If you want to make sure that your business gets noticed in the Information Age, then you need to leverage the power of search engine optimization, also known as SEO. SEO is the practice of tailoring an online business’s presence to be appealing to search engines. This helps websites rank highly for certain terms and phrases that might be relevant to your industry. As SEO has grown this has led to the development of a smaller niche area known as local SEO. This is the practice of helping your business rank for local searches. Some of the triggers that let a search engine know that a local search is being performed include:
- Searches that include “near me”
- Searches that include city or town names
- Searches that include zip codes
Local SEO allows your business to compete against larger corporations at a local level. If you want to improve the local rankings of your business, there are a few tips that you need to keep in mind.
1. Create a Google My Business (GMB) Account
One of the first tips that you need to keep in mind is creating a Google My Business (GMB) account. The most effective way to rank higher on Google Maps and in the broader Google search engine is to create an account on this platform.
In order to get access to your business’s profile through this platform, you need to create an account. Once you fill out all of the requested information on the dashboard, this information will be added to your business profile. This will show up on Google Maps, in the Google Search local results, and in the Google Search Knowledge Panel. This is one of the most powerful ways to improve your local SEO.
2. Foster Reviews from Happy Customers
Another way to boost your local SEO results is to foster reviews from happy customers. In addition to improving your local rankings, having strong local reviews will also encourage more customers to purchase from you. Many customers view online reviews in the same light as personal recommendations. Think about asking for a review at the end of a sale or sending a follow-up email asking for a review. This can significantly help your local SEO.
3. Think About the Power of Voice Search
During the next few years, voice searches are going to increase significantly in popularity. Therefore, when it comes to local SEO, you need to optimize for this functionality as well. When people speak into their phones, the search query is different when compared to how they type. During voice searches, customers tend to use more long-tail keywords. As a result, your business has to optimize for this as well. Specifically, focus on terms that are used to start a question.
4. Local News Stories Are a Key
When you are running a local SEO campaign, you need to let Google know that you are in the local area. The best way to do this is to publish content that relates directly to a local issue. Therefore, write blog posts around local news stories or events. Create videos that focus on local charities that are supported by your business. Set up webpages that pertain directly to specific locations in your area. These are great ways to let Google know that your business operates in a given area and will boost your local SEO rankings.
5. Mobile Functionality Is Key
There are countless studies that have shown that a major shift is taking place as people move from desktop computers to mobile devices. Mobile visits to websites have been growing quickly and, therefore, you need to make sure that your company’s website has been optimized to handle mobile traffic. When Google is pulling results for a given area, the search engine is looking for results that are relevant to the needs of the user. This is why your mobile website has to work well. This will ensure that it is relevant to the needs of the user, boosting your rankings.
6. Keep Up with Local Keywords
Your keywords need to be relevant to local customers. This is where the Google keyword planner is helpful. This tool allows you to filter keyword searches based on your location. This allows you to find the most popular search terms for a given location. That way, you can come up with copy that is related to the needs of your users. This will help you boost your local rankings, making it an important part of local SEO.
7. Fill Out Your Location Specific Pages
It is not enough to simply have pages that are dedicated to certain locations in your area. You need to make sure that all of these locations are filled out. Some of the information that you need to mention includes:
- The hours of the store in that area
- The name, address, and phone number of that store
- Individualized descriptions that are not copied and pasted, as Google penalizes plagiarism
- Testimonials from customers
- Promotions that the store might be running
- A Google Maps tag attached to each location page
- A mention of parking in the area
Having strong location pages for each of your stores in a given area will significantly improve your local rankings. Location pages are a key part of running a strong local SEO campaign.
8. Focus on Online Business Directories
One of the most important parts of local SEO involves focusing on online business directories. If you want your local SEO to be a success, you need to make sure that your name, address, and phone number are all consistent across all of these online directories. Some of the most popular online directories include sites such as:
- Yelp
- Foursquare
- Yellow Pages
- MapQuest
- Google Maps
- Apple Maps
- Trip Advisor
These online directories can make or break local SEO. That is why you need to pay attention to them. Visit these directories and make sure that you complete the following steps. These include:
- Make sure that your company’s name, address, and phone number are all correct
- Add a backlink to your website
- Make sure that there is a thorough description of your business
As long as the information is consistent, this will help you with local SEO.
9. Foster High-Quality Backlinks
One of the most important parts of local SEO is backlinks. Specifically, these are links that direct visitors to your website. In general, quality over quantity. Think about the quality of the links you are getting instead of the number of links. If the backlink is coming from a place that is respected as an authority in the industry, then this is going to matter more than backlinks that are coming from sites that are rarely visited. To foster backlinks, create high-quality content on your site that will encourage backlinks. Post guest blogs on reputable sites with strong domain authorities. Finally, encourage influencers to promote your business to find additional links that will help you rank local.
10. Create Subpages
Finally, if you want to improve your local SEO, then you need to create a dedicated page for each of your products and services. Do not lump them all into one page. This will dilute the power of your local SEO campaign. Instead, you should create a focused page for each of your products with a unique URL that could act as landing pages for potential visitors. This will help you rank local.
Run a Strong Local SEO Campaign
These are just a few of the top tips that you should keep in mind if you are looking to run a strong local SEO campaign. Optimizing for platforms such as Google My Business, checking online directories, and fostering backlinks will help you boost your rankings for local results, allowing you to compete effectively in your region. If you are looking for strong Denver SEO services to rank local, then rely on Denver Web Design professionals to help you!