What is local SEO?
The process of optimizing a website for local search in order to improve traffic, leads, and brand exposure is known as local SEO. Finding local keywords, improving a company’s Google My Business profile, and creating “NAP” citations are typical chores connected with local SEO.
Do you need local SEO?
Local SEO might be advantageous if your company has a local clientele or consumer base. Because local SEO gives your business better online visibility in your local market. Some businesses might not be aware that local SEO could be bringing in more customers from outside their immediate vicinity. Anyone in the catering or hospitality industry should take note of this since out-of-towners might conduct online research before visiting your location.
Why is local SEO important?
Even without a website, local SEO makes your company stand out and increases foot traffic to your storefront by generating online leads. These leads are also likely to have a high conversion rate because they come from people who are specifically looking for the products or services your company provides.
1 in 2 users now use search engines to locate local information, and 70% of users visit physical stores as a result of search result information. This proves that local searches are becoming more common. Additionally, local SEO influences consumer decisions in your favor. The more knowledge they have about your brand before they approach, the more reliable you appear to them.
Where do you see local search results?
The top three results from local searches are displayed in a snack pack or local pack. They are backed by a map with dropped pins and show up underneath the pay-per-click advertisements in a boxed area. The standard list of search engine results is located beneath this box. As research shows, 33% of local search clicks go to Local Pack results and 40% go to organic search results, indicating that both are still very important for enhancing your local online presence.
What are the key local SEO ranking factors?
- Firstly, it will evaluate how effectively a local listing matches users’ searches. Providing Google with more thorough information about the business might help it evaluate your functioning and match your listing to the most relevant searches. This is backed by localized keyword research and a content strategy.
- Secondly, it will evaluate the distance between each potential business and the search terms used for the location. Google will determine the distance based on information about a user’s location if they perform a search without providing a specific location.
- Lastly, it will evaluate how popular and trustworthy a business is based on data that Google has collected about a company from websites available online including links, articles, and directories. Local search ranking is also influenced by the number and quality of Google reviews. More reviews and good ratings will boost a company’s local ranking.
How does local SEO work?
Local SEO functions at a high level, like regular Google searches. Google searches its index when someone conducts a search to deliver the most relevant results. Google ranks the local search results using a different set of ranking factors, which makes local SEO unique.
The local search ranking factors include:
- Optimize for a Google Business Profile page: According to local SEO experts, the optimization of Your Google My Business Profile, which is now called a Google Business Profile (GBP), is the most important factor for appearing in the local Pack/Finder. These experts think that the potential to rank in the local Pack/Finder is due to properly designed Google Business profiles. Although it has a greater effect on the local Pack/Finder, your Google profiles can still help you rank in local organic search. The following suggestions have a significant impact on how well your Google profiles rank. These suggestions fall under “off-page SEO,” as they aren’t on the website for your business. You will rank higher in the Local Pack/Finder if your multi-location business has the following in its Google profile(s). This includes the Primary GBP Category, Keywords in the GBP title, Additional GBP categories, GBP landing page title keywords, etc.
- Engage Google My Business on social media: Google now gives more importance than ever to social media posts. Share your wonderful Google My Business page on social media once you’ve finished it to better integrate search and social.
- NAP citations: You must set up your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) in order to make it easy for people and search engines to discover you. For Google to display your NAP more accurately in location-based search results, it should be considered crawlable HTML text on your website. The header or footer of the website is the most typical location for the NAP. On the “Contact Us” page, you should also give your NAP.
- Optimize online directories and citations: There are these four map data aggregators that offer a variety of map data, including Apple, Yelp, Bing, Google, Trip Advisor, and more: Express update, Neustar Localeze, Foursquare, and Factual. Verify your citations through these four data aggregators to ensure they are accurate and consistent. Misspellings, abbreviations, the absence of suite numbers, and incorrect phone numbers are examples of discrepancies that can cause issues. If Google is unable to identify whether the details about your company are accurate, it may not even list your company in search results.
- Enhance the internal linking on your website: The internal linking will allow website navigation, support website hierarchy and information architecture, and provide each page with a certain amount of page authority and ranking power. If you want to improve your internal linking structure, you can speak to our experts at Cross Digital Marketing Agency in Boston.
- Optimize the content, URL, headers, and meta descriptions: Every new blog post you create offers you the chance to create a new indexed page for your website, target a new geographic search term, and improve your chances of appearing in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). Utilizing high-volume keywords in the URL, title, header, meta description, and body of each piece of content you publish is essential for search engine optimization. Showcasing customer success stories and case studies would help with geo-targeting content.
- Don’t forget to make your website mobile-friendly. Local and mobile search are closely related, as 61% of all Google searches are made on a mobile device. People will frequently use your site on their mobile devices to seek reviews, get location information, and find your contact details. Therefore, make it simple for your visitors and customers by optimizing for a mobile-friendly website.
- Get involved in your local community: You’ll get more online PR the more you engage with your local community. You can generate coverage, brand recognition, and inbound links in various ways. Hosting a volunteer day at your company, sponsoring an event online or offline, or posing as an expert in your field in local media are some of the ways.
Conclusion
As long as you are involved in promoting small businesses locally, you will have to continue to research local search ranking elements. According to the local search industry, the value of specific indicators by Google has evolved over time and will undoubtedly continue to do so. With their local business index, Google is continually experimenting, and they frequently roll out significant revisions that reorganize the results.
When local SEO practices are used, searches for your company become much more targeted. Local searches are made to find a certain store or area; therefore, if done properly, your company could be in a better position to market the products or services it provides.
Contact us at our toll-free contact number (888) 863-1150 or send us an email at digital@crossdma.com if you have any inquiries related to local SEO services or how our Local SEO marketing agency in Boston can help you bring in more consumers and clients.