Local SEO is the practice of improving your site for a specific geographic location. If you have a business, like a store, café, or agency, you need to make sure people can find you.
If you’re already getting traffic, you should also target your audience geographically. There’s a lot more you could do to improve your online presence!
How does localized SEO work?
Local search optimization is very important because it helps businesses get found by potential customers who are searching within a specific radius of their location. A proper address is essential to optimizing for local search.
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What’s the difference between local and traditional SEO?
Local SEO is a sub-discipline within SEO. Local SEO focuses on getting higher ranks for your website’s pages in specific locations. This helps you get found when people search for local solutions. Local audiences perform most of these searches. By understanding what people are searching for, you can help them solve their problems.
How have search engines evolved over the years?
Search engines were originally designed to help people navigate the web. As the number of websites grew, however, it became difficult to find what you wanted. So search engines were developed to help people find information online. These search engines worked by matching phrases entered into them to websites that contained those words. Google was the first search engine to take advantage of links between websites to rank websites based on how trustworthy and authoritative they were. This allowed people to find the websites they needed without having to wade through pages of irrelevant results.
Digital footprints are used by Google to determine what information users want to see when they type a query into Google. A person’s digital footprint includes things such as: how often someone visits a site, how long they stay there, what pages they view, and more. Each of these factors contributes to a score that determines how likely it is that a user will be interested in seeing a particular page.
How Google ranks search results
Algorithms are used to rank websites. Organic results are returned when someone searches for something. Inorganic results are returned when someone doesn’t use keywords.
Google ranks websites based on how well they match what you’re looking for. If you want information about a particular topic, you should check out the most popular sites first.
Improving your SEO influences both relevance, prominence, and link popularity factors for your website. Optimizing the right elements of your website’s digital footprint increases your site’s visibility in more search results.
Ranking Factors to win at Local Search
Local businesses should be aware that two different algorithms are powering the local map packs and the main Google organic search results. This means that local businesses may see more traffic coming from the local map packs than the main organic search results.
This year, Google’s algorithm update was focused on mobile friendliness. Mobile-friendliness is now an important ranking factor.
Localized content and local link building are important factors when optimizing your website. You should take into account your business’ details such as address and phone number as well as optimize your titles, meta description, and follow SEO best practices.
Local citations from data aggregators are also taken into consideration when ranking your site. This means that if you have a local citation in Google Places or Yelp, this will help your page rank higher than other pages without such citations.
Local SEO tools can be used to create local-oriented SEO audits. Keyword research focuses on your local audience, builds citations, manages Google My Business listings, and monitors your inclusion in local packs (Google Maps).
Website content is a significant factor in Google’s ranking algorithm, just as it is with other search engines. Location-based factors like Google reviews are also considered by Google.
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Who Needs This Anyways?
Local SEO marketing is needed by any business with a physical location. This includes bars, law offices, and grocery stores. Any business that serves a specific geographic area needs local SEO marketing. These include restaurants that deliver, plumbers, and locksmiths.
Local search engine optimization (SEO) is a great tool for businesses that want to attract customers locally.
The Benefits of Local SEO Marketing
Local search engine optimization is important because it favors smaller businesses over large ones. Research shows that 92 percent of consumers travel just 20 minutes or less when purchasing their daily necessities. Search engines know this and apply a specific set of ranking factors for local searches.
I am looking for a local SEO expert who can help my company get more customers by ranking us higher in Google Maps. We want to target people who are searching for our products near them.
Google My Business Ranking Factors
Relevant businesses are those that are close to the location terms used in the search. Businesses that are further away might be less likely to appear in the results because they aren’t as relevant.
Prominence is defined as how well-known a business is. Famous landmarks such as museums are more prominent in local search.
Prominence is also based on how many people are talking about your business online. Positive reviews and ratings will help your business get more prominence.
Relevance Tips
Choose the best possible category for your GMB listing and or Subcategories. Include an accurate business description in your GMB listing, try to include your main business keyword, and location within your description, make sure your name, address, contact details in GMB match the details on your website plus any local citations (see semrush citation tool).
Distance Tips
This is the least controllable because every user’s search will be different. If your location isn’t in the actual location target, then you won’t get results. Use the location where applicable in h tags on-page. For example, if you’re looking for an emergency plumber in Leicester, use the following code:
Directions for customers on-site should be provided by local-centric content on-page. This type of content would help users who are searching for products or services within a specific location.
Prominence Tips
Local citations stick to authority directories in your country. Look up local-specific directories in your country. Search for niche-specific directories and register with local chambers of commerce and trade bodies. Local charities are great for getting donations. The local press loves this story.
A great article on how to get more reviews on Google My Business. This article also explains how to make it easier for customers to leave reviews on Google My Business and other social media platforms.
I must add a caveat here. Stay away from mass directory submission. These low-rate submissions are often ignored by search engines. You should choose the most authoritative and relevant businesses for your site.
Optimizing Your Google My Business Page
Your first step would be to claim or create your Google Business Page. You need to verify your business using a postcard containing a PIN. Once verified, you can start promoting your business online.
Other options of verifying may be shown to you, depending on whether Google is sure about the existence of the business. Phone verification, text, or e-mail. Your newly verified business list lives in your account dashboard, or if managed via mobile apps, via the GMB App.
Type of Business
There are two types of businesses. A local business provides services to customers who come to them. A service area business serves customers within an area or postcode.
Main Business Information
Your main business information lives in the Info section: Here are areas you need to fill: Name Business Name. Though tempting, do not keyword-stuff; this could cause issues later. Remember consistency with your name, address, phone number. Category Business Category. All category types are available. Select the nearest type and secondary categories applicable to the business.
Your competitor uses Google Maps, and he addresses the business as follows: 123 Main Street, Anytown, USA. He also pins the business address on the map. You should use this information to make sure that your business address is accurate. Also, if you are in a service area, you can choose to display the areas that you serve on the map.
Hours Your Opening Hours. Set the opening hours of your business. If you’re an appointment-only business and want to avoid providing hours, then don’t include them. If you’re open during regular hours but close early or stay open later than usual, you can add special hours. Also, if you’re a restaurant, you can add special times for late-night dining or holidays.
Phone numbers are set up as Primary and Secondary. Call tracking is enabled. A short name is provided. Shortened URLs and review links are created.
Website. I recommend that you use a UTMLinked to your web address.
You can add as many services as you want. If you are not offering any service, then you won’t need this section. If you do offer services, then you’ll be able to add them here.
A new business listing should be created without any attributes selected. When more people use the Google Maps app, they get push notifications asking them questions about your business. You can choose what kind of information you want to add to the business listing.
I’m a hotel. My name is Hotel. I am located in New York City. I provide services such as restaurant, bar, spa, pool, fitness center, etc. I also offer rooms.
Google posts last for 7 days but you can still scroll through past posts. An event or offer lasts until the set end date but traffic from google posts diminishes over time.
You should be posting regularly in closed systems such as Facebook or Twitter. However, if you’re already doing that, then why not spend those extra 5 minutes and provide information to users who find you in search results? Google has also started displaying snippet in the local pack if they find content from you that is relevant to the user’s search queries.
You can also use UTM Tracking Codes for your Google Posts to help you determine what works well with customers and refine over time…
Photos
Photos help you make connections with people. Don’t use low-quality photos or logos. Monitor customer added images for quality and report them if necessary.
Products
Businesses can be categorized by product type. This allows users to see what kind of products each business offers. Businesses can also be sorted by category.
Question Answers
Questions and Answers do not appear within your GMB listing because it was created using Google My Business Dashboard. Just because this is NOT within the GMB dashboard doesn’t mean it should be ignored! I recommend populating a couple of popular questions and answers to assist customers if they search in the area. I would also periodically check for any questions asked by new customers.
A business with many reviews ranks higher than a business with few reviews. Businesses should reply to reviews, even if they’re negative. Be polite and professional.
You can easily send customers an email with a link to leave a review. This feature is built into your customer emails or newsletter.
On Page Optimisation for Beginners
Local Search Optimization Tips For Beginners – A Wealth Of Information Out There About SEO, And Google Provides A Helpful Resource For Multi-Location Businesses That Will Require A Slightly Different Approach.
Reinforce Your Location on Site
Search engines understand where your business is located. This information is important when it comes time to do local search engine optimization.
Site Pages
We want to be found online. We need to make sure that people know where our website is located.
Home Page
Bob’s Plumbing: Your local emergency plumber. Happy Paws are award-winning dog groomers in Northampton.
Page Titles – Use these tags when you want to tell people what your site is about. Keep them short and sweet. Don’t overuse them.
We’re an emergency plumbing company based in Northampton. We offer 24 hour service, from burst pipes to blockages. Call us today!
Internal Pages
A radiator repair shop is located in Northampton. There are two other shops nearby.
A frequently asked question page should be created by using the following tags: FAQ, Q&A, FAQS, FAQs, FQA, FFAQ, FFAQS, FFAQS, etc.
