For many small businesses, local SEO is more important than traditional search engine optimization. Traditional SEO can boost search rankings for e-commerce companies and national brands, but it comes up short of reaching local customers.
When a business sells to people in a localized area, targeting those customers specifically makes good business sense. Instead of wasting money attracting clicks from people who aren’t going to buy, it’s possible to focus completely on the right audience for sales.
The process of optimizing a website for local search isn’t complicated, but it does require time, effort, and experience. Following these practical tips can provide good results.
Appear in Local Business Directories
There are many tools for advertising a business’s local presence. Google My Business is one of the most important. This huge business listing database combines with Google Maps to help local companies get noticed. When residents search for specific services, products, or locations, there’s a good chance they use Google Maps to do it. Completing a free profile helps small businesses advertise their services to a wide audience.
Depending on the industry, business owners can take advantage of several other directories as well. Review sites can have a huge impact on a brand’s reputation, making them one of the best ways to convince clients to make a purchase. Modern consumers often rely on reviews when deciding which products or businesses are the best.
Owners should research trending review sites for their local area. For home improvement businesses, Angie’s List is a popular resource. Yelp and FourSquare generally revolve around restaurants and entertainment hotspots.
Optimize Web Pages and Online Content
Keywords are still vital for improving search rankings with local SEO, but these should especially include location-based keywords. For example, a plumbing business in Houston, Texas, would need to use keywords such as “best plumber in Houston, TX,” “Houston, TX plumbers” and “plumbers near me in Houston.”
These keyword phrases must sound natural, not forced. At the same time, they should appear abundantly throughout a website’s content. Landing pages, blog posts, product descriptions, and other web pages should feature location data significantly. It’s often a good idea to create specialized location pages for every nearby city or neighborhood in the area.
Build a Great Reputation
Brand recognition locally is only as good as the company’s reputation. Online content helps people find the business online, but a stellar reputation is what makes them stay. The hallmarks of small businesses — customer service and quality — are still important for local SEO.
Seek Expert Assistance
Professional SEO / search engine optimization services are more than choosing some keywords for your business. To be effective, SEO needs to help your business stand out. It should also connect you with the right type of customer. At Wingspan Funding Inc., we know provide holistic SEO strategies to not only proliferate your brand but also build your audience by casting both wide and targeted nets.