SEO Case Study: Local Store Content

Background:

Our client is one of the largest networks of franchise-owned food chains in Canada, with over 380 store locations coast to coast. Avid Demand (formerly SmartSearch Marketing) manages this company’s local search program, local business listings, and online customer reviews.

Situation:

When we started working with the company they did not have individual store pages. Rather, when customers visited the website, a multi-step process was required to enter zip code, find a nearby location, contact the store, drive to the store, or place an order online. Organic search results were limited with this approach and the customer ordering process was not optimal.

Goals:

1. Improve the process for local customers to find an individual store and place an order.
2. Improve search engine visibility for each local store.
3. Drive additional website traffic and orders for each store.

Solution:

Avid Demand created a comprehensive local search marketing program. Specifically, we:

• Developed unique, local landing pages for each individual store location
• Improved and optimized local store pages by adding contact information, hours of operation, driving directions and online ordering information.
• Assisted local franchise owners in adding “ultra-local” content to their store page. Examples include: neighborhood information, historical facts, local sponsorships and community involvement.

Results:

After launching individual local landing pages, Google organic traffic increased by 92% over an eight month period.

Then, when stores added “ultra-local” content (provided by the franchise owners), traffic (for these locations) increased by 94% in just one month.

Summary:

Creating local landing pages with helpful location/ordering information is essential to improving the customers’ online experience and required to significantly increase local search visibility, traffic and results. The addition of “ultra-local” neighborhood information further enhances the online experience and drives additional search traffic and results.