Local Area SEO
Local area SEO can be overwhelming for small businesses. Researching your keywords, your audience and your competition, keeping your digital channels up to date (and optimised) and keeping up with the industry can all take precious time from running your business.
We understand the need to enhance your digital channels in simple ways so you can get your time back. This is why have created a few simple tips that are easy to implement so you can go to back to what you do best, knowing your business can be found by your customers online.
It’s a little-known fact, that 46% of all Google Searches are looking for local information. That means your business’s website, social and digital channels need to be ready for when someone searches for your services in your area, your business needs to show up in the search results!
You’d be surprised how many businesses don’t show up when their customers are searching for something they provide in their local area. But don’t worry, you can get ahead of the game and implement a few simple things on your website to ensure your business is found when your customers are trying to solve their problems locally.
Here are a few things you can do TODAY to ensure your business can be found in your local area. It’s called Local SEO, and there are a few simple things you can do to stand out in your local area on Google.
Have a NAP (no, not THAT kind of Nap!)
A NAP is your (N)same, (A)ddress and (P)hone number. Ensure your NAP appears as crawl-able TEXT on the front page of your website (ensure it’s not a link on a photo or an image either). As well as giving your customer the ability to find your contact details straight away (hello, good website design!), this gives Google another signal that you want your page listed for the location where your business is located.
Update (or create) your Google Business Profile listing
This is THE most important component of your local search. Your Google Business Profile listing is a huge driver for Google to display your business in “near me” searches. “Near me” searches have increased by 250% since 2017 which has resulted in over 50% of customers physically visiting a store (Google). So you don’t want your local business to be left out!
Google Business Profile is Google’s way of ensuring search results it provides to searchers are genuine and verified businesses and the way it does that it is through its Business Profile listings. Ensure your name, address and phone numbers are correct with photos and offers and descriptions of your services are also up to date. Ensure your social profiles are also connected correctly. Encourage your customers to create reviews on your Google Business Profile listing to give your business even more clout!
Engage on Social Media
You can’t get ahead in the modern day and age without a good social media presence. Your customers are on there, so you should be too!
More than ever, Google considers content shared on social media important. Ensure you engage with your customers, and post consistently and authentically. Connect your social accounts to your GMB listing and links to your website to further align your social channels with search.
Be the authority in your local area
Use blog posts and unique content to Promote local industry gatherings, news, employees, and other educational content on your blog. Think of useful, informative and educational content that goes beyond what your business sells. For example, if you are a local real estate agent, create helpful resources that enable buyers to get acquainted with your local area in the form of blog posts, videos and social media content.
Earn local area SEO links
The key here is in the word “earn.” Creating a website and social content worth linking to is the tried-and-true method of earning digital eyes on your business. Make content sharable, and relevant and enlist other local businesses in the area to contribute and share.
Ensure your website is mobile-friendly
As 61% of all Google searches are performed on a mobile device, ensure your website is mobile friendly, fast, easy to view on a small screen and provides directions to your location and your contact details are easily seen and clickable.
Participate in the local community
The more you participate in your local community, the more digital PR you’ll receive. Partnering with non-profits, volunteering your time or resources or earning a spot in the local media as an authority in your industry, are great ways to earn brand awareness and local links within your local community.
Local SEO is an important part of any SEO strategy and is crucial for any local business, whether they are an online business or a bricks and mortar business. Making some small tweaks and enhancements to your digital channels can be the start you need to ensure your business is found when your customers for businesses like yours are online.
If you need help with your local business SEO, contact us for a free 30-minute consultation and see how we can help you. We can get your local SEO efforts off to a flying start!
Trish