Local SEO is the process of optimizing your website for a specific location and can be highly successful. It attracts new customers, raises brand awareness and boosts sales.
Local SEO is essential for businesses of any size, whether they are physical stores or services or digital marketing agencies. Not only does it drive foot traffic to your establishment in the areas where customers reside and work but it can also generate leads for future campaigns.
Keyword research
Keyword research is the process of discovering terms people use when looking for products or services. It assists in finding keywords relevant to your business, helping you rank higher in search engine results.
You can do this on your own or with the assistance of an SEO partner. There are various tools available to make research easier, but there are a few essential steps that will guarantee thorough and efficient outcomes.
First and foremost, you need to comprehend the services your business provides. Whether performing local seo for yourself or a client, this is an essential first step.
Now that you understand what services your business provides, it’s time to think about which terms customers might search for when searching online for them. Ask friends, family and others who you think could benefit from what you have to offer if they could benefit from what you provide.
Once these terms have been identified, you can plug them into a keyword research tool like KeywordsFX to generate a list of potential keywords to include in your local seo strategy.
On-page optimization
Local search optimization (LSO) is an essential element of any successful SEO strategy, as it helps your business draw in qualified local traffic.
Local SEO can also assist in reaching customers who are ready to purchase, as well as potential nearby customers. This is particularly true for mobile searches where 80% of localized searches convert into sales.
A local SEO audit can give you valuable insight into where your business stands in the local search ecosystem, as well as how to enhance it. It may also enable you to spot opportunities for improvement and get on track for being included in Google’s local pack.
NAP: Your business name, address and phone number should be accurate across the web. Make sure this data is displayed accurately across all online presences such as social media platforms, map apps and search engines.
Create top-of-the-funnel content that’s beneficial to local customers and contains relevant on-page signals. This could include a map of your city, news about your industry or an employee resource page.
Link building
Link building is one of the most effective strategies for increasing your local search rankings. Unfortunately, link building can be a time-consuming and daunting process.
Linking to other sites demonstrates your content is pertinent and authoritative. Furthermore, Google uses links as a ranking factor when ranking local searches.
Successful link building begins by finding relevant websites that share a similar target audience to yours. You can do this by researching whether these sites have an audience similar to yours or by directly reaching out and asking if they would include a link to your site.
Another way to build local backlinks is by seeking sponsorship opportunities. While this strategy requires more manual outreach than other tactics, it can be an effective investment in your local SEO campaign.
Social media
Social media can significantly aid your local SEO initiatives in several ways. It increases brand awareness and generates organic links back to your website, which improves search engine rankings.
Additionally, social media helps build your business’ presence within the local community. Every time a customer likes, shares or retweets one of your posts, it sends Google an indication that your business is credible and worthy of ranking high on SERPs.
Facebook also allows you to embed Google Maps on your business page, providing another opportunity to promote the location of your store. This makes it simpler for potential customers to locate and visit in order to purchase goods or services from you.
Instagram is another major platform that can assist your local SEO strategy. By adding geotags to photos, people using relevant hashtags will be able to locate you quickly. This increases visibility on both Instagram and Google Maps, leading to more customers viewing your profile.