In today’s competitive online market, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is vital. By optimising your online activities, you can help your business to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) and increase the number of visitors to your website. Improving your SEO activities will also ensure you’re keeping online touchpoints up-to-date, sharing relevant and engaging content and growing your digital brand in a reliable way.
For many businesses, improved SEO activities can help increase online visibility and grow your business on a regional, national and even global scale. However, for many small and medium sized businesses their goals are much closer to home. That’s where local SEO comes into play.
Implementing a local SEO strategy can help grow your business in your local area
Increasing your online visibility, authority and relevance within that location, alongside presenting the business as highly competitive with a particular community. If your business is concentrated in and around a particular area or with a niche type of consumer, localising your SEO activities can help you to compete with your direct competitors rather than those from all over the country (or world!). It can also help you stand out to your target market, who are more likely to convert, rather than a wider market, who are unlikely to use your business.
If your business could benefit from taking your Search Engine Optimisation activities to a localised level, we have 4 top tips that can help you successfully adopt this strategy:
Set up and verify your business listing on Google
Start by ensuring you provide accurate and up-to-date details online such as with Google’s “My Business” service. Making key business information (such as location, business hours and contact details) easily available online will help Google to recognise and rank your business in localised SERPs. You will also make the user journey from initial online search to contacting your business simple by providing a reliable snapshot of your business with all essential details. The easier this journey, the more likely it is that users will remain engaged.
Get your business listed in relevant local directories
Research relevant local directories available online that you could register your business in. These directory listings should include business name, address and phone number so they can help search engines associate your business with the local area. It’s important to ensure that you keep your business details up-to-date wherever they may be listed as the smallest discrepancies could impact your SEO and lose you potential customers. Make a list of everywhere you list your details and make a point of updating these if any changes occur.
Share content relevant to your location and industry
Content is crucial for high-ranking websites, but if you’re focusing on optimising your business for local SEO then your content should reflect this. Consider the types of content you can create that will relate to your local areas such as news, event round-ups or advice blogs. Where possible, you should include keywords in your online content that relates to your local area and your industry. If you attend or sponsor a local charity walk or networking event, ensure you follow this up with an interesting blog full of information that will help search engines associate you with your local area.
Make use of reviews
It is crucial for local businesses to build a trustworthy and reliable reputation within the area and with the local community. Sharing regular reviews from real customers will help to validate your business and act as a source of recommendation with potential customers, but will also help search engines to collect further, hopefully positive, information about your business to increase your visibility online.