How to Use Local SEO to Get Your Brand in Front of Nearby Shoppers
Local SEO is an effective way to put your brand in front of local shoppers and drive incremental performance year over year. Furthermore, local SEO can also help build loyal customer bases while strengthening brand recognition and increasing sales.
Starting off right is key and optimising website content with local keywords should be your top priority. In addition, consider optimising business listings and submitting it to local directories as ways of expanding reach.
Keyword research
Keyword research is a critical element of local SEO, helping businesses understand which terms customers are searching for in their locality. With this knowledge in hand, they can compile targeted keyword lists and optimize their websites with those terms.
To conduct local keyword research, begin by compiling a list of all of the products and services your business offers. Next, plug those keywords into an SEO paid search tool like SEMrush for further analysis such as search volume data, difficulty rating data and more.
Once you have done this, you should see an increase in organic traffic to your website – one sure sign that your local keyword strategy is working well.
On-page optimization
Local SEO can be an extremely useful strategy for physical businesses looking to attract shoppers in their local region. The aim is simple – get in front of customers at the right moment so you can build loyal customer bases while building community engagement and increasing online visibility. Local SEO also helps cultivate trust between brand and its audience while simultaneously increasing sales.
An effective local SEO strategy involves on-page optimization, which involves optimising page content and structure for search engines and understanding which keywords people search for. One great tool for local on-page optimization is the Yext platform.
Whitespark is another powerful local SEO tool. It can manage local listings, make recommendations on where best to list businesses and competitors, analyze competitors and track citations effectively.
Google My Business
Google My Business (GMB), is one of the primary ways that search results display local businesses. GMB will appear whenever a query indicates local intent such as searching for “vegan burger near me” or “onion rings downtown”.
Quality and quantity of reviews have a tremendously significant effect on your Local SEO ranking. To increase them, ask customers for reviews directly as part of your marketing initiatives; ask for them on checkout or during automated email sequences.
Your Google Business Profile should always remain up-to-date, for maximum Local SEO benefits. Be sure to include accurate keywords, service areas, photos and features such as online ordering or curbside pickup to make yourself stand out from competitors and attract more customers.
Local directories
Directories are an effective way for businesses to promote themselves online. Available across most industries and providing access to an abundance of information – such as contact details, URLs, reviews and opening hours – directories provide businesses with an excellent way to increase customer traffic and sales.
Local directories can be an invaluable asset when building trustworthiness for your business. By being listed in multiple directories, consumers will see that your establishment and services are reliable – giving them confidence when using your products and services.
Local directories can significantly boost SEO, but to get maximum benefit it’s essential that they remain consistent across them all. Any updates to your name, address, phone number or website must also reflect in each directory listing.
Social media
No matter if your business offers walk-in or online sales, local SEO is crucial to ensure it reaches the right people. While various factors contribute to its visibility in local search results and snack packs, some key indicators include Google ranking, GMB listing, citations, and reviews.
Social media plays an integral part of Local SEO. By regularly sharing engaging, quality content on your social media pages and engaging with followers, posting quality posts and engaging your target audience on these channels helps increase rankings as well as the chances of being featured in location-based search results.
Apart from optimizing your website with longtail keywords, make sure that all online listings are current and accurate. Furthermore, consider creating and managing a social media profile with links back to your website for maximum exposure.