5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Local SEO Strategy
If you’re a brick-and-mortar company or provide services to a local demographic, Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can make or break your success.
According to Google, 46 percent of searches have a “local intent”. For small business owners, that’s a huge opportunity to attract local customers online. In fact, 97 percent of people learn more about a local company online than anywhere else.
The problem is that most small business owners hear the term “SEO” and feel like it’s too technical and time-consuming to do themselves. However, if you’re not paying attention to Local SEO for your small business, you’re likely missing out on customers who are nearby and ready to purchase.
What is Local SEO?
Imagine you’re running an errand in an unfamiliar neighborhood and want to stop for coffee. Likely you’ll Google “coffee shops near me” or search “coffee” in Google Maps. Based on the results, you’ll choose a coffee shop that’s currently open, located nearby, and highly rated. That’s exactly how your customers search, too.
When someone searches for your services or industry on Google, your business can show up in a variety of places including the search engine results page (SERP) and the local 3-pack (or map pack). Businesses are ranked based on proximity, relevance, and prominence.
Proximity is how close your business is to the searcher. This basically means that if someone in Denver googles “coffee shops”, Google will intuit that they are looking for coffee shops nearby and serve them a list of Denver coffee shops within close proximity to their location.
Relevance is how relevant your products or services are to the search query. If someone were to search “restaurants near me” instead of “coffee shops near me” Google would serve a list of full-service restaurants, and your coffee shop may be pushed down the search results because it isn’t as relevant to what the searcher intended.
Prominence is what other customers are saying about your business online. Positive reviews, online features, local directory listings, and high-quality backlinks all build authority for your brand. This online buzz tells Google that your coffee shop is the best in town, which helps to improve your ranking in the search results.
How to Improve Your Local Rankings
If the idea of implementing local SEO tactics into your marketing strategy sounds daunting, you’re not alone. However, there are a few simple ways you can tweak your online presence to improve your search rankings in the local market and attract customers.
Optimize Your Website for Location
Make sure that your website clearly states where you are located. You should include your up-to-date name, address, and phone number on your contact page and the footer of your website. It’s also important to include your location in the copy of your website. You can do this naturally, where it makes sense, and without keyword stuffing. Here are a few examples:
A Digital Marketing Agency based out of Colorado Springs
Denver’s favorite coffee shop
Your go-to plumber serving the greater Denver metro area
Including your location throughout your website is helpful to both search engines and your customers, because it clearly conveys where you do business.
Localize Your Social Media Channels
Localizing your social channels is one easy way to organically attract a local audience and drive local traffic to your website. First, make sure that your correct address, operating hours, and contact information are included across each of your social platforms. Next, tag your location on all of your social posts. Finally, use localized hashtags that target your city, state, or neighborhood so that your profile shows up in relevant feeds.
Claim your Google My Business (GMB) listing
Google My Business is a free tool for businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. When you claim your Google My Business listing, you can set up a business profile, keep your contact information up to date, and interact with your customers online.
The information on your Google My Business listing feeds into the local 3-pack, Google Maps, and appears on the results page when someone searches for your brand. Your listing consists of information submitted by you (name, address, phone number, services, etc.) and information submitted by your customers (reviews, Q&A, subjective attributes, etc.).
It takes minimal effort to set up and maintain your Google My Business listing, but it can have a tremendous positive impact on your online presence, ensuring that your contact information is pulling correctly on Google and giving you an opportunity to ask for and respond to customer reviews.
Get Listed in Local Business Directories
Local business directories are often overlooked, but can help build website authority and drive traffic to your website. When you are listed on a business directory, your listing will link directly to your website. This is called a backlink. High quality backlinks tell Google that your business is legitimate.
Remember quality over quantity when it comes to backlinks. It’s better to have a few listings on high-quality, legitimate business directories than a hundred listings on spam sites.
Manage Customer Reviews
The internet is the new word of mouth, and reviews help customers make informed purchasing decisions. Remember to ask your customers for positive reviews on Google, Facebook, and Yelp.
It’s also important to have a plan for when your business receives a negative review. While negative reviews can damage your online reputation, it’s important to respond to every negative review you receive. When responding to negative reviews, take responsibility for the negative customer experience, personalize your message, apologize and offer reparations if possible.
Applying these foundational tactics will help your local SEO strategy deliver better results. If you want to dive deeper and learn how your business can attract local customers online, we would love to help you. Contact us at perry@mungadaiconsulting.com to schedule a free marketing consultation!