Local positioning for agricultural businesses. How to become number one in your region?.

Imagine this situation: the peak of the harvest, work is in full swing, and a key component breaks down in your combine. Every hour of downtime is a waste of money and nerves. What do you do? You reach for the phone, type „agricultural machinery service” into Google and call the first company that pops up on the map. It's at times like this that local positioning shows its true power.

What is local positioning in agriculture?

In the agricultural industry, time and distance are crucial. Agricultural producers need spare parts, fertilizers, crop protection products or professional advice „right now” and „on the spot.” They won't drive 100 kilometers for one thing if they can get it in a neighboring municipality.

If you run a farm store, farm machinery service or crop purchase, your most valuable customers are just around the corner. The question is, can they find you online? Find out how local SEO can make your business a regional leader and make you the one farmers call in need.

Google My Business card - the foundation of local positioning in agriculture

Your Google Company Profile (formerly Google My Company) is the absolute foundation and most important tool in local SEO. It's your free digital business card that shows up in search results and on Google Maps when someone searches for your products or services in the area. Neglecting it is like running a store without a signboard.

Here's how to set it up and optimize it step-by-step to bring real benefits.

Setting up a Google business card step by step

1. Go to the website: Open a browser and type in google.com/business.
2. Log in: Use your Google account or create a new one.
3. Add company: Click „Manage Now” and enter the exact name of your company.
4. Enter data: Follow the instructions with your business category, address, phone number and optional website address.
5. Verify: Google needs to confirm that your business really exists at the address provided. Verification can be by video, phone or SMS, email, live video call or mail. Verification options depend on the type of business, publicly available information, region and opening hours.

Google business card optimization - how to squeeze 100%?

Just setting up a profile is only the beginning. Now it's time to professionally optimize the content.

1. Company name: It should be complete and include keywords.

1. • Wrong: „AGRO-SERWIS” - No clear information on what the company specializes in.
   • Right: „AGRO-SERWIS Jan Kowalski - parts and service of agricultural machinery
2. Categories:
   • Main Category: This is the most important choice. If you mainly sell products, choose an Agricultural Shop. If you specialize in repairs, choose an Agricultural Machinery Service.
   • Additional categories: Add anything that fits your business, e.g. „Fertilizer store”, „Supplier of crop protection products”.
3. Products and Services: Don't leave these sections empty! It's a gold mine.
   • Products: Add specific, popular products with a photo and price. This way, customers can find your store when looking for a specific item.
   • Services: List the specific services you offer, e.g., „agricultural machinery repair,” „fertilizer consulting.”.
4. Photos: Show your company from the inside out. Customers trust what they see. Add high-quality, realistic photos: of the facade of your building, the inside of your store with merchandise on the shelves, or your service department with the machines you repair, or even your team at work.
5. Posts (Entries): Give regular updates to customers. Entries are visible on the business card for 6 months, unless they have a different date set. You can inform about new delivery, promotions or events.

Your website - local SEO is a magnet for customers

A business card on Google is the foundation, but a website is your own piece of the Internet over which you have full control. It's where you can detail your offerings, tell your company's story and build an expert image. Proper local positioning will increase your site's visibility in Google search results and get you in front of potential customers!

Place names are your allies 

Google needs to know that you operate in a specific region. Use keywords with place or region names to optimize your site:

• Title and technical title of the home page (title): „Farm Shop in [City Name] AGRO-PLUS - fertilizers, feeds, farm machinery parts”.”
• Headings (H1, H2): „Best Agricultural Machinery Parts in [Name of District].”.
• Service Descriptions: „We serve farmers from [Name of Province].”.
• Page footer: At the very bottom of the page, put your full address details.

„Contact Us” and „About Us” subpage”

The ideal „Contact Us” subpage should include:

• full company name and address,
• An interactive Google map indicating the location,
• Phone number (preferably clickable on mobile devices),
• email address (clickable),
• opening hours.

The „About Us” subpage, on the other hand, is a place for a brief history of the company, introducing the team. A photo of the smiling owner and employees builds trust much more effectively than anonymous text.

Opinions of agricultural producers from the region

Google business card reviews are one of the most important ranking factors. 5 stars and positive comments from other agricultural producers, will make the farmer more likely to choose you.

How to ask for feedback without being pushy?

It is best to do this right after the purchase is completed. You can send the customer a short text message or email asking for feedback.

How to respond to customer feedback? Always and to every one!

Responding to customer reviews shows that your customers are not indifferent to you. Prepare yourself response templates for both positive and negative feedback. In the case of negative feedback, it's worth encouraging contact to resolve the situation.

Local positioning through link building - build alliances in your area

Imagine the head of the municipality, the president of the local bank and the head of ODR recommending your store. Sound good? On the Internet, such a recommendation is a link leading to your site from another local site. For Google, this signals that you are an important and trusted player in a particular city or region, thus allowing you to rank high.

Here are 4 simple ideas for gaining valuable local links:

1. Cooperation with a local news portal: Arrange for a sponsored article, such as one about the new pre-season fertilizer offerings or an interview with you as an expert. Ask them to include a link to your site.
2. Business database on the website of the municipality/city office: See if your municipality maintains an online directory of local businesses. Adding your business there with a link is often a free and very valuable form of promotion.
3. Partnership with the Agricultural Advisory Center (ODR) or the Chamber of Agriculture: If you cooperate with these institutions, ask about the possibility of including your company's information (with a link) on their website in the company directory.
4. Sponsorship of local events: Do you sponsor a harvest festival, a local soccer team or a TSO festival? Ask the organizers to include your company logo with a link to your site in the online announcement or coverage of the event in return.

How to dominate in local positioning?

You don't have to do everything at once. Start with the basics and systematically implement the next points.

Don't wait for the competition to overtake you. Start implementing the process of local SEO positioning today and watch your business become number one in the region!

We have been connecting agro brands with farmers for over 20 years.

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