Why Local SEO is important
The world is full of small-to-medium companies that advertise on Google, but fail to emphasize their local affiliation.
Is your company one of them?
Let’s fix that. Narrowing in on your location is a powerful local SEO marketing strategy that will significantly improve your lead generation and search rankings.
If you’re serving your local community and want to get the word out there, then ditch those old local advertising methods and focus in on your local SEO marketing
Most of your potential customers will use Google to find a service just like yours.
They will most likely use their location in the search bar when doing so. By focusing in on local SEO, you can tap into that huge pool of customers!
Can you guess who made this statement?
“Search engine optimization is often about making small modifications to parts of your website. When viewed individually, these changes might seem like incremental improvements, but when combined with other optimizations, they could have a noticeable impact on your site’s user experience and performance in organic search results.”
This quote is straight from the mouth of Google themselves. It’s a strong indication that an SEO strategy is a required means to compete in today’s market. Narrowing in on your location is one of the “combined” optimizations they are talking about above.
Today I’m going to give you the basics on how to begin shifting your optimization efforts to local.
If you follow the local search ranking steps, you can soon expect an increase in local traffic—and subsequently, more business.
Local SEO Basics
1. Utilize the ‘Google My Business’ Platform
Google My Business is one of the most effective ways to ‘claim’ your business name and location for web search and an important first step for local SEO. When your industry is searched together with your location—and sometimes surrounding areas—your name will pop up on a list of options.
Next, to your name, new users will see a star rating of your business from past customers.
Your address and contact details will also appear, and you can select an image to entice customers to choose your company.
This type of visibility is invaluable to local businesses. It looks authoritative and trustworthy, which is why your local business should be on Google My Business.
You won’t always appear on the top search results, but when you do your revenues are sure to spike.
The more specific and accurate the information Google has about your business, the better your listing will be correctly classified and displayed which in turn helps potential customers find you on Google Search, Maps, and Google+
You should include the following:
- Add your business address that’s consistent with that on your website.
- Add your website address and a local phone number in the contact info section.
- Choose the correct category or categories for your business.
- Add your opening times/days.
- Enter a brief description of your business—what you offer, what sets you apart, your history, or anything else that’s helpful for customers to know.
- Upload a high-resolution profile image and cover photo.
- Upload interior photos, exterior photos, photos at work, team photos and any additional photos of your products and services. All images should be relevant to the business represented by the page.
A complete and updated Google My Business listing is crucial to local ranking and increasing credibility among your local community.
2. Get Reviews and Testimonials from Local Customers
Each and every time you complete a successful transaction with a customer, you have the opportunity to gain a testimonial. If your company is small enough, personally email customers after their experience and ask them questions that deliver an organic response or compliment.
Larger companies can automate their feedback process. This will help you acquire continuous feedback.
Post positive feedback on your website as a testimonial and ask your customer if you may post their name and photo beside it.
Google is one of the best places to gain reviews and this has been an essential part of effective local SEO for some time.
Google is known to prioritize businesses that have reviews on their Google business listing so it makes sense to encourage your customers to leave you a review on this platform.
To make it easy for them, you could generate a direct link to your Google Business review page, using the Google Business Review Direct Link Generator
The more testimonials you get, the more trustworthy your company looks to local users—and Google.
Your local SEO rankings will rise and result in a snowball effect of customers and compliments.
3. Maintain Customer Satisfaction Publically
Facebook and other social media platforms are great for company exposure. But exposure sometimes comes at a price. When customers take the time to publically complain on your social network page, it makes you look bad.
But these instances are actually blessings in disguise. Because the complaint is public, you can handle it publically too.
Doing this shows that you take complaints seriously and that you are willing to resolve them speedily.
It also builds trust in your brand, which ensures repeat business and automatic customer acquisition.
Garner feedback through social media posts. Social engines will reward you for actively being involved on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.
Encouraging feedback posts or polls allows you to constantly work on becoming more customer-centric, by giving your users exactly what they want and making them feel heard.
Social media offers us a way to promote content, be found online and show our relevance to our potential customers and it can have a fantastic impact on your local SEO, your rankings and your conversions too.
4. Utilize Local Listing Sites
Local listing websites are sites that act as hubs for multiple or specific industries.
There are probably fifty or more sites that list your immediate competitors, so it’s time to fight for your local online market and make yourself known wherever you can.
Find as many quality local listing sites as you can that will accept your location and industry.
List your company name, the services, and benefits you offer customers, your contact details(as they appear on your website), what area you operate from, and a link to your website.
I also recommended searching for your business name on Google and see where you already have listings that need to be claimed.
Once claimed, you can add your website link, business hours, and photos to help your listing stand out from others.
These links will act as a backlink to your site, and the area you filled in will be associated with your business when customers do a search.
5. Link Your Web Pages to Each Other
If you’ve never done internal link building for your website, I’m going to recommend that you do so.
It makes a significant difference to your ranking and will also help your audience better navigate your content and website.
If a piece of your content refers back to something you’ve already written about, link a phrase to that page so that readers can read up on it later if they choose.
When linking your internal pages, be sure to follow these guidelines:
- Always link 6 words or less
- Use location-specific terms in your linked phrases
- Make sure the phrase you link is actionable
- Don’t link to the same page more than once
- Make sure the phrase you link is fitting to the content you’re referring to
- Add other external links that may be relevant to your article
6. Create Location-Specific META Tags
If the majority of your clients are local customers, it’s imperative that you add your location to your website’s META tag.
This immediately shows users that you are in their immediate area and assures them that you can meet their need.
Because this is the first description your users will see after hitting ‘ENTER’ on their search, make your META tag as descriptive as possible. Include key information:
- List your services or products
- Add a contact number
- Assure users that you have what they want
- Add your location and industry beside each other
Being location-specific filters out the users who will click on your site and then simply bounce back because you’re too far away.
Bouncebacks will negatively impact on your ranking, so make sure you’re only attracting the locals who will actually use your services.
7. Use Keywords and Location Names in Your Content
Mentioning your location on your home and contact pages is fine. But to boost your local SEO you must also add location names to your other content.
Product/service pages should re-emphasize your location within the content in a natural manner. This helps optimize your site for your location so that nearby users find you.
Your blogs should also have location names in them if it makes sense to do so.
Blogs are the perfect opportunity to dominate your location-specific keywords.
Don’t go overboard with keyword stuffing, but add your location at least once in some your blogs to rank higher for your industry in that area.
8. Create and Post Location Pages
Location pages are blog-like articles that are specially written to sell your product or service to a particular area.
These location pages should include relevant local information, a location-based case study if you provide a service and highlight the benefits associated with using your company.
Adding a location map showing where you are or if you don’t have a local address, where you serve and providing clear driving directions for the user is beneficial
If you only have a handful of locations, mentioning them on your service pages or linking to your “our locations” pages on all service pages is recommended.
This creates a clear link between your services and your locations for your users and the search engines.
Location pages are high-alert indicators for Google’s algorithm. Once your site is crawled,
Google will associate your industry with your location and rank you higher for when people seek out your services.
9. Post and Tag Authentic Images
Google’s algorithm has become more and more intuitive when it comes to images.
Adding images is always a plus, but the wrong images can cost you ranking points with search engines.
Post authentic images that you’ve taken yourself.
The less editing you do on these images, the better. But in the same breath, you must take good enough images to catch your users’ attention and ensure they’re optimized.
So keep those photos high-quality, but keep them authentic too.
Authentic local images will get a better response from your audience.
10. Claim a Hashtag
Hash-tagging all of your social media posts with the same hashtag each time will solidify your industrial leadership in a particular area. For instance; if you’re a florist in Exeter, your hashtag could be #ExeterFlowerDelivery. It’s a simple two-word hashtag that tells people the only three things they need to know:
- You sell flowers
- Deliver them
- You are based in Exeter
Google will also pick up on this hashtag, and each time it’s clicked on by a user, you will get ranking points for relevancy.
Local SEO is arguably more powerful than generalized SEO. It’s cheaper, more targeted and more effective.
Blow your competitors out of the water with this guide on local SEO strategies. Take each one step by step and watch your local rankings soar.
Are you a local business owner?
Will you now be paying more attention to local SEO?
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the Comments below.
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Marshal Brar
Hi, very nice article
Thankx for sharing this great article, keep up the good work.
Hazel Jarrett
I sure will! Thanks for the comment Marshal.
Hazel Jarrett recently posted…What is off-page SEO? – SEO BASICS
Adrian Crisostomo
These are great tips for businesses who wants to get ahead of local competitions when it comes to online visibility. Simple tips that can surely help and have a big impact. What’s left for them to do after applying these is just to convert leads into customers.
Dexter Roona
I agree Hazel did a great job in this post.
Dexter Roona recently posted…Mobile SEO Guide 2018 – The Ultimate Guide
Hazel Jarrett
Absolutely Adrian, getting people to your site is only part of the battle. Conversion rate optimisation is essential too. I created a guide on this that might be of interest – https://www.seo-plus.co.uk/conversion-rate-optimisation/
Gaurav Kumar Joshi
Hi Hazel,
Good to see you here!
Local is is quick, easy and effective. You can easily improve the ranking and rank for highly targeted keywords in local area. Google my business and review helps you a lot. Local directories also help to improve your reach.
Thanks for sharing.
Gaurav Kumar Joshi recently posted…Five Important Business Processes to Streamline
Hazel Jarrett
Thanks Gaurav!
I agree local SEO is very effective. As for quick and easy, this is not always the case as it tends to depend on how much local competition you have and if they are on top of their local SEO. Like you say though, optimising for highly targeted keywords is a definite advantage. Thank you for your comment.
Hazel Jarrett recently posted…SEO and GDPR: Why SEO will be your best marketing tool in the GDPR world
jatin thakur
Hi, Hazel Jarret
Nice information especially about creating internal links as they create a creative juice to your site and improve SEO and also thanks to the guidelines you mention before creating internal links. Some of them are very helpful to me.
Regards – Jatin
Hazel Jarrett
Great to hear – thanks Jatin
Hazel Jarrett recently posted…39 ways to get more mileage out of your existing content
Gary
This seems to be way over my head, maybe I need to hire someone to take care of this for me. You seem to be very well informed on this subject!!
Hazel Jarrett
Yes, we can certainly help you
Hazel Jarrett recently posted…39 ways to get more mileage out of your existing content
Alexa Bell
Wow, extremely useful information on this post. I am glad I found this very useful for me. Thanks for Sharing such a Great Information.
All the Best
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Web development designs and marketing is a good way to promote your business on a wider market.
kubersir
I like your way! you are doing very well you have shared wonderful information!
Chris Mcdonald
Thank you for this very informative and very well detailed content. this is very helpful
seo marketing Paddington
SEO isn’t about instant gratification. Results often take months to see, and this is especially true the smaller you are, and the newer you are to doing business online.
Rowdy
Wow, some of the tips were very helpful to me. Thanks for sharing.
Dexter Roona
Thanks for stopping by.
Jack Thomas
I am searching on google for local seo tips and i get your blog. I found this much useful blog for local business growth. I am very happy to your strategy Technics. Thanks for sharing.
siva
Thanks for the tips about Local seo basics. From my point of view, Seo was never been so tough as it is nowadays. And is becoming more and more advanced with the often search engine algorithm updates.
Nasir Uddin Shamim
This is a very great suggestion particularly to those new to blogosphere, short and accurate information. Thanks for sharing this one. A must read the article.
10seos
First of all, I wanna say I loved your writing. From beginning to end you nailed it totally. To write this you might have worked hard for research.
Thanks for sharing this good article.
ashish sharma
This is a very nice information I learn seo to best digital marketing insitute in jaipur Digital Technology academy
Ganesh Dasari
Great blog post! I love finding super high-quality local SEO blogs so that I can keep up to date with the latest SEO cutting edge information. Thank You.
Anthony Connolly
Wow, Thanks for sharing. It’s a very helpful post.
udit khanna
Great Article about Local SEO Guide and Step Strategy to Success.
You can easily improve the ranking and rank for highly targeted keywords in the local area. I agree local SEO is very effective. As for quick and easy, this is not always the case as it tends to depend on how much local competition you have and if they are on top of their local SEO. Like you say though, optimising for highly targeted keywords is a definite advantage.
Thank you for your comment.
Dexter Roona
Thanks, glad you had some takeaways.
Kelowna
We agree with everything here. Sometimes it is good to review the basics because you are reminded of little golden nuggets. Point 10… Claim a hash tag is a concept that was familiar and yet had fallen out of practice… a good reminder to employ the strategy more frequently.
Thanks for the article.
Tarek Aziz
Excellent thoughts on getting Local SEO clients
Ella Hayes
Really your strategy will help to set up an online business platform successfully. I found you all strategy worth applicable. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge.
Sonali Melen
Hello,
It is the amazing article which includes all the important points which is essential for the local SEO. After reading this I think I need to optimize the Meta Tag with the local area so that it can impact my online visibility for the local SEO. Thanks for writing the problem solving article.
Rajesh Sawant
Fantastically written post! Thanks for sharing this great tips for Local SEO. Very informative article with tons of knowledge. I will share this article with my colleagues who are looking for SEO. This will surely help them in starting and enhancing his abilities. Thanks for sharing such a great article with us. Keep Writing.
Melisa Smith
Hello dear, I am very glad to read your article. I try to read different types of marketing related article always. Today I surf to read about SEO and I found your one. I think today’s web world cannot think without SEO. Day by day the rang of SEO in becoming wide. Local SEO also playing a good role in SE for a good ranking. Thank you so much for your awesome article. Keep covering this type of valuable content more.
Koderey
Local Business gives you the most potential business. Thank you for explaining it. I really like the way of putting content.
Anisha
Thanks for sharing this information
Adelina Adell
An awesome article. One of the best articles in my study. After six months I have a desire to do this type of site. Then I will try to apply your formula. Thanks for sharing the mind-blowing article.
Rajon Islam
Thanks for sharing these valuable information about local seo. Your information will be helpful for my local business.
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Pakistani Cream
Hey, Usually I never comment on blogs but your article is so convincing that I never stop myself to say something about it. You’re doing a great job Man, Keep it up.
Ashar Jamil
OFF-PAGE SEO signals are one of the most important ranking signals to google.
Now to make it simple, OFF-PAGE SEO is all about “Backlinks”.
Some of you may say, what is a Backlink?
A link on someone else’s website pointing to a page on your website is considered as a backlink.
Getting backlinks from higher authority websites will help you to rank higher in google.
And if the number of backlinks you have to your site is good then that’s great for your Google rankings.
Google considers and ranks based on the two types of OFF-PAGE SEO signals.
Page Level Backlinks
Domain Level Backlinks
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Martina Motwani
Great SEO Tips.
niharika malhotra
Very Nice. Such great information you have shared with us. It is very beneficial for all of us.
Biplab Mahanta
Hi,
Nice post. I am very happy to read such an article. I think it would be very helpful to the people, who want to boost their business with local SEO guide. Please keep writing. Thank you.
Jack
Hazel, great article though if I may be so bold to mention that SEO is very important for your business to be noticed and found though if you have a website try and make the URL name relevant to what your business is about. This helps you to be found on searches if your URL name is Gills.com not many will put that in a search box to find a florist for example.
Iliyas Khan
Thank you for the great post. It was such a good read. It will be really helpful for the people who are looking for seo services and want to use it in their business. As we all know, Local SEO plays a major role to list your business. Now every business is using local SEO marketing tactics. So, if you are looking forward to learning SEO then there are so many digital marketing institutes that offer digital marketing course in India.
nih
I must say that the article is very informative and it helped me to go through many of the doubts. I came to know that i was doing that in a wrong way till now. I was making general mails for customers but after reading this amazing article, I will be making a better and interactive email for customers for better engagement and trust building. thanks a lot.
Jessica Lacy
Local SEO has become one of the most important and effective strategies for businesses to gain an edge against their local competitors. just great!
Learn Digital
Thanks for sharing this Valuable information. I like this blog.
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wonderful article
i like your post thanks for this useful information
Virtual Support PH
Thanks for the in-depth discussion everything about Local SEO, the strategies also are really helpful. Thanks a lot for sharing this post, really appreciate it.
Timmy
Fantastic post regarding local SEO, Thank you for sharing the useful information. Local SEO is great way to get the edge against competitors. Keep sharing your knowledge and research.
Amy Winters
Thank you for pointing out that the number one step in SEO basics is to claim your business on Google My Business platform. My dad has been thinking about getting a website started. It’s good to know that he will need to claim his business as a start to get his SEO started.
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deepika singh
Hello, Hazel
Thank you and keep blogging. You have made an explanation of local SEO excellent and plain. The importance of local SEO is higher than ever, especially for small businesses. It’s been a great pleasure to read your post.
Satyam Sagar
A very nice post and easily readable. this post helps everyone to grow local business. We are the best SEO service provider in Agra.
Vinay Kumar
Really a very helpfull article, amazing tips for local SEO guide, thanks for sharing with us. Thank you.
Aaryan Garg
For local SEO, first of all you need to start with the on-page optimization part of SEO and then off-page part. In off-page optimization, you must do the activity such as directory submission. In that, select local directory websites and add your company/business information in it.
shirleyr
Excellent work! I am impressed and good luck with you at all times. Would love to see your article to be continued.
MC Karma
Wow!
Amazing content for local business. I’m really thankful to you for sharing such knowledge. It really works for local SEO.
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Mary Orwells
Thank you for this informative article and your tips are awesome. If anyone wanted to rank his website locally than go to idig Digital.
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Eric Dotson
Local SEO is a method of increasing search visibility for businesses. And here you have covered some valuable points. Thank you for sharing such an informative article. Keep updating some more knowledge in future.
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