If you’re a small business, tweaking your local SEO strategy is of paramount importance. This is because 46% of all Google searches are looking for local information and therefore, you’ll certainly want to rank for location-based search terms for your industry.
If your business isn’t optimised for local search you could be missing out on potential customers ready to shop in your part of the world. So stay in the spotlight with these 5 local SEO tips:
1. Optimise for Google My Business
One of the easiest things you can do is to create and verify a Google My Business page. Make sure all contact and location details are correct and update your operating hours. All information should be consistent with what’s on your website and social media channels to avoid confusion. Once a new listing is created, a Google Maps location is then generated. This synchronises with Google Search for ease of access and searchability.
It’s also a good idea to encourage customers to leave reviews. This can be done by sharing your short URL from your computer’s Google My Business dashboard or on the mobile app. You can then respond authentically being sure to specify your location. A reply example could go something like this: “We appreciate your feedback on XXX in LOCATION. We value your input and look forward to working with you again. From ENTER COMPANY NAME.”
2. Perform a Local SEO Audit
Get your local SEO strategy on track with an audit. How does your Google My Business Page look on the SERPs? Is the information factually correct? If not, fix it immediately as this could impact your local SEO search results. You can also head to Google Search Console and fix any errors that might be hindering indexing. Is your site fully crawlable? If not, why not? How is your website performing? Analyse data to get a more rounded view of your demographics. Have you attracted a local audience or is work needed?
3. Target Geographic Search Phrases
When it comes to local SEO, it’s important to target geographic search phrases. This means coming up with a content strategy based around specific local SEO keywords. For example, you might decide to do a blog series about the best SEO Services in Kentor top family outings in Oxfordshire. After all, every new blog post is a new indexed page for your site and a new opportunity to rank for a local SEO term. One of the easiest ways to incorporate local terms is by focussing on news stories and local events.
Remember, optimisation is key. Every time you write a piece of content, you need to make sure it’s optimised for the search engines with high-volume keywords in the URL, title, header, meta description and body content.
4. Add Location Pages to Your Site
If you have several business locations, it’s a good idea to create separate location pages for each of these sites. If you sell Approved Used Audi vehicles in the south-east of England, for example, you could create pages such as Used Cars in Canterbury Kent, Used Cars in Ashford Kent, Used Cars in Maidstone Kent and so on. Each location page should also include essential business information including your name, address and contact information.
5. Make Sure your Website is Mobile Friendly
Did you know that 61% of all Google searches are performed on mobile? This means that local search and mobile search go hand in hand. People will access your site via mobile to look up reviews, find directions to your location and search for contact information. So it’s really important to have a mobile-friendly site. ‘Near Me’ searches on mobile have also increased 250% since 2017 which is why being present on Google My Pages, keeping information up-to-date and optimising for local search terms is a must.
Contact Whitefish Marketing, an SEO agency in Kent, for help with your local SEO marketing.
