How to Make Local SEO Work For Your Business
Local SEO refers to a set of tactics you can apply to your website and Google My Business page (GMB) in order to attract more local visitors. While similar techniques apply, such as on-page and off-page optimization, the focus will instead be more narrowly targeted towards one region.
Target your site when people in your locality have specific needs that your products can fulfill, using targeted strategies that will drive more people to your store and ultimately lead to more sales.
Keyword Research
Keyword research is at the core of SEO, helping you gain an understanding of what your target audience needs and ensuring content and site structures meet those demands. When executed properly, keyword research can lead to increased organic traffic that’s ready to convert, increasing business prominence while ranking higher on search engine result pages (SERP).
One key difference between local keyword research and traditional keyword research is its focus on user intent. If someone searches for a service, they want the best and closest option available – not results from all over the globe!
To identify keywords with local intent, start by making a list of services and products your business provides, then using an analysis and filtering tool like Ubersuggest or Semrush to filter these words until you identify ones with local relevance.
On-Page Optimization
On-page optimization involves matching search queries and keywords with website content, from smart keyword targeting to writing quality articles that deliver an enjoyable user experience. Avoid keyword stuffing (repeating one keyword too frequently) by creating relevant page content for your target audience.
Title tags and meta descriptions are two key ranking factors for websites. When optimizing them for search engine rankings, use keywords relevant to the target topic of the title tag as well as in the meta description to encourage click-throughs on organic search results pages.
Google rewards consistency with NAP (name, address, phone number). Make sure your information is consistent across all online platforms so Google can match up local searches more efficiently – something service-area businesses must do so that potential customers can easily locate them. A customer reputation management tool can also help track reviews from multiple online sources in one central place to save you time and effort as well as ensure your digital image stays healthy.
Google My Business (GMB) Management
An optimized Google My Business (GMB) profile can be an extremely effective local SEO strategy in retail, hospitality and tourism industries. GMB allows potential customers to quickly discover your products, services and location on map-based searches – making the transition between discovery and conversion an effortless one.
By maintaining consistency across online platforms and your GMB profile, you send Google a signal that your business is authoritative and reliable. By verifying your listing and adding photos (with business hours included! ), verifying and adding details relating to business hours etc, and updating all information correctly you increase the chance that local searches for similar businesses might feature you instead of others.
Posts provide an ideal opportunity to add keyword-rich content relating to your latest offers, promotions and events in order to enhance local SEO ranking. Furthermore, making posts on GMB daily sends Google the signal that people are engaging with your listing.
Link Building
Link building is an integral component of local SEO, helping increase domain authority and page rank – ultimately helping improve SERP ranking positions.
Citations links can be an essential local backlink, yet be wary when approaching directories as some can be misleading and negatively affect your search engine optimization (SEO).
Participate in local community events – this can help spread the word about your business and draw in customers. Also creating content about local events/news can be effective; whether this means posting blog articles about them on your website or sharing information on upcoming markets/garage sales in your area via social media – or sharing news stories of them through an unpaid advertisement campaign on social media; both can make your brand seem more trustworthy to newcomers.