The Impact of SEO Local Search on the Warehouse & Distribution Industry

It's been a topsy-turvy couple of years for the warehousing and distribution industry. Container prices dropped. But trucking prices rose. Consumer buying fell due to the threat of a recession. Profitable product channels shifted as buying changed. The supply chain crisis squeezed capacity. All these events trickled down to affect warehouse and distribution center businesses. 

The Current State of the Industry

ResearchAndMarkets.com expects the market to grow to about $97.9 Billion by 2028 at a growth rate of 2.5%. The report says, "The rising demand from key application areas such as automotive, manufacturing, retail, technology, healthcare, construction, etc. are expected to witness strong development in the coming years. In addition to this, we expect strong demand from the e-commerce sector as well."

Opportunities for Growth

The report goes on to say that the reasons for the expected industry growth include:

• The growing demand for outsourcing warehousing services from manufacturing companies expanding their operations and needing to store raw materials.
• The need for enhanced operational efficiency and cost savings by outsourcing logistics so that companies can concentrate on their core competencies.
• B2C companies are looking to reduce transportation costs with a strategically located warehouse as a buffer between the supplier/manufacturer and the customer. 

These trends are opportunities for savvy warehouse and distribution business leaders. Companies in all kinds of verticals want to stay competitive and sustainable by outsourcing warehouse and distribution space in strategic locations. If you want to be an industry leader, a comprehensive local search marketing strategy is crucial to capture this new business. 

Local Search Defined

In any industry, the ability to quickly locate essential resources and services online, within a specific geographic area is paramount. Local search involves using critical keywords to find specific businesses in or near a current location on search engines and other online resources.

For warehousing needs, that search location may not be the one the searcher is in. Potential clients are looking for warehouses in particular locations with specific attributes, such as cold storage, pick, pack and ship, automation, etc. Consumers commonly use "Near Me" to find retailers and service-based businesses. However, city—or location-based searches deliver better results for businesses planning logistics in a specific place. For example, a produce supplier in California might search for "cold storage warehousing companies in Columbus" to find operators in the Columbus, Ohio, area to store their fruits and vegetables before heading to grocery stores.

No matter the industry, ensuring your warehouse can be found through local search is a "must do," not a "nice to do." HubSpot recently reported that 97% of people learn more about a local company online than anywhere else. Also, 84% of customer searches for businesses are discovery searches. Discovery searches are more open-ended and aim to find a business using keywords.

Location-Specific Marketing Strategies for Warehousing

Location-specific marketing strategies enhance local Google search results visibility, drive targeted online and in-person traffic, increase business credibility, and foster customer engagement. When implementing a location-specific marketing strategy, our digital marketing team gives warehousing and distribution clients a customized Roadmap. The Roadmap helps clients know their current Google search ranking for each location and provides a clear plan to increase those rankings. 

Our process to build a Roadmap includes these steps:

• Analyze the client's current SEO keyword rankings. Compare them to those of top competitors within a 10-mile radius of each current location.
• Perform a technical audit of the client's website. Make recommendations to support local search traffic and user experience.
• Make a geotargeted content plan. Use it on the client's website and other relevant channels. These include social media and Pay-Per-Click ads. The goal is to attract local traffic to the website and physical locations.
• Train the client to use a local listing management tool. This includes distributing business information, photos, videos, and posts. It also includes managing reviews through their Google Business Profile page.

As you can see, our Roadmap utilizes five digital channels to ensure the most comprehensive results. This Roadmap is primarily driven to navigate Google algorithms but can be modified for other search engines. 

Five Digital Channels for Best Results

By leveraging five key channels—Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Google Business Profile (GBP), website, social media, and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising—you can create a powerful and integrated approach to local marketing. Each channel is vital in a successful location-based marketing strategy. Let's look at how we recommend our clients harness the full potential of these channels to maximize their local reach.

SEO

Location-based SEO drives the entire strategy. Consistently monitoring and updating your SEO is critical to search performance. We aim to help clients gain visibility on the keywords and locations their target audience is searching for. We do this by working to increase their ranking above their competitors, which will drive more of their target audience's traffic to their digital channels.

To reach this goal, our team will first do a local SEO assessment. This analyzes how an organization ranks on Google for geolocation-based keywords in Local SERP. Local SERPs are the results that show up for a location-specific query. Local SERPs usually show three locations (the Local 3-Pack) at the top of the page. The Local 3-Pack provides users quick access to important information about those three top businesses, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and ratings. Appearing in the Local 3-Pack can significantly boost online visibility and credibility. 

Google's algorithm determines the Local 3-Pack by reviewing factors to find the most relevant and authoritative local businesses. These factors include distance to the searched location, relevant keywords, and a company's overall popularity, reputation, and authority. Our goal is to optimize the factors to get our clients in the 3-Pack as often as possible.

Our team also evaluates clients’ technical SEO. Elements of a website or server can directly or indirectly impact search engine crawling, indexing, and visibility in local search. A website needs to be technically sound to support local SEO. That includes correctly setting up 301 redirects, robots.txt, and sitemap.xml. We'll also set up Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, and Google Search Console for clients. These tools will help pull local traffic reports. They can also show organic traffic on location pages and track user interactions on a website. These activities will help a client understand keyword performance.

Google Business Profile

Google Business Profiles (GBP) are digital alternatives to the traditional Yellow Pages. 64% of consumers have used GBP to find contact information for a business. In a location-based market, a GBP is crucial not only to draw in potential clients but also to help rank for key search terms. Reviews on a GBP account for 9.8% of total ranking factors for local search.

We encourage our clients to establish credibility and enable Google to rank their business higher by consistently updating their GBP. Updated and new information helps Google understand a company’s service areas and expertise. Three strategies to optimize a GBP are encouraging customer reviews, monitoring comments, and uploading high-quality photos and videos of facilities, equipment, and team members. 

SyncShow also uses a local rank-tracking software tool called Local Falcon. It displays GBP rankings for listings that appear in organic search Maps or from a search in the Google Maps Local Finder. It scans multiple points from the target business at varying distances and displays them on a Google Map. We can then track multiple keyword rankings for each location and monitor competitive rank positions to guide our local SEO strategy.

At SyncShow, we specialize in enhancing your visibility through expert Google My Business optimization. Our tailored SEO services ensure your business not only climbs in search rankings but also stands out locally. We fine-tune every aspect of your listing—from accurate categorization and engaging descriptions to managing reviews and harnessing rich media—turning searches into sales. Let us help you dominate your local market and connect with customers right when they need you.

Website

It might be obvious that location-based marketing strategies would rely on optimized location web pages. However, many warehousing and distribution companies’ location pages are nothing more than an address and phone number. An optimized location page must provide information in paragraphs of descriptive information, not simply basic data. This signals relevance to Google. Locations pages should include more than the business name, address, and phone number. They must also include keywords in the title tag, meta description, H1 headers, and the first paragraph of the page. 

An optimized website also includes unique content on other web pages with location-specific keyword phrases used naturally throughout and with relevant internal links and location schema markup. Testimonials, care studies, FAQs, product pages, and video content are optimal pages to include location-based keywords and links. Also, blog posts or articles tailored to topics relevant to each service area or location deliver search results. Incorporate location-specific CTAs throughout the website to encourage visitors to take action. For example, include CTAs such as "Request a Quote for Our Dallas Warehouse Services" or "Contact Our Atlanta Facility for More Information." Make it easy for users to initiate contact or request information relevant to their location once they are on your website. 

Does your website “wow!” visitors? Does it clearly convey your company’s value through clear, concise messaging? Does it inspire potential online leads to take action? The web design and development experts at SyncShow include all these elements and more when working with B2B clients. Learn more here.

Social Media

Our team recommends that clients regularly use social media channels to enhance their location-specific marketing strategies through organic posts using relevant keywords. Warehouse clients can position themselves as industry experts by sharing news, trends, and insights relevant to the local area or specific industries they serve. This can include blog posts and news links on local regulations, market trends, or economic developments that impact logistics and supply chain operations. By actively engaging with the local community and participating in relevant conversations, they can establish themselves as active and valued members of the community, fostering trust and loyalty among local audiences.

We also suggest warehousing clients utilize geotargeted promoted posts within a specific radius of their physical location. These ads can showcase the advantages of their location, such as proximity to major transportation routes, ports, airports, or urban centers. Including photos, videos, or infographics in ads highlighting the strategic location can attract businesses looking for convenient logistics solutions. The location-based targeting ensures that marketing messages are delivered to relevant local audiences who are more likely to engage with the company.

At SyncShow, we craft dynamic social media strategies that propel your brand into the spotlight. Our expert team develops customized content plans tailored to captivate your target audience, enhance engagement, and increase conversions. Whether it’s sparking conversations or optimizing ads, we ensure your social presence is powerful and consistent across all platforms. Partner with us to transform your social media channels into valuable assets for growth and brand loyalty.

PPC

Our warehousing clients also leverage Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising for location-specific marketing campaigns to geotarget businesses. For example, a new warehouse in Atlanta could create a PPC campaign targeting businesses within a 50-mile radius of the city. In addition, incorporating location-specific keywords into PPC ad copy ("warehouse services in Houston") can help clients reach users actively searching for logistics or warehousing services in their area. Ad extensions, such as location extensions, can provide users with additional information and enhance warehouse ads' visibility in search results. Location extensions display the warehouse's address, phone number, and a clickable map marker directly within the ad, making it easier for users to contact or locate the warehouse.

A Client Case Study

Recently, our team performed a complete local SEO audit and optimization for a warehousing and distribution client with seven separate and distinct locations. Using our five core channels, we created an SEO roadmap to increase the client's rank position to the top 3 in all locations. Over the several years we've worked with this client, they’ve seen a significant increase in search ranking and online engagement. The client has earned an impressive ten new geolocation keyword rankings, which resulted in an 11.5-point overall position increase. The client's GBPs' overall performance is trending up, including a 16.5% increase in overall local authority score. The focus on location-based marketing drove impressive results for this client. 

Wrapping Up

Location-based marketing strategies are vital for warehousing and distribution companies to enhance online visibility, attract targeted leads, and stay competitive in specific geographic areas. If you’re a business leader/owner in this industry, you can maximize your local reach and engage with prospective clients by leveraging SEO, GBP, website optimization, social media, and PPC advertising. These strategies are key drivers for lead generation and ensure sustained growth in a competitive market. 

The SyncShow team are experts in warehousing and distribution marketing. Our team has the time-tested industry expertise to grow your business with ROI-driven marketing strategies. If you'd like to learn more about our SEO approach, please download our ebook, Demystifying SEO – Unveiling the Truth Behind 10 Common SEO Myths. For more information about our services, schedule a consultation today.