Local SEO marketing is an integral element of any business’ digital strategy. It can have a significant impact on the number of phone calls and foot traffic your establishment receives.
A successful local SEO strategy can have a lasting effect on your business, bringing qualified buyers right to your door.
Keyword Research
Keyword research is a critical aspect of any local SEO marketing plan. This involves finding keywords that are pertinent to your business and will drive more localized traffic.
Before you begin, ensure your website and business listings are optimized for local search. This includes regularly updating contact information, hours of operation, and product/service offerings.
Additionally, conduct competitive research to identify which keywords your competitors are using. Doing this gives you a strategic edge over them by increasing your chances of ranking highly in search results.
Once you have your list of keywords, check to see how popular they are online using tools like Ubersuggest, Google Keyword Planner and Google Trends.
On-Page Optimization
On-page SEO refers to all the activities you can do on your website that will boost your rankings in search engines. This includes optimizing title tags, content, and internal links.
On-page optimization is essential for making your website as user friendly as possible, which includes making sure it functions well on mobile devices and tailoring content specifically to people rather than just search engines.
On-page optimization is an integral component of any successful SEO campaign, and it’s essential to stay abreast of Google’s algorithm updates. Local businesses especially must prioritize location-based signals in order to guarantee their business appears in relevant local searches.
Local Citation Building
Local citation building is an integral element of local SEO marketing, as it helps search engines understand your business location and what services you offer. Furthermore, building trust with customers helps boost visibility on Google Maps and search results alike.
Citations are digital references to your business that include your name, address and phone number (NAP). Citations may appear on listing directories like Yelp or YellowPages as well as industry-specific websites.
Google’s Local SEO guide states that having correct and consistent NAP information across the local citation landscape can improve your rankings in local searches. Make sure your NAP data matches everywhere it appears, particularly on Apple Maps and Google Search.
Link Building
Link building is an effective way to increase your local SEO rankings. It helps your website appear on the first page of Google for relevant searches.
The more links you have from credible websites, the higher your search engine ranking will be. It could also increase the number of people who visit and buy from you.
One of the best ways to acquire high-quality backlinks is by targeting authority websites in your local market. This could include licensing bureaus, trade associations and Chamber of Commerce websites.
Another local link-building strategy is to reach out to other businesses in your area and invite them to write guest blogs on your website. They may choose topics related to your business, creating multiple backlinks in the process.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is an effective way to expand brand recognition and foster relationships with your target audience. Furthermore, it helps boost search engine rankings.
Local SEO is essential for many businesses, as consumers often conduct searches that include their location and a particular product or service. Having accurate business information on social profiles – including the NAP (name, address, phone number) – can help your business appear in local search results.
Social media is an ideal platform to obtain and solicit customer reviews. These can improve your website’s ranking on Google and other search engines, as well as potentially influence listings based on Google Maps or the Knowledge Graph.