Don’t underestimate the importance of local SEO. It’s quickly become extremely integral in marketing a small business in 2022. You might be wondering, however, how exactly you can succeed in your local SEO campaigns.
Don’t fret - we’re here to help! As time passes and more people start to see the importance of SEO as a whole, local SEO is also becoming more competitive than ever.
Small businesses are slowly starting to realize the importance of local SEO campaigns - they bring lots of search visibility, as well as being able to connect with customers on a local scale.
Google and search engines alike are constantly looking for ways they can provide users with the most accurate, local information possible.Ranking well in local search results, therefore, is ideal - and taking a strategic approach is the key. Today, we’ve summarized some of the key factors to take into account when wanting to improve your local SEO rankings.Have a seat, grab a snack, and let’s get into it!
What is local SEO?
In a nutshell, local SEO is designed to increase your search presence locally, with customers located near your business having access to your services first.By concentrating on your local SEO and making it a priority, you can make sure that you’re on the map for the customers that matter most.
Use Google My Business
The most simple yet arguably the most crucial ranking factor in local SEO is having your Google My Business profile properly set up.Google My Business is a free tool, which works to provide users with businesses local to them by using Google Maps.By properly setting up your GMB listing, you can ensure that your business is noticed - both by potential local customers, and by Google themselves. Since GMB tends to pop up first when users are searching for you on Google, making sure that your business is verified, listed and managed is imperative.Search engines will use factors like proximity, address, contact information and more to decide whether or not your business will appear to people in your area.Because of this - make sure you claim, verify, and set up your GMB listing - this, combined with a comprehensive local SEO campaign, will optimise this listing as much as possible.
On-Page Signals
There are an array of on-page signals that are taken into account when your website is being analyzed for ranking locally.For one, relevant keywords are essential, as search engines will be specifically looking for keywords that relate to where your site actually belongs.Relevancy is extremely important when it comes to local SEO - the right keywords are what will get your site ranking in the right areas.The presence of details such as name, phone number, and addresses on various pages also help with on-page ranking factors.Google will use this information to therefore determine significant proximity details for all of your rankings.
Online Reviews
Nine times out of ten, a customer will read reviews about your business before deciding whether or not to make a purchase.Positive reviews online will help show your business as reliable, trustworthy, and legitimate. Having these positive reviews will not only help the decision-making process, but will impact your local SEO too.By receiving frequent positive reviews, your rankings will increase - especially since local SEO rankings take into consideration the number, diversity, frequency and quality of reviews generated for a business.By consistently receiving positive reviews for your services, Google takes this as a sign that customers are pleased with these services - so encourage your customers to leave positive reviews on platforms such as Google, Glassdoor, and Yelp.
Backlink Profile
Backlinks are essential in building authority for local businesses. Local businesses should therefore aim to build links from relevant, local, and authoritative websites.Having a selection of strong backlinks can be tough, but remember that quality is much more important than quantity.Some examples of places where you can begin local link building are:
- Local publications
- Industry publications
- Local directories
- Local event pages & blogs
Receiving backlinks from sites like these is crucial to ensure you’re a priority placement in search results.Local SEO ranking factors that are also associated with backlinks apply to the quantity of various linking domains.
Online Citations
Back in the day, we had Yellow Pages.Today, we have online directories and citations.These citations are particularly useful when wanting to gather consistent information about businesses on the web, as well as acquiring local backlinks from these websites.Searches often use directories to find services and products, as well as their location and contact details.Therefore, it’s a key to improving your local SEO!Consistency across your online presence is key for a solid local SEO strategy, so make sure that your business name, phone number, and address are consistent across all directory listings.The use of directories and citations like this reaffirm your contact information to both users and search engines.
Local Content
Finally, it’s super important to keep publishing content that is relevant to your local and surrounding communities.Users absolutely love being able to connect with brands on various topics that are relevant, community-based, and relatable.Search engines serve, therefore, to provide websites that will have the most value to users - because of this, local content ties into your local search rankings so well.Local content can include an array of components, such as:
- News pieces
- Blogs
- Articles
- Videos
- Graphics
By using key phrases and location-specific terms in the copy of your content to draw users in, you can successfully improve local visibility for your business.
You’re a local whiz!
By identifying the factors that affect your local SEO rankings, you can start to develop your local SEO strategy in conjunction with your wider SEO strategy.By having a look at the local ranking factors listed above, it’s easy to see that local SEO isn’t a walk in the park - it takes time and commitment to see long-term benefits.Taking a comprehensive approach to your SEO is one of the key ways you can make sure this happens!If you’re still unsure, we’ve got you covered - get a free proposal with Local Digital, and let our team of SEO experts put in the hard yards for you.
