Local SEO services are crucial if your business operates out of physical locations or serves a geographical region, and most digital marketing agencies offer local SEO packages as part of their offerings.
Moz’s annual Local Search Ranking Factors survey indicates that website content remains an important ranking factor; however, other signals have increased in relevance such as citation volume and consistency, review signals and the type of content your competitors are creating.
Keyword Research
As part of your local SEO, it’s essential that you focus on keywords that demonstrate that your business offers services or products relevant to those living in its service area. While this requires additional research time and energy, the effort pays off when it comes to ranking higher on Google search engine result pages.
Start by using tools such as Google Search Console, Keyword Planner or Semrush to get ideas for local keywords. These will show the number of monthly searches a term receives as well as other important metrics like competition levels.
Google autocomplete can be an invaluable asset when identifying queries that your target audience often makes. You can identify keywords by adding location modifiers such as “branding agency London” or “tax services Brooklyn”, to narrow your list down to those most likely to generate results for your business.
On-Page Optimization
Local SEO marketing enables your business to optimize its website to improve search engine visibility and encourage customers to visit its physical location, helping it expand faster while reaching more people than if it only relied on organic search results alone.
To increase your chances of ranking in the local pack, optimize your website content for relevant keywords while making sure that business information remains consistent across online platforms. Also consider creating a Google My Business account and listing it with online business directories.
Increase trust and credibility with your target audience by soliciting reviews on Google My Business and other review platforms and responding to both positive and negative customer feedback–this will give your business an advantage over companies who don’t prioritize local SEO marketing. To start out, try using Semrush’s On Page Optimization Audit for an idea of how well your site is performing and where improvements should be made.
Social Media Marketing
Local SEO Marketing aims at driving highly targeted local traffic to a company’s website, leading to more leads and sales as a result of local search results visibility for brick-and-mortar locations. Due to consumer demands for omnichannel shopping options, many retailers now operate two storefronts–one physical and one digital. Local SEO helps your company’s digital storefront stand out among competitors.
A professional local SEO service should conduct a competitive analysis to ascertain who ranks highest on search engine result pages (SERPs) among local competitors, as well as reasons for their outranking of your business.
Social media marketing is an essential element of local SEO campaigns, from creating content to reflecting their local presence such as blogs or videos to monitoring reviews for positive and negative responses and responding accordingly. Social media also plays a part in building brand recognition and driving traffic through links leading directly to their company’s website or promotional materials.
Link Building
Local SEO requires more than keyword-rich content – it also involves building local backlinks to increase rankings.
One strategy to do so is by getting featured in local publications, for instance by pitching newsworthy stories about your business to local media. A storage facility in Ireland was able to get featured during the COVID-19 pandemic on Dublin Live and increase visibility, ultimately leading to more customers.
An effective way of developing local links is through sponsoring local events or charities, creating an authoritative link profile while simultaneously building the trust of your target audience.
One effective strategy to build local links is through user-generated content. Encourage customers to leave reviews on Google or other platforms. Also highlight customer testimonials on your website as this will build credibility and drive traffic; focus on providing high-quality, engaging material to keep users engaged with your brand and increase trustworthiness.