SEO Local refers to a series of strategies used to increase local businesses’ online visibility. These practices include optimizing Google Business profiles, updating website content and submitting listings with trusted directories; as well as engaging in citation building; this form of link-building increases a website’s authority and establishes its place online.
Keyword research is key to local SEO, and must become part of an ongoing practice. Keep a watchful eye out on search patterns as they evolve, and identify any new or emerging keywords.
Keyword research
Keyword research is an integral component of local SEO, and without it you risk targeting irrelevant keywords that won’t bring traffic or leads. Unfortunately, conducting keyword research can be a tedious process with people making errors like targeting irrelevant terms not related to their business or industry.
Ubersuggest is a useful free tool that will provide keyword ideas for local SEO campaigns. These tools will give you information such as search volume and SEO difficulty for each keyword idea you consider, while they also reveal potential searchers’ queries – for instance if someone searches “gas safe engineer greater london,” they could possibly want to know whether their boiler is gas-safe.
Another effective strategy for finding local keywords for your local business is to examine what words your competitors are ranking for – this can be done via free tools like Google Autocomplete, or paid keyword research tools such as Wordtracker Pro or other.
On-page optimization
There are various things you can do to increase the on-page optimization of your website, including creating click-worthy title tags and meta descriptions that offer relevant information for searchers, or using breadcrumb navigation so search engines understand its structure better.
Optimization of image alt tags is another on-page SEO strategy to keep in mind, as they help search engines “read” images and can also assist users with impaired vision or who use screen readers. You should also optimize URLs by creating short, descriptive names related directly to what page they represent.
Local SEO can be an extremely powerful marketing strategy to help your business connect with customers both in person and online. It can lead to higher rankings in Google search results and increased website traffic that results in increased sales; plus it may draw customers directly into your physical office or storefront location.
Off-page optimization
Off-page optimization is an integral component of any SEO strategy, from submitting your website to online business directories to optimizing its content and acquiring backlinks from other websites (while making sure they’re Dofollow links so as to transfer link juice), this component can significantly boost rankings and help ensure long-term success for any campaign.
Off-page SEO can also be improved by writing quality content tailored specifically for local users. Include relevant keywords throughout and title tags of every page so search engines can better identify what your content is about while offering your visitors a better user experience. Furthermore, ensure your website loads quickly – Google suggests that any delay could increase the chance that users may abandon your page in favor of another competitor’s.
Link building
Link building is one of the cornerstones of local SEO. It helps bolster a website’s ranking on search results pages like Google and generates more traffic through organic results, while simultaneously raising brand recognition online resulting in improved customer conversion (the marketing rule of seven).
Local links differ from traditional backlinks in that they’re tailored specifically to a geographic region. You can earn them in various ways, including listing in local directories or creating captivating content that attracts attention and links; alternatively, press releases can also be distributed locally, and participating in community events can secure local backlinks.
Gaining local links may take more time and effort, but their rewards far outweigh this shortcoming. Aside from increasing website rankings, these links can also help reach more potential customers and build lasting brand recognition. A comprehensive link building strategy should be the cornerstone of any local business; tools like Ubersuggest can help identify where competitors are gathering their backlinks so you can target these sites as potential opportunities.