Search engine optimization determines whether your business will grow and shine or stand out among the competition. When you want to rank your website locally, you need to use local SEO
Local SEO has evolved over the years from being a simple way to improve rankings to a comprehensive strategy for driving traffic to your website.
Even though the basics remain the same, many new things and guidelines are implemented every day. So, if you run a localized online business, you may have many questions about optimizing your local listings for maximum impact.
Local SEO is a relatively new practice. The goal is to increase the organic web visibility on search engines and their results pages. Things are getting even stronger, knowing that many SEO agencies are specializing their services for local results. For example, if your business is based in Austin, Texas, the most natural need is to find an Austin SEO agency because they know and understand the local market and can help you get most of your SEO efforts.
Additionally, they can help you with more things like:
How to Get Good Local SEO rankings?
Sometimes businesses aren’t aware of the importance of higher ranking in Google Maps, directories, and any local searches.
Local SEO practices are great for targeting local customers. As a result, you get visible on local results pages, Google Maps, or any search engine-related map available. Some of the steps you need to take include optimizing your metadata, adding location information, creating rich snippets, and building citations.
Do I Need to Invest a lot of Time and Money in Local SEO Strategy?
Local SEO includes many elements like optimizing your listing page for Google Maps, mobile optimization, and submitting your site to directories such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, or Citysearch. It also involves building backlinks from other relevant websites.
You do all these things to increase traffic to your website, which would result in more lead conversions, profits, and enrichment of your offers and services. So, no one can estimate how much time you need in advance. But, our suggestion is to keep trying until you see and measure the first results. After that, you can keep up with good work or even adjust or improve the strategy accordingly.
How to Get Started With Local SEO?
SEO is a challenge, and it may take some time until you get used to the steps like audit, keyword research, implementation, tagging, blogging, and writing guest posts.
Still, three simple rules apply to any business online, whether they are big or small. These rules make everything else work together.
Rule No. 1: Know What You Want
Decide what you want from the local SERP. Is your goal to attract more visitors? Do you want to encourage them to visit your store? Or maybe you prefer phone calls for direct sales?
If you don’t know exactly what you’re after, then you won’t figure out how to achieve it. So, the first step is to write down your local SEO goals and determine what you need to take to accomplish them.
Rule No. 2: Find Out Where People Search Online
Once you’ve figured out what you want, it’s time to actually go look for it. There are many ways to discover where people are searching for what you want. We suggest using SEO tools like SEMRush or Ahrefs for keyword research and seeing how it relates to your location.
Also, you can see what kind of traffic comes back to those words. Use this data to refine your keyword list and create content based on what people are searching for.
Rule No. 3: Implement the Knowledge
When you know what you need to do, it’s time to implement it. You can choose to work with an in-house SEO team or hire a specialized agency.
No matter which one you choose, the goal is the same: increased traffic and lead conversion.
Even when you work with an agency, you use the things you know to measure the performance and see how the strategy implementation is going.
Factors for Better Local SEO Ranking
Let’s focus briefly on the most important local SEO factors:
1. Keywords
You need to ensure people can find your pages using specific keyword queries. That means keyword research is something you should start doing immediately.
2. Local Directories
Search engines favor websites that have lots of content. If you have relevant content, consider online directory sites important for free publicity and backlinks to your homepage.
3. Social Media
Social is one of the most effective marketing and SEO tools. You can target the audience around your location and ensure you appear in their feeds as “sponsored” or “suggested for you.”
Always follow the rules of each platform to avoid being banned for spam.
4. Mobile-Friendly Website Design
We are sure most websites in 2022 will be mobile-friendly. Mobile devices are the most common way people search for something they need. So, your site must be responsive and/or mobile-friendly to make sure you provide an exceptional user experience to all your potential customers.
5. Online Reviews
You may think you provide a complete service, but it’s good to know when someone else doesn’t think the same. That’s why online reviews can be beneficial for your local business and SEO strategy.
Customer feedback and online reviews can be key factors for a customer to choose you. So, make sure reviews are enabled. You can even use reputation management tools to remove fake reviews, whether good or bad.
Final Thoughts
Local SEO is a lot of work, but it’s worth doing it. Alone, with a team, or with an agency, make sure all the local parameters are appropriate. That’s how your business ranks well in local search engine results.
