Many business owners feel like they’re constantly playing catch-up in the digital world. You might wonder if it’s possible to get ahead, especially with larger companies dominating search results with bigger budgets. However, local search is different, and it is possible for businesses to learn how to dominate local SEO.
Local search is where small and medium-sized businesses have a real advantage. It’s all about connecting with local customers who are actively searching for what you offer. Learning how to dominate local SEO levels the playing field and opens up avenues to new opportunities for businesses of all types.
What is Local SEO?
Local search engine optimization (SEO) is a strategy. The focus helps raise the visibility of businesses online within an area, with the end goal to convert online traffic into paying customers.
Local SEO caters to businesses that serve a particular region. Rather than trying to reach everyone, you focus on reaching the people most likely to walk through your door, which really can help any marketing budget.
Google shows local results focusing on relevance, distance, and prominence. Meaning: How well does your Google Business Profile details match the person’s search intent. Then, the proximity between the search result and the person making the search is considered, with preference for what is most well-known in the search result. Google Business Profile SEO is an important piece to start doing if you have not already.
Dominate Local Search in 2024
Businesses can appear on the first page in Google in a couple of ways, via the Local Pack or organic results. The local pack has Google Business profiles listed on a Google Map above organic search results. After analyzing over 4 million search results, the first result on Google scores an average click-through rate (CTR) of 27.6%.
It’s worth figuring out the best approach for marketing your business. Here is a useful roadmap to launch your new local SEO campaign.
Make Google Business Profile Great
Think of your Google Business Profile like a store. It might be the first time potential customers find out about your business. Make that first experience count and set your business apart.
Start by claiming your Google Business Profile listing. Once you have this setup, add information about the business name, location, phone number, hours, website and short description. Choose a good picture that represents the brand.
Customers appreciate getting good reviews that they can refer to. Google points out, “High-quality, positive reviews from your customers can improve your business visibility and increase the likelihood that a shopper will visit your location.” Positive reviews and high ratings are considered one of the most prominent local SEO ranking factors.
Perfect Your Local Keyword Research
Any solid SEO strategy begins by focusing on solid research of keywords. Think about who your customer base is and what terms they might type into the search box when looking online. What key phrases do customers search for when wanting businesses, products, or services like yours?
You might be a florist shop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for instance. Your target base likely would search for things like, birthday gifts, sympathy, or celebration of life arrangements. When thinking of terms that could be searched, the goal is matching the user’s search intent, and some local keyword phrases like:
- Philadelphia flower shop.
- Florists in Philadelphia.
- Funeral flower delivery Philadelphia.
- Flower arrangements Philadelphia.
After this first step, a few solid tools help expand more. You can gain insights into effective keywords for your industry and your locational area by using Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs.
Publish a Robust Library of Content
The well-known adage holds a ton of weight. 70% of marketing professionals apply content marketing in their plans, which makes sense because it comes with many perks.
Surveys show a high rate of accomplishment around 91% success. Creating and posting content does wonders in driving engagement. It positions any brand ahead of the competition as the ultimate subject matter expert.
Add Specific Location Pages
If you have multiple locations, give each a personal digital storefront. Be sure to add key location pages to the website for each location served.
These location pages give important information like hours, phone, location, and even services and products that might differ. Use local keywords optimized in a local context, but make sure the page also has helpful content. Some of the greatest assets include positive customer reviews, especially if they show up right in search results.
Use Local Schema Markup
Schema markup communicates with search engines more effectively. It makes it easier for search engines like Google to better understand your business and can help appear in what’s referred to as “rich snippets.”
You can appear at the top of search rankings with relevant results and provide a strong experience with helpful content. Adding structured data is a breeze to integrate with AI platforms, simplifying it tremendously without complex know-how.
Make your website mobile-friendly
Did you know 80% of local searches convert? Consider too that most users are searching for services like yours through “near me” type searches. Most will visit within a day or at least in a week.
Most likely the user is coming with an IP address in your local area. If they have their locations shared on Google, that only helps your visibility more. Take into consideration too some data:
- 54% of smartphone users search for business hours.
- 53% of smartphone users search for store directions.
- 18% of local smartphone searches result in a purchase within one day.
Focus on fast-loading page speeds. Start by updating your host company. PageSpeed by Google spells out exact improvements for a web property. Improve the user experience (UX) too with simplicity and clear navigation.
Use Citations and Directories
Keep tabs on what is shared on the Internet. Use Google-verified data by confirming it with them. Google Business Profile allows business owners to add and correct information.
Consider where the Name, Address, and Phone number are cited online, especially in online directories and review sites. Each one should represent each exactly as it shows in Google Business Profile, word for word. Even punctuation must all align identically.
Check major sites that also have review features, like business directories. These business listings can have an impact on a local businesses overall online presence.
Get and Respond to Online Reviews
It can’t be stressed, online reviews are like solid gold when it comes to attracting new clients. Nearly 97% of people look up local businesses on the internet, and reviews impact the buying decisions of over 93% of them.
Reviews indicate that you provide what clients search for. When positive reviews come in, thank them or reply promptly, acknowledging what the user commented. It signals that you care.
For bad reviews, address them swiftly. All users value swiftness in responses. Keep in mind that Google shares that customers see a mix of positive and negative reviews in a more believable and “more trustworthy” light.
Mastering Local SEO in a Few Extra Steps
While claiming and enhancing the business profile is crucial, continuous improvement is essential for long-term rankings. Let’s explore how to rank higher.
Title and Description Tags
Title tags and description tags should describe pages on any site. What’s within shows to people doing searching. Title and description tags work together as a promotion, enticing click-throughs.
Focus on targeting relevant keywords to show first within them. Be careful to pay attention to word or character limits, though. Ellipses can hurt click-through rates, so avoid sacrificing meaningful messages.
Think about what a user hopes to search for. Consider your target demographics and their search habits, providing what they hope to locate. It really helps build a better connection.
Build Pages Out More by Services
If your operation provides separate service types, consider giving each offering its own distinct location with unique keywords and content. Instead of writing about each service from a single location. Give Google and your readers what they need.
Expand your website to create content to explain products or services offered. This allows people to be able to go deeper with their knowledge of how you can meet their needs. Marketing managers love this tip because it goes so far with helping with SEO and growing traffic to the website.
Get on Online Directories and Citation
Get listed properly and consistently on top directory listing sites in your industry like Yelp, Facebook, and other relevant ones. Businesses often avoid linking through social media, but this builds extra brand credibility. Be certain each of those aligns word for word with your Google Business Profile.
Your name, address, and phone number need to be precise, as it helps ranking. You might look for area-specific business directories. Getting your business listed in a reputable business directory can increase your overall business visibility.
Keep Tabs on Algorithms
Marketing managers in SEO stay up-to-date with the newest updates because algorithms often change the order of ranking positions. It helps you figure out why changes in SERPs have occurred in organic or maps results.
Here is a quick breakdown to stay ahead:
| Local Algorithm Updates: Stay ahead of the curve. |
|---|
| Keep tabs on search engine changes in how it ranks a listing; it happens fairly frequently. Look it over daily, even before checking email. |
| Note how each Google Search result has ranking shifts. Pay close attention to any drops and changes with those keywords. |
| Be ready to shift SEO strategies anytime major or minor algorithm shifts are published; stay flexible in updating. |
| Check all your properties. It’s critical you align with SEO tactics so you can remain solid in the online business landscape. |
Get into Podcasting
Starting up with Podcasts builds your voice, brand recognition, and overall audience connection, not to mention expert status. Various platforms, such as Spotify and Apple Podcast, make recording sessions an opportunity to cross-pollinate.
Places like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok offer a new way of reaching more audiences. Be sure to make the most of any social media profile or media profile that you can by including your website link, phone number, address and more to match your business profiles.
Here’s more insight into starting up Podcasting:
Consider repurposing each Podcast episode into other content types. Convert transcriptions of podcast episodes to articles. Post short snippets and clips to each of your platforms and to your followers.
Ask your listeners questions potential customers might have too. If they took the time to reach out, that could be content that many more are also wondering about. Don’t forget to do some Podcast SEO if you are looking to grow organically. You could even include products that would address their questions within content that answers them. Be sure to include products naturally in the copy.
Conclusion
Many business owners face a challenge to keep up with global and enterprise competition. Armed with knowledge about how local search happens and following these great tips can help. You will gain positioning for your business, bringing in a whole new set of leads and overall improved rankings.
Dominating local search with these strategies in place can take work to get right, but your customer community is looking to connect with you locally, so embrace the focus. It helps customers come your direction more easily. The effort pays great dividends once everything is refined, highlighting how to dominate local SEO.
