For starters, local Search Engine Optimization is the targeting of the audience within a certain radius of the locality. Businesses offering services in a particular area would not want to target people outside of the said area because, to be honest, that won’t make any sense.
Just as local marketing works, local Search Engine Optimization is location-based. If we look at the frequently service-related queries on Google, we will find out that the majority of them involve locations. Furthermore, surveys also tell that people spend a good deal of their income in areas/stores around their residence. This reiterates the importance of local SEO for businesses who want to succeed in a particular region.
Since Google local SEO is not a new phenomenon, you must be wondering what do businesses need to do in 2019 to ace at it? Well, with Google algorithms becoming smarter than ever, there are a lot of things businesses ought to take into account in 2019.
Here are a few of the significant ones:
Web Design Optimization
Web design optimization is the careful planning of the design of the website while taking the general SEO standards into account.
A per the Search Engine Optimization standards, a website needs to facilitate the users as much as possible to stand a chance of securing a good ranking in Google. Web design optimization includes mobile-friendliness of the site, accurate contact information, the to-the-point message behind the content along with compelling calls-to-action.
The overall layout of the design should be such as when a visitor lands on the homepage; the core message of the website should be right in front of them. This is especially important in terms of lead generation. The easier you make it for the visitors to find things they want from your website, the higher the chances of them staying on your website, hence leading to a successful lead generation.
Internal linking
The key to securing a successful ranking in the local SERP is having a strong chain linking all your website’s internal pages together. If your website’s internal pages are well linked, it will facilitate the crawlers to go through your website. And keep in mind that it’s these crawlers that decide the ranking of your website.
Location Pages
For local businesses, it is very probable to have more than one retail stores. The best way to facilitate the visitors, as well as the SERP, is to create a location page on your website, including a detailed contact and location information of every store.
This way, if a user searches anything relevant to your business, the appropriate location will pop up in a snippet.
Sounds dope, right?
The cherry on top, add a Google Map to your website. It will make things even easier.
Google My Business
Google has outdone itself by coming up with the niche-specific ventures to assist the users as well as the business owners. Google My Business is a useful tool for all of the locals as well as the international businesses to get listed and become more accessible to the audience online.
It is a tool that authenticates your business just as the search console validates your website. A company, be it a local one, verified by Google is a bonus for the potential customers. Only the businesses verified by Google make it to the snippets or the navigation bar I Google Search.
So, make sure you list your business on Google My Business.
Social Media and Guest Blogging
With social media being more vocal than ever, it has become all the more critical for the businesses to have a strong social media presence. The audience that local businesses target is on social media.
In the age of digital marketing, social media marketing has a much broader outreach without having to invest a hefty amount. Target your audience through Facebook and Instagram, and you should be good.
Along with social media, guest blogging is also an effective channel to extend one’s outreach. Submit blogs to other relevant websites, and you never know how many more potential clients you might be attracting.
Summing up
In a nutshell, targeting local clientele for the businesses is not a hard nut to crack these days. Targeted marketing and optimization entails making use of local SEO techniques. These techniques have proven to have a higher conversion rate.
Make the most out of what the local SEO has to offer in 2019 by following the tips mentioned above and thank us later.
Good luck!
