Though 68% of all online activity begins with a search, as many as 46% of Google searches are local. With local search engine optimization (SEO), your site will appear in front of local shoppers. Boosting your brand visibility can help you generate more traffic and leads.
Not sure how to start using local SEO for small business success? Here are six simple tips to get you started.
With these tips and small business SEO services, you can begin reaching more customers online.
Get growing with these tips today!
1. Claim Your Business Listing
In order to create an effective local SEO for small business strategy, it helps to understand customer behaviors.
For example, about 30% of all mobile searches are related to location. Nearly 80% of people visit a business within a day of a search. About 28% of these searches result in a purchase.
Over 50% of smartphone users search for business hours. Another 53% look for directions to nearby stores.
Make it easier for consumers to find the information they need before interacting with your business.
To make sure consumers can find you, start by claiming and optimizing your Google Business profile. It’s free to get started. Your profile can display your:
- Business name
- Store hours
- Phone number
- Company website
- Address/directions
- Updates
- Photos and videos
- Customer reviews
Your Google Business profile will take up prominent space on a Google search engine results page. Taking up prominent real estate on these pages can boost your online visibility.
You can also make sure your customers can find the information they need without hassle. Improving their online user experience could help you generate more leads.
If any of your business information changes, make sure to update your listing right away. Otherwise, customers might get frustrated with your brand. For example, they might arrive at the wrong business or call when you’re closed.
Reviews
After claiming and optimizing your Google Business listing, reach out to your customers. Encourage them to share their thoughts and reviews on your profile. Positive reviews can strengthen your brand reputation and rankings.
A stronger brand reputation can help you generate more brand trust. Then, you can leverage that trust to gain more leads and sales.
2. Check Other Directories
Give yourself every opportunity to appear in front of customers who are searching for your business. You can further improve your small business SEO by updating other directories. Updating your information on these directories can expand your online presence.
These online local citations can include:
- FourSquare
- Yelp
- Angie’s List
- About Us
- Best of Web
- HotFrog
- Bing Places
When you update your local citations, make sure the information is accurate. Match every detail (including abbreviations) with what appears on your website. Google will compare the information to what appears on your site to look for consistency.
Otherwise, discrepancies between listings can have a negative impact on your local SEO rankings.
3. Understand Your Local Customers
Remember, you can improve your local SEO rankings by gaining a better understanding of your audience. Otherwise, your content won’t appeal to their search intent. You need to make sure you’re providing readers with information they want to find.
Start by defining your audience based on demographics like:
- Location
- Gender
- Age
- Household income
- Career
- Language
- Education
Consider psychographics, too. For example, you can research buying behaviors, pain points, interests, and hobbies.
If necessary, start creating distinct buyer personas for your customers. Creating distinct personas will help you speak to each group. You can create personalized content to better appeal to smaller audiences.
Next, gather keyword research. For your local SEO strategy, focus on location-specific keywords.
If you need help, consider small business SEO services. The best local SEO companies can gather this research for you. They can make sure you’re creating content that aligns with the user’s search queries.
4. Create Location-Based Content
Once you have your keyword research, you can start creating content for your blog. Content creation can help you appear for a range of search queries.
When creating location-based content, make sure you’re speaking to your local customers.
Make sure you’re providing readers with helpful information they can’t find anywhere else, too.
Try creating different posts, including blogs, quizzes, videos, infographics, and lists. Experiment with both short-form and long-form content, too. Then, use your website data to determine which posts your readers prefer.
Does your company have more than one business location? Make sure to create location pages on your site as well.
Then, embed a Google Map onto each location page.
Adding a map to your pages can help customers find your business with ease. It can also benefit your website’s schema markup.
Link-Building
You can also improve your rankings by generating high-quality backlinks. Consider working with an experienced local SEO company.
Generating more backlinks can help you generate more traffic.
5. Make Sure You’re Mobile
Remember, about 30% of mobile searches are related to location. Make sure it’s easy for mobile users to interact with your site. Start by making sure your site is mobile-ready and responsive.
You can run your site through Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check.
Google uses mobile-first indexing to determine rankings. If your site isn’t optimized, your local SEO rankings might drop. Your competitors will rank ahead of you instead.
Make sure your site is user-friendly, fast, and secure as well.
If your website offers a negative user experience, visitors might leave. The more often people leave, the higher your bounce rate will become. A high bounce rate will signal Google you’re offering a negative experience.
6. Structure Your Data
Help Google understand your website content by adding schema markup to your site. Schema markup will ensure Google indexes your data correctly.
Start by adding a geographic markup to your site.
Avoid creating spammy markups by following Google’s guidelines.
Local SEO for Small Business: 6 Simple Tips for Success
Local SEO for small business marketing can help your business grow. You can boost your rankings, reach more customers, and generate more leads. Remember, you don’t have to work on your local SEO alone, though.
Instead, consider hiring one of the best local SEO companies available instead.
Eager to watch your rankings rise? We can’t wait to help.
Schedule an SEO session with our team today to get started.
