There is no denying that search engine optimization is one of the cornerstones of a successful and self-sustainable business. All the big players are pouring resources in their SEO campaigns with hopes that they can reach the top of search engines and drive more customers to their website.
While taking over the global market is great, quite a few ventures tend to underestimate just how much of an impact local SEO has.
Besides the obvious increase in conversion rate, it also helps with spreading your brand awareness and ultimately leads to many potential business opportunities for your local business.
Now that we have established the importance, the next thing to do would be discussing how to achieve the best possible local SEO optimization. Not everyone is an expert in SEO, so you will need to follow every single tip in this article. Otherwise, you might miss out on something crucial.
Consider Hiring Help
If you are a total greenhorn when it comes to SEO, hiring some help should not be out of the question. Leaving everything in the hands of professionals is a common practice. And if nothing else, you could simply ask for a consultation. There should be a local SEO agency around you, similar to ones like Prosperity Media Sydney.
Google Business Account
The first thing you want to do is creating a Google business account. It does not cost you a penny and what the account does is pretty straightforward – it puts you on the search engine, and lets others see you on Google Maps. And if you can get them to authenticate you as a legit venture, the benefits would be enormous.
The optimization itself is pretty straightforward. Be sure that you do the following:
- Post content consistently using the Google Posts tool.
- Be responsive to customer reviews and encourage them to leave reviews.
- Include logo, working hours, available payment methods, etc.
- The information on the profile needs to be up-to-date at all times.
- Make sure your listing is verified.
Look For Positive Reviews
Whenever you visit a website like Amazon and browse for a product, you usually determine whether it is worth it or not by looking at user reviews. Those with a lot of positive ones are obviously going to sell better.
The same principle applies to your business. Whenever someone leaves a five-star review, it increases your overall score. Encourage people who have visited your store to leave a positive review. It is not that difficult, and the more you get, the better off you will be.
Voice Search
Even if it is not something you use personally, plenty of individuals have this tendency of using their voice. The words that come out of their mouth are different than those that are typed. It will take a bit to really optimize voice search, but since it is still a growing trend, you have plenty of time left.
Come Up with Content, Related to Local Events
One way to grab the attention of others is by putting out content based on what is happening locally. For instance, if you are selling sports equipment, cover local sports news on the website by writing blog posts or even filming some videos and uploading them for everyone to see.
Mobile Users
Everyone who has been researching internet marketing should be aware that more and more people are choosing to browse on their smartphones and tablets. As such, your website needs to be optimized for this demographic. Otherwise, you are losing out on a lot of potential customers.
Keywords
SEO itself relies on keywords a lot, but so does local search engine optimization. It might be a bit easier to rank certain phrases, also known as long-tail keywords if you do not have to deal with a lot of competition. Spend some time on Serps or similar tools and research those keywords.
Social Media
Social media is as imperative as anything else. You want to cover as much ground as possible, and since so many people in the world are on multiple social media platforms, your business should be there as well. Identify where your customers are the most active, and plan your content according to that.
Research Competition
There should be someone who is already doing their best to make the most out of local SEO. Even if they are not direct competition, you can still learn a lot and apply it to your campaign.
Test Consistently
It will take some time before you get the basics down, and even then, a lot of work is in front of you. Things are changing all the time, meaning that you will have to adjust as well, and the only way to do that is by being consistently at the top of your game, always testing and optimizing the SEO.
