The rise of portable devices has brought great changes to the capability of search engines and local SEO. However, the general nature of the phones and tablets have kept the search engine results limited to those results that were within a few miles of where the searcher was located. The Apple Watch may change that by bringing searches to locations with feet of where the search is started.
Apple Watch was enthusiastically received and a survey of 1000 possible customers revealed 30% of them will purchase the watch. The watch and the implications it brings to SEO are here to stay.
3 Ways To Keep Up with Apple Watch
* Apple Watch is going to use Apple Maps as the default navigation system. Apple Maps uses third party directories to locate businesses. It will be beneficial to update records and information on those sites( Yelp, TomTom, Factual, etc.) These sites and reviews have a tremendous impact on which businesses are displayed.
* People using Apple Watch will most likely be using voice searches. Continue to optimize your SEO for voice searches. Instead of keyword based inquiries focus on conversational queries, such as full questions. Be prepared for more specific questions dealing with prices, hours,etc. With Apple Watch on the wrist and not in a pocket voice searches are only going to increase if Apple Watch really takes off.
* Continue to focus on local search optimization. It is quite probable that as Apple Watch continues to grow through newer generations searches will expand from IP addresses to precise GPS coordinates. This will actually be a great marketing tool with businesses being able to offer time and location based mobile coupons to searchers.
Meet Your New Friend: Bing!
Apple Watch will continue the use of Siri as it’s voice interface for searches. In addition to aiming their SEO towards Google, they will have also have to work towards top Bing Local responses to searches. The strategy isn’t really different than working with Google, but it will involve more vigilance to what responses Bing returns for searches.
Basics, Always Stick With the Basics
Businesses should be embracing the exciting new Challenges Apple Watch is going to bring to local SEO. Sticking to the basics of SEO but expanding them to other search engines and not just relying on Google results will only increase their potential markets. Keeping good reviews up on sites, maintain current and accurate information, monitoring their social networking site and engaging users on them; all of these will lead to better experiences with Apple Watch users.
This new technology will only expand over time so the responsive business will not adopt a wait and see attitude about Apple Watch. Other companies will eventually adopt similar technologies that will bring their own set of new rules to local SEO.
