Local SEO Tips To Boost Your Rankings

10 Local SEO Tips To Boost Your Rankings. Local SEO is a must for small businesses operating on a regional scale, focusing on specific locations to enhance visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs). This targeted approach brings in more relevant traffic, increasing the likelihood of conversions and business success. Ignoring local SEO means missing out on a significant 35% of search traffic that is local, emphasizing its crucial role in connecting businesses with nearby customers actively searching for their offerings.

Enhancing your local SEO boosts website traffic, leads, and conversions, particularly among local customers. This targeted approach levels the playing field against larger national brands, leveraging specific local-SEO tactics to counterbalance their advantages. By concentrating on local-SEO strategies, businesses can compete effectively and attract customers based on relevance rather than just brand recognition.

Here are the top 10 ways you can make your local SEO successful.

1. Create a Google Business Profile

Improving your Google listing, known as your Business Profile, is a highly effective method for higher rankings on Google Maps and increased visibility in local search results. To optimize your Business Profile, you’ll need a Google My Business account associated with it. After providing the required information in your Google Business account dashboard, it will be integrated into your Business Profile. This profile is featured in local search results on Google Search, the Google Search Knowledge Panel, and Google Maps.

To enhance your Google Business Profile:

Establish a Google Business account and confirm ownership.
Furnish precise and current details.
Add your logo, operating hours, accepted payment methods, product or service details, and numerous images.
Prompt customers to review your business online.
Respond genuinely to customer reviews.
Utilize the Google My Business dashboard to post updates about products, events, and special offers on your Business Profile.

2. Get Regular Reviews from Happy Customers

Boosting your Google My Business impact involves not just reviews but also influencing local purchasing decisions. According to BrightLocal’s 2017 Local Consumer Review Survey, 85% of customers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

Here are effective tips to prompt reviews:

Request reviews in person after a sale.
Send a post-purchase email or text, ensuring customer satisfaction through an internal survey.
Respond professionally to existing reviews, expressing gratitude and addressing concerns in less favorable feedback.

3. Optimize for Voice Search

Voice search is set to surge, demanding a shift in local SEO strategies. Users adopt more extended, conversational phrases, altering the SEO landscape. Long-tail keywords, resembling natural speech patterns, become pivotal. Incorporating question starters (who, what, when, where, why, and how) aligns with voice search tendencies.

User intent holds significance; voice queries often seek specific, immediate information. Whether inquiring about a recipe conversion or business hours, users expect swift, relevant responses. Optimizing for voice necessitates aligning content with these conversational nuances, ensuring it caters effectively to the nature of voice-driven inquiries.

4. Create Content Based on Local News Stories or Events

Crafting content addressing local concerns effectively engages your community. Strategies involve:

Writing blog posts tied to local news, activities, or events.
Creating videos spotlighting local charities or causes your business backs.
Establishing location-specific webpages with quality local content for different service areas.

For instance, a local real estate business could create pages for each location, featuring hyperlocal content on news and real estate market shifts. This approach not only connects with the community but enhances SEO, potentially ranking for specific locations.

5. Optimize Your Website for Mobile

A 2018 Stone Temple study on 2017’s mobile vs. desktop trends revealed a rapid mobile shift. Mobile website visits increased from 57% in 2016 to 63% in 2017, while desktop visits decreased from 43% to 37%. Additionally, a 2017 Acquisio study emphasized the profitability of local search traffic, with 75% of mobile searches showing local intent resulting in in-store visits within 24 hours. This highlights the necessity of mobile optimization for effective local SEO and overall SEO success.

To enhance mobile user experience, consider these practical tips:

Optimize website speed (aim for under three seconds loading time).
Utilize larger, readable fonts for better legibility.
Use images and text sparingly, focusing on essential information (avoid unnecessary content).
Prioritize an intuitive user interface for an overall excellent user experience.

6. Hone in on Local Keywords

Ensure your website loads quickly (within three seconds), use readable fonts, and keep images and copy concise for mobile screens. Prioritize an intuitive UI for a great user experience (UX). These tips are crucial for effective mobile optimization, a key aspect of local SEO and overall SEO success.

7. Use Location Pages or a Location-Specific “About Us” Page

Location pages are vital for businesses with multiple locations, covering:

Store hours
Name, address, and phone number
Unique descriptions
Testimonials
Promotions
Parking availability
Google Maps links

Ensure each location page has distinct content. For single-location businesses, craft a key “About Us” page, emphasizing local details, like your florist shop’s role in supplying flowers for local parades.

8. Take Advantage of Online Business Directories

Online business directories are essential for local visibility and SEO, with platforms like Yelp, Foursquare, MapQuest, and YellowPages playing a crucial role. To maximize their impact, ensure consistency across these platforms:

Accurate Business Details:

Maintain consistency in business name, address, and phone number.
Include a backlink to your official website.

Thorough Business Description:

Provide a comprehensive and accurate description of your business.

By adhering to these guidelines, you can enhance your online presence and improve local SEO rankings.

9. Focus on Link Signals (Get High-Quality Backlinks)

According to Moz’s 2017 Local Search Ranking Factors study, link signals are crucial for local search results. These signals, represented by backlinks to your site, significantly impact local SEO. To maximize their effectiveness, consider the following tips for acquiring high-quality backlinks:

Create Compelling Content:

Develop high-quality content on your site to attract links organically.

Guest Blogging:

Contribute guest posts to reputable sites with a high domain authority.

Engage with Local Influencers:

Connect with local influencers on social media or via email, encouraging them to link back to your content.

10. Create a Dedicated Webpage for Each Product/Service You Offer

Resist the temptation to consolidate all your products or services on a single page. To enhance your local SEO impact, dedicate a separate page to each unique product or service. Combining everything into one page diminishes your SEO strength, as search engines may not recognize your brand as an authority in a specific area, limiting your ranking potential. For businesses with multiple locations and a single offering, employ location-based copy on each page to cater to local searches, such as transforming “dental marketing” into “New York dental marketing” or “Buffalo dental marketing.”

TAKEAWAYS:

SEO evolves rapidly, with unpredictable updates from Google for local search results. Staying abreast of these changes is crucial. Implementing these 10 actionable items ensures your business not only capitalizes on profitable local searches but also establishes a robust foundation for new SEO features. If you lack the bandwidth for these adjustments, consider a local SEO audit or explore small business SEO service providers.