Whether you’re a wedding photographer in Seattle or a small Italian restaurant in Los Angeles, local SEO can help you rank higher in Google search results and drive more foot traffic to your business. The best part is, it’s easy to implement!
While content marketing is a key factor, local SEO also involves other signals, like Google My Business, citations, and reviews. The impact of these signals is longer-lasting than traditional marketing methods.
Keyword research
Keyword research is an essential part of local SEO. It allows you to find keywords that are highly relevant to your location and help you rank higher in organic search results and the local pack. For example, if you have a boutique that sells kitchen accessories in Brooklyn, New York, you can use a tool like Answer the Public to identify keywords that searchers may type when looking for your product or service.
To start, you should first make a list of all the services your business offers. This is an important step, regardless of whether you are doing it for a client or your own business. You can then use tools like Google Keyword Planner and Semrush to source keywords with implicit or explicit local intent.
On-page optimization
Local SEO involves optimizing your website content to match your local audience’s search intent. This can be done by incorporating keywords into your site’s content, building citations, and optimizing local landing pages. Additionally, you can use tools to measure your on-page optimization performance.
For example, if you run an HVAC company, you can use a keyword like “hvac brooklyn” in your website title and in the H1 tag. You can also add a keyword in your site’s meta description to further strengthen your rank.
Other ways to boost your local SEO include blogging (to increase expertise, authority, and trust) and responding to reviews. These strategies can help your business improve its local search rankings, increasing visibility in The Map Pack. However, it takes time for results to take effect.
Off-page optimization
Off-page SEO techniques offer a potent supplement to on-page optimization in local SEO. These techniques help to enhance the visibility of your business, cultivate strong local search rankings and bolster your online reputation. In addition, they send signals to Google that your site is a trustworthy source for information and a reliable destination for potential customers.
For example, off-page SEO techniques include claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile, and building consistent NAP citations (name, address, and phone number) across the web. Additionally, encouraging happy customers to review your business on Google, Yelp, and other local business directories is a powerful off-page SEO technique.
These reviews are considered by search algorithms as EAT signals, or Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, and they can provide a significant boost to your local SEO ranking.
Local citations
Citations are an important part of local SEO downtown San Diego and can help you rank higher in search engine results. They are also a key factor in building trust and credibility. To get the most out of your citations, you should try to have them listed on directories and review sites that are relevant to your business.
Citation building can be time-consuming, but there are tools available to make it easier. Whitespark, for example, offers a free Top Local Citation Sources by Country finder that can give you a list of the best citation sources for your specific location and industry.
In addition to structured citations, unstructured mentions are also valuable to your local SEO. These include websites that are related to your industry or niche, and can help potential customers discover your business.
Reviews
Google lists review signals as a local search ranking factor, specifically under “prominence.” This means that the number and quality of reviews you have for your business affects how well your business ranks in local searches.
Online reviews have become a vital component of local SEO. Customers rely on them to decide which businesses to contact, so it’s essential that every local business pays attention to its online reputation.
A good strategy for managing online reviews is to encourage customers to leave feedback, and to monitor and respond to positive and negative reviews promptly and professionally. This helps establish a reputation as a trustworthy business. In addition, it expands the digital footprint of a local business, which is another ranking factor that Google considers.