Local searches are handy for small businesses. Suppose your local brick and mortar business isn’t optimized for local search. Then, You can lose some of your potential customers. In short, local SEO is essential if you want your business to be up to date.
What is Local Seo?
Local Search Engine Optimization is a regional digital marketing strategy. It allows customers to find physical websites based on Google’s organic results.
Local search engine optimization isn’t for small businesses like plumbers or electricians.
Think about this: when someone Google searches for “Tampa Salon” in Tampa, Florida. They have many local options. Your local Tampa SEO activity will help get you on the first page if you follow all the strategies properly and with consistency.
Signals that affect local Seo include local content, links, quotes, and online reviews.
Keywords Research
Keyword research for local SEO is usually more accessible than non-local keyword research. At the same time, some locations are very competitive than other places. There is usually a much smaller group of competitors for local keywords.
Combine your every product and service with all locations and blast your business! You now have a list of seeds.
Usually, you don’t have to deal with the exact keywords as “accountants near me.” It is because Google can replace a user’s location with “near me.” Instead, focus your initial list on actual sites.
Competitive Analysis
Compare your GMB results with local competitors using a tool like BrightLocal so that you have a clear picture of your local performance in areas such as offers, reviews, etc.
Then take a look at the feedback profiles of your local competitors. Check out local resources, media, and blogs that mention it. Add this option to your list of link-building destinations.
Optimize Google My Business Page
Google My Business classifieds play an essential role in local search. Google My Business allows search engines to verify that your business is legitimate. By optimizing your account, you will most likely appear in local search results. It also includes Google Maps and the local packages you want.
To optimize Google My Business:
Create and confirm a Google My Business page and fill it in as completely as possible.
2. Update the information by returning it to your account. In case your business hours or location changes.
3. Encourage your customers to browse your business online. And respond to every customer feedback.
You can even create a welcome offer and publish it to your local audience via GMB.
Maintain NAP Consistency
It would help if you made it easier for people and search engines to find you. To do this, set up your NAP, that is, name, address, and phone number (with area code).
Avoid the common mistake of including only NAP in images because google can’t crawl as HTML. The most common location for NAPs is in the site footer or header.
Optimize For Bing, Apple Maps, and Google Maps
Google also ranks on Bing. In local Seo, local listings influence each search engine’s unique place listings (Google My Business and Bing Places). Claim your Bing Places account and optimize it to capture all local Bing search traffic.
The optimization of Google Maps ensures that you understand GMB as possible.
Optimize your Citations
Citation alerts are one of the most critical factors in ranking local search engine results pages. A reference is an online reference about your company containing your name, address, telephone number. Yelp, Angie List, and local business directories are examples of websites that have local citations.
It will help potential customers as well as search engines. To optimize your local citations, the first thing you need to do is review them. Enter the NAP you want to use in a tool like BrightLocal. They also show you which websites you don’t already have on the list. You can then change each account by adding information as needed.
Work on Internal Linking
While external links pointing to your website are ideal. Changing your internal link structure will also improve your SEO rankings. Focus on crawling and use internal links to build the SEO architecture for the website.
Check navigation items such as your menu to ensure navigation is smooth and priority pages are working. Use the footer on your site to add more detailed navigation links that don’t make sense in the main menu. Your footer is a great place to connect with your favorite brick-and-mortar location.
Add individual Location Pages.
If you operate a business in many locations, create a site page. On the location page, readers get the name, address, phone number, store opening hours, etc.
For single-location companies, create a descriptive About Us page. You can earn big bonus points by adding a Google Map to your website on the relevant location page.
Add Schema Markup
Schema tagging is a form of structured data that you add to your website so that search engines can display more informative search results. There are different types of location markers for your physical location. It will allow you to view opening hours, location details, and more on the SERP. Open Google Structured Data Tagging Assistant, click on the Local Business field and follow the prompts. Again, keep your NAP consistent here.
Work on Local Reviews
Online reviews are an important signal of trust for Google. Depending on the industry, impact your ranking on vertical search engines such as Trustpilot, Yelp, Trivago, Glassdoor, Priceline, etc. You may not have control over which orders appear on the SERPs. You can’t “turn off” a bad review so that searchers can’t see it. But, you can control the story and provide a broader view at the SEO level. It ensures that your satisfied customers are the strongest.
Like most companies, you have many happy customers and a much smaller percentage of unhappy customers. When you mobilize satisfied customers’ voices, you reduce the impact of negative feedback by sometimes removing it from the first few pages of the SERP.
Make it Mobile Optimized.
Local search and mobile searches have a great connection. Most users make local searches on mobile devices. It is thus essential to make your website mobile-friendly. Suppose the website does not give a good user experience to the visitors. They will bounce back, and you will lose your customer.
Once you understand the basics of Seo and how Google values local search results. You can focus on signals that optimize your website’s digital footprint in the local search ecosystem. It allows your business to appear higher on the results page, driving more potential customers to find your business.
Yet, please note that local searches are evolving and changing. To find out which signals go up and down, you can turn to Moz’s annual survey to design your strategy gamebook. Once you upgrade all major signal areas, you can serve more people in your geographic location than ever.
