Free Local SEO Fundamentals Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following business models are unlikely to qualify for a Google+ Local page?
- A convenience store
- A real estate company
- A locksmith
- A virtual e-commerce company (Correct answer)
Correct answer: A virtual e-commerce company
Google Business Profile (formerly Google+ Local) is designed for businesses that have a physical location or serve customers in a specific geographic area. A virtual e-commerce company operates solely online without a physical storefront or a defined service area that customers visit. Therefore, it does not meet Google's criteria for a local listing, which requires a tangible presence or service region.
Question 2: What is a citation in Local Search? *
- A web-based reference to an error made by a local business. (Correct answer)
- A web-based reference to the partial or complete name, address and phone number of a business.
- A hyperlink pointing to a local business website.
- A penalty enforced by Google against local businesses that do not comply with the Google Places Quality Guidelines.
Correct answer: A web-based reference to an error made by a local business.
In Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO), a citation refers to any online mention of a business's Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP), even if it doesn't include a direct link. These consistent mentions across various websites and directories help search engines verify the existence and legitimacy of a local business. They are crucial for establishing trust and improving local search rankings.
Question 3: Yelp encourages company owners to actively solicit customer reviews.
- True
- False (Correct answer)
Correct answer: False
Yelp strongly discourages businesses from actively soliciting customer reviews, considering it a practice that can lead to biased or inauthentic feedback. Their algorithm is designed to identify and filter out reviews that appear to be solicited. Yelp prefers organic reviews from users who genuinely choose to share their experiences without prompting.
Question 4: What exactly is Google Local Carousel?
- For some searches with local intent, a horizontal display of search engine results is displayed. (Correct answer)
- A horizontal display of the most prominent local business reviewers.
- A sarcastic term used by local business owners who are going around in circles trying to resolve a Google+ Local issue.
- Results of a local knowledge graph devoted specifically to amusement parks.
Correct answer: For some searches with local intent, a horizontal display of search engine results is displayed.
The Google Local Carousel was a specific Search Engine Results Page (SERP) feature that displayed a horizontal, scrollable list of local businesses for certain queries, often related to restaurants or hotels. It presented businesses with images, ratings, and basic information at the top of the search results. This format allowed users to quickly browse and compare local options.
Question 5: Which of the following is typically regarded as the main data source for significant search engines in the United States?
- Infogroup
- Factual
- Localeze
- Acxiom
- All of the options are correct (Correct answer)
Correct answer: All of the options are correct
Major search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo rely on several primary data aggregators to collect and verify local business information. Infogroup, Factual, Localeze, and Acxiom are all prominent data providers that gather, maintain, and distribute business data. These aggregators serve as crucial sources for populating and updating local search ecosystems in the United States.
Question 6: Which of the following statements about duplicate Google local business listings is incorrect? *
- Having more than one listing per business address in your account is prohibited, with the exception of business models with multiple partners or departments.
- Google's guidelines no longer prohibit duplicate listings. (Correct answer)
- Multiple accounts with identical listings are prohibited by Google's policies.
- Some duplicate listings arise from Google's automated processes rather than deliberate actions on the part of the company.
Correct answer: Google's guidelines no longer prohibit duplicate listings.
The statement that Google's guidelines no longer prohibit duplicate listings is incorrect. Google's policies explicitly forbid duplicate listings for the same business at the same location, as they can confuse users and dilute ranking signals. While some duplicates can arise automatically, Google actively works to identify and remove them, and businesses are encouraged to report or merge them.
Question 7: Does Google show web design and SEO firms in their local pack of results?
- Yes (Correct answer)
- No
Correct answer: Yes
Yes, Google does show web design and SEO firms in their local pack of results. These types of businesses often serve local clients and have physical offices or defined service areas within a community. Therefore, when users search for 'web design near me' or 'SEO services [city]', Google's local pack aims to display relevant local businesses that offer these services.
Question 8: True or false: You typically expect and hope to rank higher for terms containing your brand name.
- TRUE (Correct answer)
- FALSE
Correct answer: TRUE
It is a fundamental expectation in SEO that a business should rank highly, ideally in the top position, for searches that include its own brand name. Users searching for a specific brand are looking for that brand's official website or information. Search engines prioritize delivering the most relevant and authoritative result, which should be the brand's own online presence.
Question 9: RankBrain is a component of Google’s core algorithm which uses this to determine the most relevant results to search engine queries.
- Natural language processing
- Artificial intelligence
- Machine learning (Correct answer)
- Schema
Correct answer: Machine learning
RankBrain is a significant component of Google's core search algorithm that leverages machine learning to better interpret search queries. It helps Google understand the intent behind ambiguous or novel searches by analyzing patterns in language and user behavior. This allows the search engine to deliver more relevant results, even for queries it hasn't encountered before.
Question 10: True or false: Minifying your CSS, HTML, and JavaScript files can increase your load time.
- TRUE
- FALSE (Correct answer)
Correct answer: FALSE
Minifying CSS, HTML, and JavaScript files involves removing unnecessary characters like whitespace and comments, which reduces their overall file size. Smaller file sizes mean less data needs to be downloaded by a user's browser. Consequently, minification *improves* website load time, making the statement that it increases load time false.
Question 11: Which link is more likely to pass the most value?
- An internal link high up on a page
- An external link within the body of a page (Correct answer)
- An external link within a noscript tag
- An internal image link
Correct answer: An external link within the body of a page
External links from reputable sources are generally considered more valuable by search engines than internal links, as they act as a 'vote of confidence' from another website. A link placed within the main body content of a page is typically seen as more editorially relevant and passes more link equity (or 'link juice') compared to links in footers, sidebars, or image links without proper context.
Question 12: This is a way of measuring an amount of advertising presence or strength for a particular brand or product.
- Search visibility
- Conversions
- Share of voice (Correct answer)
- Click-through rate
Correct answer: Share of voice
Share of voice (SOV) is a marketing metric that quantifies a brand's presence and visibility within its market compared to its competitors. It measures the proportion of conversations, mentions, or advertising impressions a brand captures relative to the total market. SOV indicates a brand's overall strength, reach, and influence within its industry.
Question 13: If you have more than 100 listings in your Google My Business dashboard, Google stops:
- Sending you review notifications. (Correct answer)
- Charging you for Ads.
- Showing your listings on Google Maps.
- Users from suggesting edits to your listings.
Correct answer: Sending you review notifications.
When a Google My Business account manages a large number of listings, typically exceeding 100, Google stops sending individual review notifications for each listing. This is a practical measure to prevent overwhelming users, especially those managing multi-location businesses or agencies with numerous client accounts, with a high volume of alerts.
Question 14: The best way to use Domain Authority is to...
- Aim for the highest score possible
- Aim for the lowest score possible
- Use it as a comparative metric between you and your true competitors. (Correct answer)
- Compare your site to sites like Amazon, Facebook, and Google.
Correct answer: Use it as a comparative metric between you and your true competitors.
Domain Authority (DA) is a proprietary metric developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine result pages. It is most effectively used as a comparative metric to gauge your website's relative strength against direct competitors. It's not an absolute score to aim for, nor should it be used to compare against industry giants like Amazon, which operate on a vastly different scale.
Question 15: You should report lost SERP features, as there can be correlations to:
- Increased site traffic
- Increased ranking
- Decreased site traffic (Correct answer)
- Decreased DA
Correct answer: Decreased site traffic
SERP (Search Engine Results Page) features, such as featured snippets, local packs, or rich results, significantly enhance a website's visibility and click-through rate. Losing these features means your listing becomes less prominent and attractive to users. This reduction in visibility directly correlates with a decrease in organic site traffic, even if your traditional ranking position remains stable.
Question 16: A 404 status code is a page that:
- Indicates a server error
- Has been permanently redirected
- Has been temporarily redirected
- Cannot be found (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Cannot be found
A 404 Not Found HTTP status code indicates that the server cannot find the requested resource at the specified URL. This typically means the web page, file, or other content does not exist or has been moved without a proper redirect. It's a client-side error, signifying that the browser successfully connected to the server, but the requested resource is missing.
Free Local SEO Fundamentals Questions and Answers
Which of the following business models are unlikely to qualify for a Google+ Local page?