been touched in months. This speaks volumes about your dedication (or rather lack thereof) and directly impacts your first impression both for visitors as well as local SEO rankings. One elegant solution is to use a service that enables you to manage over multiple directories for this very purpose. There you can swiftly clean-up, manage and improve your online footprint so that your business is not only easily discoverable but also presents a positive brand image.
Bart Turczynski, ResumeLab
Get On Facebook, Yelp And BBB Directories
These are typically the highest-ranking direct search result links, behind or above, a gym website for a direct search on Google. You can also try to get on some industry-related directories, but concentrate on the big ones that get traffic and make the most impressions. I recommend leveraging these social media and directories with lots of five-star reviews to give a great first-page impression for viewers of your gym. I don’t recommend YEXT, GoDaddy GetFound, or other bulk directory management companies because you never create an account physically (with an email and password) to make manual changes yourself, like your business address or phone number if needed. Create a YellowPages account manually if you need to.
Patrick Menzel, Internal Profits, LLC
Use Directories As Part Of Your Local Keyword Strategy
Gyms could use online directories to rank higher for top keywords. If you have a focused local keyword, it will be extremely useful to use directories to increase rank and traffic to those keywords!
Loren Howard, Prime Plus Mortgages
Keep It Consistent
Local SEO is different from traditional SEO as local directories service as authority signals. This doesn’t mean that you should go crazy and get on every list possible, but it does mean that it would be beneficial to get on relevant lists that relate to either your place of business or gyms. To ensure maximum effectiveness, you will want your NAP (name, address, and phone number) to be exactly the same in all listings.
Brian Cairns, ProStrategix Consulting
Show Which Benefit Programs You Honor
Many people choose their fitness studios based on whether they accept their employee benefit cards. Getting your gym listed in directories that allow filtering on benefits programs honored impacts SEO in several ways. It may earn your gym relevant backlinks, it drives referral traffic and, in turn, improves ranking for keywords such as “gyms near me that accept benefits card X.”
Rebeca Sena, GetSpace.Digital
Backlinking
First, the most important thing that gyms can do is to claim the local directory and backlinking relevant pages and content if possible. Also, directories like Google My Business allow businesses to make updates similar to social media platforms. Take advantage of the additional engagement opportunities like this for these directories. Even updating pictures, hours of operation and descriptions are all helpful.
Gresham Harkless Jr., CEO Blog Nation
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