In this post, we discuss the 2023 Ranking Factors for Google Local Search fifth ranked factor. The fifth most important signal that Google takes into account when ranking pages are behavioral signals with 8% of the formula. You might ask yourself what are behavioral signals?
When I was first starting to learn about Google search and Search Engine Optimization, behavioral signals confused me. We are going to summarize it and give you an idea of what you need to do to increase the behavioral signals on your website for Google search.
Behavioral Signals - Definition
Behavioral signals is really about optimizing a website for user intent to drive certain behavior of users. If you know your customers and you try to address their needs on your website, you can increase your click through rate. You can drive people to make mobile calls to your office to make appointments or consultations or reservations for a restaurant, or anything of that nature.
Good Website Content
Presenting website visitors with good content, can increase the time someone spends on a website. Statistically, the longer somebody is on your website, the more likely they are to engage in some sort of a buying behavior. Make sure that you have accessibility features enabled on your website, as this will broaden your audience to include those who need this accommodation. Otherwise this audience cannot engage in the type of behavior that you want. They will go to another businesses website who has those features enabled.
Video Content and Images
We discuss content, content, content, and content, as it is very important to have good relevant content on your website site. Images to support your content are critical as are videos. Google values videos on your website, especially having at least one on the home page. More and more content is consumed via video every single year and Google rewards those businesses that have video on their website. This trend is not coming to an end and it is here for the long term.
You will always want to have some video testimonials, description, learner videos, anything of that nature on your website to help drive user intent. You want to have relevant blog posts as you can use a blog to establish establish yourself as a subject matter expert. We talked previously about links, use your blogs to link over to your product page. Reference a product that solves the problem that you are describing in your blog.
Having customer offers, like pop ups, 50% off/25% off for a period of time, depending on your type of business, may make sense. It is also important for those of you with retail locations to embed a map with the ability to click and create driving directions to your business. You want to make it easy for people to find your retail location if that is how your business set up.
Behavioral signals, use them to help drive behavior that will increase your business by getting people to take buying actions. Behavioral signals, 8% is a good chunk of change right there in helping you get ranked by Google.
If you are interested in seeing how your business is doing in the eyes of Google, click here to receive a complimentary SnapShot Report.
