Local SEO has become one of the essential components for every business and brand that wants success in the long run across search engines. While global search engine optimization is also important, the significance of local SEO can't be ignored. According to some source, 50% of consumers who perform a local search on their smartphone visit a store that same day.
Before you start reading through the following content keep in mind that search engines will always keep on modifying the methods used for ranking websites.
What works today may not work the next day or next month.While improving SEO requires time, there are some relatively simple steps you should take to improve your company's local SEO.
Here's what Agency Founders advise you to start with.
1. Create Keywords and Links
Link-building and keywords are basic components of good SEO. If you could only focus on two things, I would say audacious link-building and emphasizing the right keywords to rank for.
Once you have the keywords in your mind, then you need to build unique landing pages for each set.
Also, don't forget to update meta titles and meta descriptions to link with the keywords. Insert your local keywords into distinct descriptions across multiple listings, make sure that your images are current, and always incorporate your business category.
Once you organize a list, promote it:
Many companies like Degions are doing a great job in connecting bloggers with brands. Reviews are necessary not only to boost rankings but also to encourage viewers to take action. The quality and quantity of links directed to your website have an increasingly stunning effect on its local search engine rankings.
2. Optimize Google My Business Profile
One of the easiest things you can do to improve your local SEO is claiming your Google My Business profile.
This is a business listing that appears for local searches. You need to have a physical location and street address to set up or hold a listing. Enhancing this profile with a category, contact information, images and business hours gives a big advantage in local search. Make sure your Google My Business page is optimized and accurate and also has the correct business name, address, and phone (NAP).
3. Quality Content
You can get high rankings from effective and quality content. If you want your site to rank locally, you require good content.
Don't know where to start?
Have a glance at the top five or 10 ranking local sites in your industry and use them to show your creativity.
Also, create 500-700 word page-based on every targeted keyword (such as "plumbing repair"). Also include images with alt tags, along with reviews or testimonials. Every product and service should have its own page along with a description, tags, pictures, and categories.
4. Be Authentic
It's very important to be as authentic as possible when listing your business on sites like Google, Bing or Yelp. Always update your business's description regularly and upload photos that are current and high quality.
But keep on mind that images that appear photoshopped can hurt your SEO ranking. Also, ensure that you are not accused of stealing someone else's photo or content. If anyone reviews your business, positively or negatively, you should respond with positive feedback.
5. Mobile users Friendly
When submitting your information, ensure that you include mobile sites and indexes. But not all queries display the local directory pages in the results.
For some search queries local web pages will rank instead of a local results area, and for that to occur your website must be SEO optimized for the location. This is difficult at times, but it should be done more often.
As for mobile, your website should implement responsive design elements to optimize your site information just for the mobile platform the user has.
6. Associate Business with Area
Begin with Google Maps and end with your website, citations and local listings. Ensure that you make it clear to search engines the area that your business wishes to dominate, and the full extent of your service area.
This isn't an easy answer, but it is the one that will work. Simple things don't get you ranking: quality, comprehensive hard work does.
7. Reviews and Ratings
Use people's reviews and ratings on Yelp and Google+ to enhance your brand popularity. The number of positive reviews and ratings help businesses rank better for local related queries in Google.
Also, businesses with better ratings and extra information than competitors get more clicks (higher CTR). Attract your users to write good reviews on Google+, Yelp, Zagat etc.
Save time and money - and boost rankings - by outsourcing the labor-intensive task of managing bulk local listings.
Local SEO can be risky to manage; it is time-consuming work that can end up being a bit expensive for the client. The reality is that apart from citation-building, traditional SEO factors such as on-page content, backlinks, and technical crawl health have a great impact on local SEO rankings.
