Local SEO is vital for smaller companies operating at a local instead of an overall, national, scale. While national SEO is focused on achieving higher rankings on the national level and regional SEO concentrates on being visible on SERPs for a specific area. This method relies on marketing your products, brand, as well as services, to local customers and leads.
You can think of this specific strategy as a method to compete better against national brands with endless budgets to invest in. By focusing on local SEO tasks, you will be able to counter the advantages of larger companies that optimize their sites for broad terms and rely on the brand’s recognition, not value propositions to draw traffic.
Here are the top six strategies to help make your local SEO profitable.
1. Create a Google My Business Account
Making improvements to the appearance of your Google profile (aka the Business Profile) is perhaps the most effective method to get higher rankings on Google Maps and get noticed within Google Search Local results. To gain access to the Business Profile to make these adjustments, however, you’ll need a Google My Business account associated with that profile. After you have provided all of the requested details in the Google My Business account dashboard the information is added to the Business Profile, which appears in Google Search local results, the Google Search Knowledge Panel, and Google Maps.
2. Read Regular Reviews from Happy Customers
Inviting your customers to leave positive reviews about your business does more than just improve your Google My Business presence; it also makes it easier for local buyers to purchase from you. BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey reveals that 83% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal suggestions.
Here are some suggestions to help customers write reviews:
* Request a review in person after the closing of a transaction.
* Respond to reviews with professionalism by thanking reviewers and responding to the issues in reviews that are not so favorable.
Notice: Google says it’s okay to ask your customers to provide reviews, but Yelp actively disapproves of it.
3. Optimize for Voice Search
Voice search will increase rapidly over the next few years. Thus, for local seo new york , it is essential to ensure that you optimize your site for how users can ask questions when speaking on their devices, in contrast to how they type their search queries.
In essence, your clients tend to use longer-tail search terms when conducting voice searches as opposed to normal searches. This means that you’ll also need to modify your SEO content to reflect the more informal tone of a person talking. For instance, you’ll want to consider the classic questions that start with (who whom, what is, when, where, why, and how).
It’s important to deliberate the intent of the user when optimizing for voice search since such searches are typically conducted when a user needs an exact piece of information. If they’re baking and want Alexa to convert tablespoons into cups, they’re hoping for an immediate and helpful response. If a potential customer makes use of voice search to inquire about when your business’s opening hours are it should be easily accessible
4. Create Content Based on Local News Stories or Events
It’s hard to beat the experience of writing content that is relevant or speaks directly to local issues to get your local clients to pay focus.
A few strategies comprise:
• Writing blog posts about local news, activities, or other events
Create videos on local charities or causes your company supports
• Creating specific pages for locations on your site with quality local content when you are serving different parts of the region.
5. Optimize Your Website for Mobile
The number of mobile visits to websites increased from 57 percent in 2016 and 63% by 2017 and total visits to websites coming from desktop devices decreased from 43 percent in 2016 to 37% in 2017. This is a clear indication that you need to make your site optimized for mobile to be an important player for local SEO (and more importantly to have a good SEO time).
Make sure your site loads fast (no more than 3 seconds)
Make sure to use fonts that are larger and can be read easily
Make use of images and copy sparingly, only presenting the information you require (no space for filler on mobile screens!)
* Ensure a smooth UI to ensure amazing UX
6. Hone in on Local Keywords
Your keywords must have relevance to your local consumers. It’s just logical, isn’t it?
Google’s Keyword Planner lets you filter keywords based on geographical location so that you can get an idea of the most popular keywords for a specific area. This allows you to create local-specific keywords you want to focus on. Once you’ve got them, they will be included in your site’s meta copy, content as well as URLs.
Also, make mention of regional landmarks and hotspots in your content. For example, if your local restaurant offers meals in the city of Seattle make sure to include mentions of “dining by the Space Needle” or “just steps from the Space Needle” on your website.
Conclusion
SEO changes quite rapidly. You don’t know when Google will launch new features to its SERPs that cater to local searches However, you can count on these updates coming. This is why it’s crucial to be on top of local SEO. By implementing these practical things, you can make sure that your company doesn’t just benefit from the lucrative local search engine results as well as has a strong base for when new SEO features are added. If you’re not in a position to make these changes it might be a good idea to conduct a local SEO audit or even the services of a small-sized business SEO service supplier.
