Local SEO is the process of optimizing your website and content for search engines to make it easier for potential customers in your area to find you. By implementing local SEO techniques, your business can increase visibility, improve brand credibility, and drive incremental revenue and performance.
While large businesses dominate the national search engine results pages (SERPs), small businesses can monopolize their local search results with a sound strategy and consistent execution. Local SEO involves research into local keywords, optimization of website and ongoing content, building a Google Business Profile, creating citations on relevant review and directory sites (like Yelp or Yellow Pages), and getting involved with the local business community to build trust and gain high-quality backlinks.
Keyword Research
Keyword research is the foundation of all SEO, but it’s especially important for local searches. By understanding how people in your local market search for products and services, you can optimize your website to rank well in local SERPs. By using tools like Google’s Keyword Planner, you can filter keyword searches by location to find relevant search terms. Once you’ve identified a list of local keywords, be sure to incorporate them into your site’s meta content, page titles, and URLs. It’s also a good idea to include mentions of region-specific landmarks and hotspots in your content.
Building a Google Business Profile
Having a complete and accurate Google Business Profile is critical for any local SEO strategy. It not only ensures that your business’s name, address, phone number, and other contact information are displayed correctly in search results, but it also gives you a chance to showcase photos and videos of your company and promote events and special offers.
According to LocalClarity, only 5% of companies follow best practices for their Google Business Profiles, so this is a great opportunity for small businesses to differentiate themselves from competitors.
Optimizing Your Website
Once you’ve optimized your Google Business Profile, it’s time to start working on your website and ongoing content. One of the best things you can do is to create landing pages for each of your core product or service offerings. This will help Google identify each page as being highly relevant to a specific search query, which will positively impact your local SEO rankings.
Another way to improve your website’s SEO is to make it mobile-friendly. Google’s algorithm has a strong bias towards websites that are optimized for mobile devices, so having a responsive website is essential for getting noticed by local searchers. Additionally, you can also add local keywords to your page title and H1 tags, as well as embed geo-targeted map features into your site.