A car is no longer a whim or a luxury, but an everyday necessity for anyone. Also, buying a car (new or pre-owned) is a major investment for most people, so car owners are trying to extend its lifespan as much as possible. This is where your business comes to help: auto repair shops keep cars on the road longer. Since this service is in such high demand, you are facing a lot of competition. If you want to stand out and attract new customers constantly, you need to build a strategy for local SEO for auto repair shops.
What Does Local SEO Mean?
SEO stands for search engine optimization, a series of techniques to help Google (and other search engines) find your website. Local SEO means getting found on searches from people in your local area.
For your kind of business, local SEO for auto repair shops makes sense. When someone’s car breaks down, they want to take it to the nearest mechanic shop. Thus, they will add phrases like “near me” or the borough name in their Google search.
How Does Local SEO for Auto Repair Shops Work?
Alright, but how does Google know what auto repair shops are near the customer? Here is how it works. Every smartphone has embedded GPS. When people use Google, it uses the GPS to pinpoint the user’s location with great accuracy.
Next, Google uses a complex algorithm based on AI to find websites for businesses whose physical address is within a walking or driving radius around the user. And this is where local SEO for auto repair shops really matters: it tells Google where you are located.
Local SEO Is More than Just Location
Hold on, so you only need to specify your location? That’s on every website contact page. That is correct, yet not all businesses within a specific area get selected by Google for local search results.
The results to a user’s query must meet three basic requirements:
- Location
- Relevance
- Reputation.
Thus, in building a strategy for local SEO for auto repair shops, you need to tell Google that you are near a customer, that you offer the services they need and that your business has a good reputation.
Here is how to achieve all three goals:
1. Claim Your Google My Business Listing
GMB is the first place Google checks for the location of a business. Creating this listing is free, plus it gets verified by Google to make sure that you really are who you say you are. A verified Google My Business listing is the most important step towards getting your website listed among local search results for your area.
Supplementary, get your business listed on Google Maps. Once you have a listing, users will see a red Pin indicating your precise location when they are using Google Maps in your area.
2. List Your Auto Repair Shops in Business Directories
Online business directories are very useful for local businesses. Google also uses these resources to check for location. At the same time, you will also confirm the relevance of your business to searches for car repair shops by registering your business under the correct category.
3. Create Relevant and Helpful Content
Building trust with customers is certainly harder than getting your location confirmed with Google. You need to show potential clients that you have the know-how and experience to solve their problem.
To do so, publish videos, articles, tutorials, checklists and other written content that:
- Helps customers identify warning signs that their car is not working properly
- Shows them how to solve minor issues
- Helps them stay safe and avoid accidents
- Persuades them that you know your trade.
4. Use Keywords Smartly
When it comes to local SEO for auto repair shops, keywords are essential. First of all, you need to research for the best keywords for your business. To make them relevant for local SEO, use location related tails such as:
- Near me
- In (city name)
- Close to (relevant landmark or city name)
Also, consider the most popular car brands in your area. After a few years in business, you know what kind of cars most of your customers drive. Now, add these brand names to your keywords. Many people look for auto repair shops using the car make in the search query, for instance: Toyota mechanic, Ford auto repair, etc.
5. Generate Local News about Your Car Repair Shop
Last but not least, get in the local news as frequently as you can. Host an event, such as showing customers how to act in case their car malfunctions on the road. Become a sponsor for a local activity organised by local authorities. Be helpful, not just in website content but also in real life. And soon you will see your business name in the local papers, which is a big plus for your strategy for local SEO for auto repair shops.