Local SEO is important for businesses that operate on a regional level, as opposed to a national level. It is best at marketing your products, services as well as brand to local customers and leads. This strategy can create more leads, website traffic as well as conversions, as it is more relevant to your base of local customers.
Moreover, optimizing your local SEO can help you compete effectively against national brands with unlimited resources to spend. Therefore, without local SEO, your business is bound to lose a lot, in terms of traffic.
Nonetheless, if you have local SEO but still not showing up on the first page of search engines like Google or Yahoo, then you might need some professional help from firms like MRC SEO Consulting Calgary, to help pinpoint the problem and optimize your local SEO.
However, there are some things, you can check on, in a bid to improve your local SEO. Here they are:
Create local content
Creating content that is within your business niche can make a great impact on your local search rankings. Moreover, you can always add location keywords where necessary, just don’t overdo it. Otherwise, Google might frown upon it.
You can also use your blog to add fresh content, every now and then with some local mentions where appropriate. Also, make sure that your content is of quality and informative, for better searchranking.
Optimize your website for mobile
You will have to create or optimize your website for mobile, as most searches are done via mobile devices. People are always looking for services and products on the go. No one wants to wait until theyget home to do their searches via a desktop.
Therefore, it is vital to create a mobile-friendly website, in order to compete effectively in the local search results.
Use online business listings
Even though online business listings are many in numbers, they can help push your business visibility. With online B2C and B2B directories, you can improve your search-ability online. Just make sure you provide the relevant and needed details like name, phone number, address, and backlinks to your website as well as social media pages.
Acquire backlinks from sponsorships and partners
You can also reach out to partner businesses or organizations as well as those that you sponsor, including fundraisings or charities your business has participated in. Contact them, remind them of your involvement with them in recent years, and ask them to include a link back to your website.
Always take advantage of Google AdWords keyword planner
Google AdWords keyword planner is a free tool you can use to search for the perfect local SEO keywords, to use for your business. It will help you know the best keywords to use by showing which ones have the highest search volume and lowest competition.
Moreover, this free tool will also help you find some similar terms or words that your local audience are using when making searches within your business niche.
Conduct local link building
Apart from acquiring links from sponsors and partners, you also need to optimize, your links by establishing a relationship with other local websites within or related to your industry. This is because earning links from local high domain authority websites can really help your business get the recognition it deserves.
Get new and high-quality links
The quantity as well as quality of links that are directed to your business website has a great effect and impact on its local search engine rankings.
Therefore, it would be wise to be locally active with some local organizations. For instance, you can give a business presentation to the local university, participate in a regional business organization or meeting or publish some articles online. This way you get some opportunities to have the associated organizations link to your website.
Get some local coverage
You can also improve local SEO by appearing in major local publications, as they are often indexed high on Google. Foster a good relationship with a local journalist, who will be able to cover your news going forward. These coverage and links will help improve your local SEO massively.
Prioritizeonline reviews
Google often considers online reviews as key elements, when it comes to search rankings. So consider getting some online reviews from clients by including a link on your Google My Business listing in your website, e-mail, or e-newsletter among other easier options
Pay attention to on-page elements
In order to reach your local target audience, you need to have the name of your city or region your business serves in your website page title and meta description. This way search engines can know where you are.
In addition, you can also scatter location information all over content. Just ensure your NAP, name address and phone is listed on your site homepage.
