What is Local SEO
When it comes to local SEO, there are plenty of do’s and don’ts. The right steps can lead to higher rankings and more traffic, while the wrong ones could leave you in the dark, far away from your competitors.
Let’s take a look at some of the most important do’s and don’ts of local search engine optimization!
The Big Deal with Local Search
Local search has been climbing the ranks and is now considered one of the best ways to do business.
If you’re not doing your due diligence in this field, you might be missing out on a wealth of potential traffic.
To make sure you are properly prepared for local search we have compiled some information that will help boost your content.
1) Include Location-Specific Keywords –
Including keywords that relate to your location is always a great way to start boosting your local SEO keywords.
You should include geographic terms such as city, county, state, or neighborhood and provide information about what area you are in if it’s necessary for understanding the product or service being offered.
Keep in mind that these words are very competitive so it may take time to rank well for them, but they can give you a nice long-term ranking advantage.
2) Get Local Business Listings –
One thing many people forget when dealing with local SEO is making sure their business is listed on directories like Yelp, Google+ Local, and Yahoo! Local.
Make sure all of your company info is up-to-date and accurate including photos of your storefront or offices.
Many listings also offer special features like coupons or specials which can generate even more interest from consumers.
3) Follow Up On Reviews –
Asking for reviews from happy customers will yield better results than asking unhappy ones who had bad experiences because reviews play an important part in local SEO rankings.
What is Regional Search?
Local SEO is the process of optimizing your website for ranking in search engines so that people in your area can find you.
Regional search is a subset of local SEO and is targeted to people in the same geographic region as your business.
Regional search optimization should be a critical aspect of your local SEO strategy if you are targeting consumers living nearby.
Local Search Engine Optimization provides the following benefits – Local businesses get exposure to more local customers.
It helps build trust, which leads to higher conversion rates. – Lures in more nearby clients and produces more income.
The different ways of local SEO include keyword research, site structure, link building, social media marketing, paid advertising, Google+ Local listings, reviews and ratings on third-party sites like Yelp or Citysearch, and last but not least mobile marketing.
In order to rank well on regional search engines make sure you have all of these factors covered because they’ll make a huge difference in the number of potential clients, you have locally around where your business is located!
Adding Rich Snippets to your Website
There are many ways you can go about optimizing your website for search. If you’re going for local SEO, there are a few extra steps you can take.
One of the most important is adding rich snippets to your website. Rich snippets give users more information about your business in the search results and help increase click-through rates.
It is a win-win situation: not only will you be driving more traffic to your site, but you’ll also be helping Google understand what it’s looking at so that it can deliver better results in future searches.
Keep these local SEO tips in mind as you create content for your website!
Link Building Strategies for the Local Business
Local businesses often struggle with link-building strategies. However, there are some ways that you can boost your local SEO that doesn’t include going out and getting links.
Here are a few tips:
-Get reviews on sites like Yelp or Google Local
-Create a video of your business and upload it to YouTube
-Build an event page on Facebook and drive people there by posting updates about the event
-Sponsor a charitable organization’s fundraising campaign for your local community.
Just by making small contributions, you will have more credibility in the community when you do need to do marketing for your own products/services.
There are many more things that you can do for local SEO that don’t require any costs but take time and dedication from yourself to succeed at them.
If time is something in short supply, then invest in what would make sense for you.
These all depend on where your customer base lives as well as how they find information so be sure to consider those two factors before trying anything else out there!
Maximizing Organic Rankings
Local SEO is a powerful, proactive way of making sure your business stays at the top of the search results for local searches. These tips will help you maximize your organic rankings:
Optimize your business name and address in Google Maps. It’s important that this information matches up with what is listed on other directories like Yelp or Foursquare so that you can take advantage of their reviews and customer base.
2. Make sure the website has good descriptions about where the company does business, which services it provides, and whether it offers any certifications or accreditations.
3. Keep it consistent! If there are duplicated listings across multiple sites, one will eventually rank better than the others.
You want to use this opportunity by optimizing whichever site ranks higher. Maximizing local SEO is something every small business should be considering.
Keep your listings as up-to-date as possible so that people searching for you don’t find outdated listings from competitors instead!
Optimizing your site for Google My Business Pages
Local SEO is hugely important for small businesses, which often depend on their local customers.
Optimizing your site for Google My Business Pages can be a really easy way to get started with local SEO – it’s all about getting people to find you in the search results.
If you haven’t already claimed your Google My Business page, this is a good place to start. Google My Business pages let you manage your business information and connect with potential customers and existing customers on the web and through mobile devices.
You’ll want this page so that when people do searches for your type of business, they’ll be able to find out what they need to know about you!
Ensuring your website is Mobile Friendly
Mobile-friendly design is a crucial element of any successful local marketing campaign. The days when people would visit your website on a desktop computer, then bookmark it for later reference are long gone.
People are now accessing the internet from their mobile devices and expect to find what they need quickly and easily. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out on key opportunities for local SEO.
You can ensure your website is mobile-friendly by following these steps:
Ensure the text size is large enough to read on screen
Keep images concise and reduce file sizes
Reduce the number of unnecessary links or buttons in navigation bars
Provide easy access to contact information on all pages, including phone numbers
