What is Local SEO?
Local SEO is the optimization of your business listing for your local audience. It is a set of activities carried out that focuses on getting your listing shown at the top of the search engine.
It is similar to standard SEO, except in this context; it is to rank locally. But before you do Local SEO, you need a Google My Business Listing.
If you own a business, it’s important to make sure your website is optimized for local search. Local SEO is a process of optimizing your website for search engines like Google, so that when people in your area search for businesses like yours, your website appears as one of the top results.
There are a few key things you can do to optimize your website for local SEO.
First, make sure your website is registered with Google My Business. This will allow you to appear in the “Google Maps” section of the search results, making it easier for people in your area to find you.
Secondly, include location-specific keywords on your website. For example, if you’re a plumber in Los Angeles, be sure to include phrases like “plumbers in Kent” or “Kent plumbers” on your website.
Finally, encourage customers to leave reviews on your Google My Business page. Positive reviews can help improve your ranking in the local search results. By taking these simple steps, you can make it easier for people in your area to find your business online.
According to Google, 46% of all Google searches are local, while the GMB ‘three pack’ of results appears in 93% of all local searches.
Here are some things to look for, these elements make up a strong GMB listing:
- Do you have a GMB listing? If so, is it claimed and verified?
- Is all business information present and correct?
- Do you have multiple reviews and a high cumulative rating? Are you responding to reviews?
- Do you have appropriate business categories listed?
- Do you have images of the business?
- Have you created any GMB posts?
- Are you participating in the Questions & Answers section?
Structured Data is code that goes on a website to help the search engines return more detailed, informative results for users. It tells the search engines what your data means, not just what it says.
This is the perfect way to tell search engines exactly what a given website is about, which will help them serve it up on the search engine results page for the correct search queries.
Now that you understand the basics of local SEO and how it can help your business, it’s time to start implementing some of these strategies. If you need help getting started or want someone to manage your local SEO for you, contact us today. We’d be happy to help get your business ranking higher in search results and driving more traffic (and sales!) to your site.