Ranking in Position Zero Whenever we search for a local service online, Google shows a map among the organic search results without requiring us to perform another click. You’ve seen this map pack in search results many times. Apart from filters and the map itself, we can see a list of businesses together with their NAP data, review rate, office hours, and call button.

Did You Know?

The acronym NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone Number, and refers to the information that’s displayed about your business on any website that lists it. If you want your business to rank high organically when someone runs a local search on Google or another search engine, paying attention to NAP consistency is imperative.

It’s easy to see how influential this Google Local Map Pack is when online shoppers are deciding on what restaurant to go to, or the nearest highly reviewed 5-star HVAC repair company. However, service-based companies like attorneys or physicians are seeing the benefit of being listed above the search results for people in a specific geographic area. The “near me” search, or any service or product searched through Google with the statement “near me” (e.g. “marketing agencies near me”) have increased as mobile users are on the go looking for places near not only where they live, but more often where they are at that specific time.

93.2% of consumers shop within 20 miles from home.

Consumers will typically travel no more than 10 minutes for purchases made once or more per week. They are willing to travel further away from home for regular, yet less frequent purchases, but no more than 20 miles from home.

75% of ‘near-me’ searchers visit within 24 hours.

More than 75% of local-intent mobile searches result in offline store visits within 24 hours, and nearly 30% result in a purchase. Also, 82% of smartphone shoppers have done “near me” searches and 92% for Millennials.

80% of consumers are ‘ROBO’ shoppers.

A 2018 study among 4,200 consumers, from Google and IPSOS, found that shoppers research online before buying offline or vice versa. Only 11% of consumers were online-only and only 12% were found to be offline-only shoppers.

What is Position Zero?

Position Zero also known as the Featured Snippets Section is the definition that appears above all other results. Usually displayed when a visitor asks a question directly in the search box. For example, when we did a search for “What is position zero?” We got to see the Position Zero result that answered the question. That result gives a definition that answers the question in the search box, the webpage title and url it came from, as well as a screenshot of the page. You can appriciate the value here, right? The specific answer to my question is right there, and the webpage is just a click away.

Do you talk to your technology?

More and more people are actively using their voice to communicate with internet devices. Siri started it all in 2010 with a downloadable app. Then in 2011, Apple integrated Siri into iPhone 4S. That was the beginging. You probably don’t need a history lesson to know that with Siri, Alexa, and the Google Assistant, people are talking to their tech… a lot. When these devices look for the answers to your questions it looks at the Position Zero result for the answer. Positioning your business for Position Zero allows you to be recognized as a top resource, not only by potential customers but by Google as well.

22% of people who use voice search have made purchases within the past month.

incorporating voice search SEO into your marketing plans will be a vital component of search engine optimization. If you skip this, you might be left in the dust.

114% CTR boost, even when businesses already hold the #1 organic position

31% more traffic compared to just having the first position without the featured snippet.

One simple reason for the rise in importance of featured snippets for digital marketers is the sheer amount of Search Engine Result Page (SERP) "retail" space these take within search results.

Disecting Google’s local Search Page.

Here is a quick snapshot of what Position Zero looks like. Mouseover to learn more about the elements of a Google Search query.

1. Search Listing: This is the search term the user entered in Google. When in the form of a question, a Featured Snippet will be available

2. Featured Snippet: The Featured Snippet or Position Zero is Google’s way of answering the question asked by the user. Google finds what it believes to be the best website to find that answer and places the results here, above the search results.

3. Regular Search Results: This is where the regular search results begin.

A. Screenshot of webpage

B. Title of webpage

C. URL of webpage

Google Local SEO is an essential element of your marketing strategy. If you haven't before considered how this affects how people find your business, consider it now. If you have, but don’t know where to begin, you’re in luck... that’s where we come in. We’d love to have a quick conversation about where you’re at. Let’s discuss what options are available to see your business to success.

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what is position zero & the map pack?