How Does Local Search Engine Optimization Differ From Traditional SEO?
Local SEO differs from traditional SEO in several key ways, while still adhering to most of its fundamental principles.
Make sure your business NAP is accurate and consistent across the web by monitoring for misspellings, address/phone number discrepancies and duplicate listings.
Focus on gathering citations from authoritative and trustworthy websites in your locality, as well as pay special attention to link building efforts.
Local Keywords
No matter if it’s for yourself or for another business, in order to effectively do local SEO it’s vitally important to understand how users search in the local area for products/services. In order to do this, explicit and implicit local keywords need to be utilized as starting points.
Exact local keywords contain geographical references in their search queries, like “dentists in NYC.” Implicit local keywords don’t, but still convey intent such as “how to unblock a drain” or “gas boiler repairs.”
The best way to locate these keywords is with a keyword research tool. Simply input seed keywords, apply filters to narrow down results, save any relevant ones to your Keyword Manager and review competitors’ keywords; this may give you ideas for new targets as well as overlooked phrases which could prove more worthwhile to rank for than more obvious terms.
Local On-Page Optimization
Many of the same SEO practices used on regular websites also play an essential role in local SEO – including keyword research, content creation and citations.
However, local SEO presents special considerations and strategies. Google takes into account a business’s relevance and prominence when ranking it for local searches; this data can largely be determined from its Google My Business profile, although other influences such as its referring domains and review signals could play a part as well.
Businesses operating within a specific geographical area should ensure their NAP (name, address, phone number) is displayed consistently across both their website and local listings to help improve ranking and bring in new customers. Furthermore, it’s also essential that service keywords are assigned correctly on pages within your site – for instance a plumbing company may wish to create separate pages dedicated to emergency plumbing and drain unblocking services; search engines will display results tailored specifically to the user’s location.
Local Link Building
There are various local link building strategies to consider; however, not all will suit every type of business. For instance, restaurants may benefit more from online local directories than from newspapers or community forums in their link-building strategy.
Citations optimization is another essential aspect of local SEO, and is used by Google as a factor when ranking businesses. Making sure all online citations are consistent and accurate will help boost local rankings.
An effective way of finding these citations is searching the websites of local news sites or blogs for “local + keyterm”. For instance, if your bridal boutique is in Rittenhouse Square, searching “Rittenhouse Square + bridal boutique” and reaching out to relevant publications to inquire about getting featured can provide valuable opportunities to build backlinks – which could also result in high-quality local backlinks!
Local Content Marketing
Local content marketing refers to the practice of producing and publishing website content tailored specifically for local search terms that consumers typically search for when looking for goods and services in their immediate location.
Google My Business, Facebook Listings, Bing and Yelp directories all play an essential part in local SEO rankings; keeping all these directories accurate is essential for effective local SEO efforts. Keeping these directories updated and in sync is crucial in order to maximize results of local SEO strategies implemented for brands.
One way to rank highly in local search results is to collect reviews on consumer-oriented websites like Facebook, Yelp, Thumbtack and Angie’s List. Integrating them into Google My Business listings and websites is essential for optimizing local searches.