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When you search using Google for local businesses, do the three listings under the map on top ever catch your eye? If so, then local SEO could be just right for you! It’s a great way to help local businesses with a current physical location or serve an area.
Local SEO involves utilising specific keywords related to your company and helping them rank higher in searches so more potential customers will find out what you offer.
To make this happen, understanding how Google search works is key to success.
What is local SEO?
Local SEO is an incredibly powerful strategy for businesses that want to get more attention from their local target market.
With the help of Local SEO, you can optimise your website content and structure to appear higher in search results related to your area and help with local business marketing.
This will allow you to be found by more people looking for what you have to offer.
Why is local SEO important?
Local SEO is important because it helps local businesses reach more local customers.
By optimising your website content and structure for local search results, you gain visibility in local searches and increase the likelihood that customers living locally will find and interact with your business.
Additionally, having a local search presence online can help boost overall organic traffic to your website, resulting in more sales leads and, ultimately, a better Google search experience.
How does local SEO work?
Local SEO involves optimising your on-page SEO, like your website’s content, URLs, meta descriptions, and titles, as well as off-page activities such as directory listings and backlinks from other websites.
It works by targeting local keywords related to your company’s products and services. By using these keywords, potential customers in the area will be more likely to find your website when searching online.
Ensure that your website and social media channels are all optimised to industry standards, as this will dramatically boost your local search engine visibility and ranking in the organic search results.
What is a local SEO company?
A local SEO company is an SEO company that specialises in optimising and marketing your business, so it shows up in the three pack of the local search results pages.
They provide local businesses with services such as local keyword research, content creation, link building, and more to help them get better local rankings in the local search results.
What do they do to get you more local searchers?
Local SEO companies also ensure your website is optimised for local searches in your target area and appears in relevant local directories and other local information sources.
Increasing your local search visibility
A successful local SEO strategy implemented by an SEO company will also help optimise your GBP (Google Business Profile, previously known as Google My Business). Good companies will also create new citations for you and ensure all citations are correct and up to date.
What is local SEO content?
Local SEO content is content created specifically for local audiences. This can include local blog posts, press releases, website pages, and listings in local directories.
Relevant local information
Local SEO content aims to help local businesses appear higher in local search engine rankings by providing relevant information about their products and services to local customers. It will have references to the local area, which helps search engines understand the specific area that is most important.
Additionally, local SEO content can also help local businesses build relationships with real, local customers, encouraging them to keep coming back.
In local SEO, what is a citation?
A citation is a mention of your local business on another website. Local Citations include your business name, address, and phone number (NAP).
Citations help local search engine algorithms understand where your local business is located and what type of products or services you offer
Get local citations for added trust.
Citations (often a business listing) can also help businesses build trust with local customers.
Having a local business listing citations on reputable websites like Yell, Yelp, and Google Business Profile lets local customers know your local business is legitimate and can be trusted.
What is a NAP in Local SEO?
As mentioned, your NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number, a critical local SEO element. Consistent, accurate NAP information on your website and local business directories is important to local SEO. It helps search engines identify where your business is located, how they can contact you, and what services you offer.
Consistent NAP information
Consistent NAP information across local directories can also help local customers connect with your local business more easily. They can use the business directory as a mini-search engine for local businesses and check reviews to decide who to use.
Create local landing pages.
Suppose you have more than one physical address. In that case, it is a good idea to create separate local landing pages for each address to improve local ranking signals, not to be confused with companies creating multiple pages for areas where they do not have a physical address.
These are not actual landing pages. Instead, these are called doorway pages, which is against Google guidelines.
What’s the difference between SEO and local SEO ranking factors?
The main difference between SEO and local SEO is the focus of each. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) focusses on improving visibility in organic search engine results, while local SEO focusses on improving visibility in local search engine results only.
Local rankings, ranking factors to consider
To do local SEO, you must optimise your website content and structure for local searches and include local keywords. You must also create a robust signal off-site that your business is important in the target area.
Generally, it’s faster to carry out local business SEO and get results than organic SEO. However, it will depend on which industry you are targeting and how competitive the keywords are.
You will find it with all SEO. The goalposts change occasionally as Google and other search engines update their algorithm to catch anyone trying to cheat their system.
We always advise that you follow the search engine’s guidelines and carry out white-hat SEO (within guidelines).
You can see here that local SEO results are shown at the top of the page when they are available; they show reviews and even how far you are from the business.
What is local SEO? Where to learn local SEO basics?
There are many resources available to help you learn local SEO. These include local SEO courses, local SEO guides, local SEO books, and local SEO blogs full of local SEO strategy information and tips.
You can also reach out to local SEO experts for advice on specific topics or questions. It is essential to stay current with the latest local SEO trends and best practices.
Recommended Local SEO Resources
If you want to improve your local SEO efforts and learn all about Local SEO basics, here are a few recommended SEO resources with loads of local SEO tips:
- Moz – SEO Basics
- Ahrefs – Local SEO: The Complete Guide
- Search Engine Journal – Local SEO: The Definitive Guide to Improve Your Local Search Rankings
Local SEO Conclusion
Google has become the official word on anything from directions to finding a local business. But, if you own or manage one of those businesses and want it to be easy to find for customers searching online, local SEO is essential.
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