There are various local SEO techniques you can employ to strengthen your online presence, some being easier than others but all designed to connect with audiences and expand business.
One of the most essential steps is ensuring your NAP (name, address and phone number) remains consistent across all citation sites such as Google Business Profile, Yelp and TripAdvisor.
Keyword research
Conducting local keyword research is an integral component of optimizing both websites and PPC ads, helping attract more customers while raising your visibility in search results. There are various tools that can assist with local keyword research such as Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, and Moz’s Keyword Tool that provide a list of relevant terms with information on their search volumes and competition levels.
Local SEO works best when targeting keywords relevant to your location or service area. Doing this will allow your business to draw customers within that vicinity and more likely lead to conversions.
Researching keywords alone won’t do. When researching competitors and online business listings, ensure your NAP (name, address and phone number) remains consistent on each one. This will send clear signals to search engines that you are an authoritative business – as well as increasing the chances of appearing in local packs.
On-page optimization
Local SEO is an integral component of any successful online marketing strategy, helping businesses get found in search results and attract more customers while differentiating them from competitors to gain a competitive advantage. Unfortunately, however, many businesses struggle with on-page optimization due to it requiring extensive research and trial-and-error. Semrush provides a free on-page SEO checker which businesses can use to assess and optimize their on-page content.
At the core of local SEO lies keyword research. By conducting an investigation into what people are searching for and the frequency and user intent behind their searches, this data will allow you to select keywords relevant to your product/service offerings and business.
Link building
Local link building is an integral component of local SEO strategies. It helps your business rank higher in search engine results pages and reach more consumers, while simultaneously helping establish credibility and create brand recognition within your target market. Customers tend to favor businesses with higher rankings and relevant content – plus they will easily find your website, which is especially crucial given that customers typically need seven brand impressions before taking action on something.
Start optimizing your local SEO by claiming and optimizing your Google My Business profile, along with creating reviews and customer ratings via methods such as encouraging customers to leave reviews directly on the profile, Reputation Builder or created links (links posted to forums or directories that help increase local authority). All these efforts should help to achieve local SEO success!
Social media
As consumers increasingly demand omnichannel shopping, businesses must now manage two storefronts: physical and digital. Local search optimization involves tailoring both website content and website layout to target audiences with the ultimate aim being driving customers into physical locations.
Social media has become an invaluable asset in 2021 when it comes to local SEO. While it may seem counterintuitive, using social media for local SEO purposes can increase search engine results rankings by building citations and review signals on these channels.
Social media can also be an excellent way of cultivating relationships within local communities and promoting your brand, such as through sharing photos or events, hosting community meetups or supporting local causes. You could create separate pages for each location of your business (i.e. Airbnb’s Miami page displaying content matching searchers’ search intent for places to stay). Furthermore, optimizing meta titles and descriptions with keywords related to local markets could further boost brand recognition and grow marketshare.