5 tips to catapult your local SEO ranking

Posted June 3, 2019 by Lee

Want to rank higher in your local area? Learn how to catapult your websites SEO (search engine optimisation) for your service-based business and help locals find your physical location and shop with you. This means you don’t want people finding you from far across the world, since they might not be able to create any sales. So, how do you focus on people in your local area?

Understanding Local SEO

Local SEO is a specialised form of search engine optimisation that focuses on improving a website’s visibility in local search results. Unlike general SEO, which aims to rank a website globally or nationally, local SEO targets specific geographic locations. This is particularly crucial for businesses with a physical location, as it helps attract local customers who are more likely to visit in person.

By optimising your website for local SEO, you can increase your online visibility, drive more foot traffic to your physical location, and ultimately boost sales. This involves tweaking your website’s content, structure, and meta tags to make it more appealing to search engines. Additionally, building high-quality backlinks from local websites and directories can significantly enhance your website’s authority and ranking in local search results.

Get on Google Maps

This is a big, important step, and a lot of smaller businesses aren’t taking it. Everyone has the right to suggest an edit to Google Maps, telling the service where to find the physical location of a particular business.

If you add yourself to Google Maps, you will take ownership of the listing and you can suggest new edits at any time. If someone else has already added you, you can also claim ownership of the business by proving who you are. This will really help, as you can keep all of the details up to date and fill in any fields which might have been missed.

Ensuring that your business listing is accurate and up-to-date across all platforms is crucial for maintaining a strong online presence.

When people search in your local area, a map can appear with the locations of their search results if they are physical businesses. This is why you want to be on that map!

Use location-based keywords for local SEO

Make sure that your keywords include an indication of where you are based, so that you can gather local traffic from those who are deliberately searching in that area alone.

For example, using the keyword ‘hairdresser’ is fine, but it won’t help Google narrow down your place in search results. ‘Hairdresser London’ is a lot more precise, and means that you will show up when someone is looking for your service in the city. To go even better, you can use ‘hairdresser Hammersmith’ – narrowing in on your precise location so that you are not missed by nearby residents. Using a mixture of all three while you optimise your pages means you won’t be left out of any results, and will show up no matter what level is being searched. For a local business, using precise location-based keywords can significantly improve visibility and attract more local customers.

Set up Google My Business listing

GMB, or Google My Business, is another sector of Google’s systems that you can set up to show it who and where you are. This gives much-needed details right in the search results, so that customers don’t even need to navigate to your website if you are in a hurry.

You will need to provide contact details, a description of your business, and your business hours. You can also ask for customer reviews with this service, helping you to build up a better reputation that will cause Google to boost you further. By optimising your Google My Business profile, you can also improve your chances of driving more organic traffic to your website.

Optimising Your Website for Local SEO

To effectively optimise your website for local SEO, start by ensuring your business address and contact information are prominently displayed on your web pages. This not only helps search engines understand your location but also makes it easier for potential customers to find you.

Incorporate location-specific keywords into your website’s content, meta tags, and titles. For instance, if you run a bakery in Brooklyn, use phrases like “Brooklyn bakery” or “best bakery in Brooklyn” throughout your site. Creating high-quality, location-based content that resonates with your target audience is also essential. This could include blog posts about local events, news, or community activities.

Optimising your website’s structure and design to be search engine friendly is another critical step. Ensure your site is mobile-friendly, loads quickly, and has a clear, logical layout. Building high-quality backlinks from local websites and directories can further boost your site’s authority and ranking. Finally, regularly monitor your website’s performance using tools like Google Analytics and adjust your optimisation strategy as needed to stay ahead of the competition.

Use text, not images

Make sure that your contact details are listed in actual text on your website, rather than being included as an image. This is particularly pertinent for websites that were designed before responsive sites became mainstream, as you may have wanted everything to display in a certain way. However, putting that information into an image means that Google can’t read it.

Putting it into text will instantly give you a local rankings boost, and also improve your level of trust as a business for Google. It shows that you are legitimate and do have real opening hours, and so on. Structured data can help search engines better understand your website content, which can improve your visibility in search results.

Building a Strong Online Reputation

A strong online reputation is vital for attracting local customers and building trust in your business. Encourage your customers to leave reviews and ratings on your website and social media profiles. Positive reviews can significantly influence potential customers and improve your local SEO ranking.

Responding promptly to customer reviews, whether positive or negative, shows that you value their feedback and are committed to providing excellent service. Engaging with your target audience on social media can also help build a community around your brand and enhance your online presence.

Monitoring your online reputation is crucial. Track your website’s performance and adjust your optimisation strategy based on customer feedback and reviews. Tools like Google My Business can be invaluable in managing your online presence, allowing you to respond to reviews and keep your business information up to date. By taking a proactive approach to building and maintaining a strong online reputation, you can attract more local customers and catapult your local SEO ranking.

Check for duplicate profiles

Has more than one profile been set up for your business on GMB or Google Maps? If so, this can be confusing for customers. Get rid of all of them except for the one you control – you can talk to Google directly to get this fixed, or log in to whichever account created them to delete them yourself.

This can be especially detrimental if you have moved business address and still have the old one listed! Google won’t know where to send your potential customers.

Your local SEO ranking may be more important than your global or national ranking if you are a local-based business. Keep this in mind while you are optimising your site, as you will want to focus on the approach that works for you. Following these tips will give you a quick boost with little effort. Taking a strategic approach to managing your online reputation can significantly enhance your local SEO efforts.

Categories: SEO