SEO Services for Limo Companies:
Free Local SEO Guide

As a limo company, you might struggle to attract new customers. After all, when someone needs a limo, he generally performs a Google search and then calls the first couple of companies on the list. To draw the most customers, then, you need to find a way to rise to the top of the rankings.

SEO for Limo Companies

We will show you our proven step by step process to move your company to the top of the pile. Before we do that, though, let’s take a look at why local SEO plays a vital role for any limo company.

3 Reasons Limo Companies Should Invest in Local SEO

Google Replaced the Yellow Pages:

At one time, limo companies could simply place an ad in the Yellow Pages and wait for calls. Today, however, the Yellow Pages are no more. Instead, a whopping 97% of prospects search for local business online, with Google taking the lion’s share of the search market.

Free Traffic:

Although its face has changed, advertising is still one of the largest expenditures for most businesses. Boosting your Google rankings exposes your company to a steady stream of free traffic that you can convert into paying customers.

Rapid Results:

National and international companies need to wait an average of 6 months to a year for significant changes in their Google rankings. As a limo company, however, you are competing only against other local limo companies, not those that are half a world away. Since a lot of your competitors are not yet taking advantage of local SEO, it is not uncommon to hit the first page of Google local results in just 30 days!

Step 1: Find Your Keywords

The first step in your local SEO campaign is simply to make a list of keywords that describe your services. For example, you might try keywords like “limo rental”, “town car service”, and “chauffeur service”. After writing a fairly complete list, set up a free Google AdWords account.

You are not required to pay for an ad campaign, but you need the account for access to Google’s free Keyword Planner tool. Here, you will enter your chosen keywords to learn how much traffic they generate. You will also see suggestions for related keywords that you might not have considered.

Now you are ready to narrow down exactly which keywords you plan to use. All keywords can be loosely categorized as one of two types:

  • Buying Intent: Buying intent keywords indicate that the prospect is imminently ready to make a purchasing decision. For example, someone searching “wedding limo Charleston” probably has a wedding planned and is ready to book a limo company.Your local SEO campaign should focus on buying intent keywords, as these produce the quickest results. Feature them on your homepage, and build your service pages around them.
  • Research Intent: Prospects searching for research intent keywords are “just looking” right now. They might book a limo in the future, but are in the early stages of the sales funnel. For example, someone searching for “prom transportation” might be starting to consider options for the upcoming dance.Research intent keywords should be a lower priority in your local SEO campaign, as they do not lead to rapid conversions. Don’t throw them out, though, since they work well for blog posts and FAQs. Think of these as your opportunity to introduce your company to prospects who may remember you when they are ready to book a limo.

Step 2: Optimize Your Keywords

You can now optimize for your finalized list of keywords in two spots—your Google My Business page and your website. Here is a quick guide:

Google My Business

Your Google My Business page is effectively a miniature website that is part of the “Map” section of Google listings. This page boosts your overall internet presence and offers new prospects a quick rundown of your services. It also improves your Google rankings, as it is much easier for a Google My Business page than a webpage to get highly ranked.

Your Google My Business page must be completely and accurately filled out:

  • Verification: Claim your page and go through the Google verification process. When you see a checkmark and the word “Verified” next to your business name, you are ready to move on.
  • NAP: Your NAP, or business name, address, and phone number, must be consistent and entirely accurate both on your Google+ listing and across the internet. Make it clear that yours is a local business by choosing a local phone number rather than an 800 number.
  • Categories: Google requires you to list your services as categories, not your results. Google categories can be a bit confusing, as Google requires you to list your services rather than your results. For example, you might choose Limousine Service and Car Service. If you offer any additional services, such as Bus Charter, list those as well. Try to list 3 to 5 categories.
  • Description: The description is a brief summary of your business that ends with a call to action. It should be 100 to 200 words long, and in a format similar to: {Name of Company} offers professional {limousine services, or similar} in {Your City}. {Provide some information about your company and/or why customers choose you.} Call {Phone Number} today for a free estimate!
  • Hours: Make sure your office hours are accurate, and are consistent across the internet. If you offer limo service at times other than your office hours, list that information in a separate paragraph.
  • Images: Images show potential customers that you are professional, and can boost customer engagement. Add a few photos of your cars, drivers on the job, or even events for which you provided transportation. Your images must be sharply focused, sized between 10KB and 5MB, and have a minimum resolution of 720px x 720px. We also recommend replacing the generic Google My Business background image with a branded image.

Website Optimization

Start with your “core” pages, which are your homepage and service pages, and be sure to optimize them for your selected buying intent keywords. Later, you will focus on your “content” pages, or blog posts and FAQs, which should be optimized for research intent keywords.

  • Homepage: The most important element is your title tag, which functions as the chapter title of a book. It should be 50 to 65 characters in length, and be formatted similarly to: Limousine Service in {Your City} | {Name of Your Company}.Next is the meta description, a 100 to 150-character description of your main services that ends with a call to action. Try this format: {Name of Company} offers quality {limousine rentals and bus charters, or similar} in {Your City}. Call {Phone Number} today to schedule your free quote!

    The H1, or visible headline, should include your primary category. Aim for a concise yet descriptive headline, such as: {Limousine Service} in {City, State}.

    The last key element is your page copy. Create 500 to 1000 words of clean, edited copy that gives background information, explains your core services, and ends with a strong call to action. Incorporate your primary keyword in a natural fashion.

  • Service Pages: Each core service needs a separate page, tightly focused on a single keyword. Follow the above the tips to optimize each service page, making sure to substitute that page’s individual keyword.

Step 3: Develop Citations and Links

Now that the framework for your local SEO campaign is ready, you need to develop citations and links. These resources increase your reach and help to improve your Google rankings.

  • Citations: A citation is simply an online directory listing of your business NAP (name, address, and phone number). Look for general national directories such as Facebook and yellowpages.com, general local directories such as your city’s Chamber of Commerce, and industry-specific directories for limousine companies or transportation providers. Ensure that every listing has an identical NAP.Note that some directories accept only paid listings. Before making payment, check Google Analytics. It does not make sense to pay for a listing that will not drive traffic and conversions.
  • Links: Inbound links from trustworthy, high-quality sites are a great way to boost your Google rankings. Build relationship both online and in person with businesses that offer services that complement yours. For example, you might work with wedding and event planners. Ask those contacts if they would mind trading links. To find out where your competitors’ links come from, try a tool such as Moz Open Site Explorer.

Step 4: Collect Reviews

Customer reviews play two very important roles: they reassure Google that you have a legitimate business, and they convince new prospects to try your services. Although all review sites are important, focus on Google My Business reviews for the quickest boost to your Google rankings. Send an email to your satisfied customers with a link to your Google My Business profile, and ask them directly to write a review. If you make this a habit, you will have an ongoing stream of new reviews.

Step 5: Track Your Results

The only way to know how well your local SEO campaign is performing, and identify areas that need tweaks, is to track your results. A mountain of data is available, but for now, focus on these three core metrics:

  • Rankings: When you run a Google search, the results are customized based on your past browsing habits. Therefore, you must use a tool to learn how a specific page actually ranks. The free Google Search Console (formerly Google Webmaster Tools) is an excellent place to begin. Your webmaster can easily install it, and you can track your data once or twice each month.If you would like a fuller picture of your progress, consider a paid tracking tool such as the one provided by RankRanger. You can track your Google My Business page as well as your webpages, and access automatically updated ranking details from all of your SEO campaigns.
  • Traffic: To monitor your website traffic, or how many visitors you have, use Google Analytics. You can view your overall traffic, see what percentage of visitors come through Google search, and even discover which pages draw the most and least visitors. Check this report every month with an eye toward identifying long-term trends.
  • Conversions: A conversion is an action that you want your website visitors to take, such as contacting you for a free quote. In Google Analytics, you can track both web and telephone conversions, find out which services provide the most conversions, and learn which individual pages have the lowest and highest conversion rates.

Are You Ready?

It should be clear by now that a comprehensive local SEO campaign is crucial to driving more potential customers to your limo company. For the best results, work through the steps in order, and be sure to completely finish each step before beginning the next one. Here is a recap of the 5 steps:

  1.    Keyword research
  2.    Keyword optimization
  3.    Citations and Links
  4.    Reviews
  5.    Tracking

Want Help with SEO?

At Main Street ROI, we specialize in helping limo companies attract more local customers through Google. If you’d like help with your SEO, contact us for a free quote.

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