When it comes to local search, Google takes into consideration both website content and a variety of other signals that prove your business is located in the right place. The goal is to deliver results that make it easy for a user to find what they’re looking for. So if you’re a local grocer, bakery, or carpenter, you need to be optimizing your digital footprint so that users can find you easily.
Keyword research is key for any SEO strategy, and it’s no different for Local SEO. By finding keywords that people in your area search for when looking for products or services that you offer, you can rank for those terms and drive highly relevant traffic to your site. The best part is that keyword research for local SEO typically doesn’t take as long as non-local search terms, because the pool of competitors tends to be much smaller.
Once you’ve found a few good local search terms, start creating content around those keywords. Focus on writing valuable articles and blog posts, as well as vlogs and podcasts, that speak to your audience’s needs and problems. Be sure to include those local keywords (along with a tracking tool like local rank tracker) throughout your content, but don’t overdo it – keyword stuffing is a major SEO sin that can actually hurt your rankings.
As you create your content, consider also leveraging some local citations, which are backlinks that point to your site from other websites. For example, if you can get other local blogs or news outlets to link to your content, it can boost your search engine optimization and help you reach a new audience.
Another important aspect of Local SEO is collecting positive online reviews, which can also impact your search engine ranking. In fact, research shows that Google places prominence on online reviews when ranking local search results, over factors like relevance and distance. So be sure to encourage your existing customers and clients to leave you a review when they experience a great, or even a not-so-great, interaction with your business.
Lastly, don’t forget about running some local competitions and giveaways that promote your business. This is a great way to generate some buzz, as well as build up a community of loyal followers. Those users are more likely to come back and interact with your brand again in the future, as well as refer you to their friends and family.