Since the past decade, many entrepreneurs have opted to build an online presence for their business. This includes having a search engine-friendly website and social media accounts.
However, many business owners tend to neglect local SEO. What they do not know is that it provides them an even playing field against enterprises and corporations.
That said, we have listed down eight local SEO tips that you can include in your digital marketing campaign.
1. Incorporate Local Keywords
Any reliable local SEO services provider would tell you how important it is to look for locally relevant keywords for your SEO strategy. That’s why if you want to improve your ranking on search engines, you want to do local keyword research.
However, what is a local keyword anyway?
Simply put, a local keyword has a location-specific detail or phrasing in them. These keywords would then generate search engine results with geographic ties.
You can use your local keywords anywhere you usually input your keywords, such as the title and meta description. One way to make it seamless is by incorporating your business’s general location in the title or meta description.
2. Setup Google My Business
If you want to improve your chances of popping up in local Google searches, you should optimize your profile on Google My Business.
Google My Business serves as a local listing, and it will even show up on Google Maps. It helps people figure out details about your business, especially your location and opening hours.
The more optimized your GMB profile is, the higher the chance you will rank for the relevant keywords. It will also help you stand out from any other competitors because you have all of your details that are relevant to them out in the open.
Since Google My Business is connected to Google Maps, it might also include a small map of your location if you correctly input that information. Together, all of these factors will help you stand out in the search results.
3. Highlight Customer Testimonials
One of the best ways to get more website traffic is by highlighting customer reviews and testimonials.
Showing that prior customers are satisfied with your provided job will encourage others to take you up on your service. It helps build your reputation and trustworthiness even to those who just found you.
You might even want to include the customers’ location to highlight how good your services are and the wide range of people you’ve provided your services or products.
Besides posting customer testimonials on your website, you might also want to post them on your socials. Of course, you have to ask for the permission of your customers to post them too.
4. Produce Local Content
Content is one of the best ways you can improve your search engine rankings. That’s why you should also produce content. With that said, if you want to improve your local SEO, you should create content that is relevant to the locality that you are targeting. Practical knowledge of your target market is critical for this.
However, you can use your local keyword research to help you get local content ideas to produce. It would help if you also sprinkled these local keywords in your content to help it rank higher in search engine results. Of course, don’t go too heavy-handed on this, or it will seem like an unnatural fit within your content.
The key is to produce local content and ensure that it’s relevant and of high quality.
5. Get Listed On Online Directories
As much as possible, try and list your business in online directories to improve your local SEO. Google My Business is one example of a local and online listing that you should be on that we mentioned earlier. However, there are plenty of other online directories that you should optimize.
Review sites like Yelp will be helpful, but only if you did your research and know that Yelp is popular in your target market. Otherwise, it’s not worthwhile. At the same time, there are online directories that are there for specific niches. For example, there are detailed online listings for home improvement businesses.
Do your research and list your business on the correct online directories relevant to your customers.
6. Ensure Your NAP Accuracy
While getting your business listed on online directories, ensure you input updated and current business information. There’s no point in showing up in many of these search results if the data and information about your business there are incorrect.
At the very least, you should make sure that your name and place, or NAP, information is correct. Consistency allows search engine bots to associate your location with your business.
Make it a habit to check up on the listings you have online and update them when updating.
7. Get Backlinks From Other Local Businesses
If you want to improve your reputation within the community, you might want to connect with local businesses. You can start with the companies that you work with frequently. It will be much easier to pitch something to them to help you get more backlinks leading back to your website.
The key is to ask them if they have a website up and running. Then create content or any compelling media that would make them want to backlink to you. Don’t assume that just because you have a positive working relationship with them should have a backlink leading to you.
Much like anything else in life, prove to them that you’re worth linking back to on their site.
8. Create An FAQ Page
An essential part of your website would be an FAQ page. This page should be about the most common questions that you get from potential clients. The page is also an excellent way to incorporate more locally relevant questions, and you might even put a few keywords here and there.
Conclusion
When you want to power up your local SEO campaign, the tips listed above can help you the most. They’re the foundation of your strategy, so make sure you enact this before anything else.
Remember that some of these work better than others depending on your industry or niche. Therefore, much like in anything else, it’s essential to do your research first.
Try these out when you can to see how it will affect your web analytics.
