Getting Started with Local SEO
If you’re running a small business, you know that standing out in the crowded online space can be an uphill battle. But there is hope – local SEO!
Taking advantage of location-based search engine optimization tactics can give your business the edge over the competition and draw more attention to your website and social media profiles.
With a few smart moves and a commitment to making sure your business pops up in local searches, you could find yourself reaping the rewards.
Let’s dive in and discuss how local SEO can help put your business on the map!
Local SEO vs. National SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a widely used digital strategy to boost marketing and visibility. Looking at it more closely, we can draw a distinction between two strategic approaches: local SEO and national SEO.
Local SEO is concerned with bringing in local customers and gaining traffic from people searching within your geographic area. It involves techniques such as optimizing Google Business Profile (Google My Business) listings, focusing on local keywords, and utilizing online directories tailored to your particular locality or region.
On the other hand, national SEO focuses on reaching broader audiences with expansive keyword searches for larger networks that aren’t limited by geography.
In both scenarios, the goal is achieving higher rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs), driving organic traffic to your website and increasing conversions – only at different scales.
Who Should Utilize Local SEO?
Local businesses of any size should absolutely consider utilizing local SEO in order to maximize their potential for success.
Companies with bricks-and-mortar locations, like grocery stores and shops, can benefit from local SEO as it enables potential customers to find an establishment more easily based on its geographic location – a great boon if you’re hoping to draw in foot traffic!
Local service providers such as plumbers, electricians, lawn care specialists and more may also benefit too; nearly everyone has found themselves in the desperate situation of Googling a service provider with haste!
Components of Local SEO
Let’s take a look at some of the tactics and tools used specifically in local SEO.
Service Area Pages
Service area pages are an integral part of any local SEO strategy. They allow local businesses to reach their target markets effectively by pinpointing exactly what they offer to a certain geographic region.
With service area pages, local businesses are able to tailor their products or services to areas within a city, county, state or country.
Additionally, service area pages help with search engine optimization as information from the page can be picked up by search engines and used to serve up more accurate results for people looking for services in their area.
At the end of the day, service area pages make it easier for local businesses to promote themselves and reach their customers – making them an invaluable tool for any business hoping to succeed locally!
Check out our complete guide to service area pages here!
Google Business Profile
Google Business Profiles are like the yellow pages of the internet world. A comprehensive list of all businesses, including name, address, associated keyword tags, contact information, and basic info about the services offered.
It’s an invaluable resource for consumers and a strategic tool for savvy business owners looking to maximize their online presence.
Google Business Profile is still one of the most reliable ways to boost local SEO strategy – a surefire way to stay one step ahead of the competition in terms of visibility and web traffic.
Check out our Google Business Profile here!
Citations & Link Building
Integrating citations and link building into a local SEO strategy can seem intimidating at first, but with a bit of know-how, it can do wonders for your search engine ranking.
Citations, or NAP (name, address, phone number) listings, are simply listings of your business profile on local directory sites such as yellowpages, Yelp and the likes – think of them as like a name in the phone book!
Link building is the practice of obtaining links from authoritative websites which point back to yours, which is a key step to improve rankings.
Both strategies should play an important part in any local SEO efforts and when combined can make for some awesome results. So don’t be scared – just dive right in and see what you can achieve!
Check out our guide to citation building here!
Let’s Get Started!
Local SEO can feel like a complicated jigsaw puzzle, with each piece having some connection to the overall picture. Taking the time to understand each piece of the puzzle and how it fits in is essential for building a successful SEO strategy.
Getting started isn’t hard—you just need an open mind and an eye for detail. With a little practice, you’ll be well on your way to dominating local SEO searches in no time!