Local businesses need to make sure that people find them online, making local search engine optimization (SEO) critical. Without local SEO, brick-and-mortar businesses and other locally targeted small businesses will struggle to get ahead of competitors. If you’re not sure how to go about building a local SEO strategy for your business, this guide will give you a good idea of where to start.

 

What Is Local SEO?

 

 

Local search engine optimization entails increasing a business’s online visibility in search engines such as Google. By targeting local keyword terms that people are likely to enter and adhering to certain best practices, local businesses of all types can rank well in search engines. This can lead to an increase in organic traffic to these businesses’ websites as they thrive above competitors.

 

Why Do You Need Local SEO?

 

 

If you run a local business in an industry that’s highly competitive in your area, potential customers may have a hard time finding you, particularly if you’re just starting out. Unless you integrate an effective local SEO strategy, more established competitors will be more likely to appear in search engines when searching for the types of products and services you offer. This is because Google places a high priority on businesses that target local search terms to help maximize the relevance of results.

By taking the right approach and integrating a solid strategy, you’ll have the chance to excel locally in your industry.

 

Tips for Improving Your Local SEO

 

If you need some assistance with launching a local SEO campaign or optimizing your existing strategy, the following are some actionable tips for local search engine optimization.

 

1. Get a Google My Business Listing

 

If you haven’t already, one of the first steps you should take is to create a Google My Business listing. When deciding whether to rank local businesses, one of the most important factors is whether the site has a GMB listing. Without one, you’re going to have a much harder time ranking well on Google.

 

 

The process of registering doesn’t take long and will get you on your way to a well-optimized local SEO strategy. First, visit the GMB website and begin the registration process. You can then indicate your business’s address, which will get Google to send a PIN that verifies that address. A few days after entering this PIN for verification, your business should be highly visible on Google Maps when people search for local businesses in your industry.

After creating your profile, be sure to optimize it. You can do so by adding posts to it through Google Posts and sharing your profile on social media. Additionally, you can start encouraging people to leave reviews for your business on Google, as Google favors businesses with plenty of positive reviews.

 

2. Target the Right Keywords

 

Like general SEO, local SEO requires effective targeting of relevant keywords to yield great results. You can start ranking for these terms by optimizing your GMB profile, website, and other platforms with detailed descriptions of your products or services. You can get help with this by using certain keyword research tools that reveal which search terms have the highest volume and competition levels.

 

 

At the same time, avoid keyword stuffing as much as possible. Google tends to punish content that comes across as spammy, and people who come across your content will likely turn away if it’s unreadable. Instead, try to simply include as much detail about your offerings as possible and naturally incorporate certain keywords when appropriate. With enough high-quality and descriptive content on a well-designed website, you may begin to see results over time.

 

3. Make Sure All Contact Information Is Consistent

 

To make sure Google understands everything there is to know about your business and eliminate any potential confusion, keep your business’s name, address, and phone number consistent across all platforms. Otherwise, search engines may not know which set of information is correct to rank it properly. In addition, incorrect contact details or others could cause frustration among potential customers when they attempt to connect with you, which may simply turn them away.

 

 

Set up your company’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) by listing these details on your website in the form of HTML text that search engines can easily crawl. Oftentimes, the best place for your site’s NAP is in your website’s header or footer content.

 

4. Seek Listings in Authoritative Directories

 

While a Google My Business profile is invaluable, you should also get your business listed in other high-quality directories. This will help you grow your link profile as you increase the number of high-quality backlinks leading to your website, which will help with rankings. Additionally, it will give your site the ability to rank through other directories. For example, if your website isn’t ranking particularly well for a valuable term, the term may rank well for your business in an authoritative directory. People who use those directories will also be able to find you more easily.

 

 

Remember, keep all of your business information consistent across all directories, including your name, address, phone, and other details. This will further help with rankings and prevent potential frustration among consumers.

 

5. Build Location Pages for Your Website

 

Creating location pages for specific locations is another way to get the most from your local search engine optimization efforts. This is something you should do if you have multiple physical locations or service areas that you wish to target. Each page can include details about your offerings and include naturally incorporated local keywords for each area.

 

 

Even if your business doesn’t have more than one location, you can essentially turn your About or Contact page into one by adding a Google Map module. You can even dedicate certain blog posts to the specific area you service.

 

Get Help with Your Local SEO Efforts from Experienced Professionals

 

 

With the help of the right local search engine optimization strategy, you’ll be able to maximize your visibility to local audiences and get ahead of competitors in your area. If you would like some help with your campaigns, giving you more time to focus on growing your business, contact the local SEO experts at Vigor Seorchers today.