For local businesses, search engine optimization (SEO) should be an integral part of your online marketing plan. Not only will it help you connect to potential customers and boost visibility online, but it can also increase traffic from search engines.

When users perform a local search, they’re usually searching for nearby restaurants, shops or other physical places of business. Google recognizes this and displays results that are most pertinent to their requirements.

1. Optimize your website for local search

Local search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of tailoring your online presence to attract nearby customers. This involves identifying relevant keywords, link building and content creation to effectively position your products or services for nearby consumers.

The initial step in optimizing your website for local SEO is to make it mobile-friendly and add content tailored specifically for each location.

Improve your local search by creating a Google My Business page and engaging on social media platforms. Make sure your name, address, and phone number are consistent across all these online sources so customers can locate you easily.

Another way to increase your local search visibility is by collecting reviews on both your Google My Business listing and other online sources. According to a Moz study, review signals are among the top ranking factors for localized searches.

2. Optimize your Google My Business page

Your Google My Business page is an ideal opportunity to be discovered by local consumers searching for your services. When optimized properly, your profile can be utilized to showcase hours of operation, updates, photos and videos, FAQs, reviews, and more – all from one convenient location!

Optimizing your Google My Business page (GMB) requires that all information contained therein be accurate and up to date. This includes business name, address, phone number, website URL and other important pieces of data which could affect local search results.

Additionally, you can optimize your profile by selecting the correct business categories. Doing so helps Google better match your business with relevant searches and may improve its ranking in localized search results.

One final optimization strategy for your Google My Business page is asking customers to leave reviews. Customers highly value this feedback and it can improve rankings in localized searches.

3. Optimize your social media profiles

No matter if it’s your Facebook, Twitter or Instagram profile, make sure it is optimized for local search. This can include adding relevant keywords and providing location-specific info such as your business’ address, phone number and hours of operation.

Another crucial element in local SEO is online reviews. These can help boost your search rankings and bring in more customers to your business.

Claiming and optimizing your Google My Business page is essential for improving search rankings. This requires providing your business’ name, address, and contact info in the listing on Google My Business.

Content that highlights local topics and events can help increase your search visibility and attract more website visitors. These could include blog posts, videos, social media posts that pertain to your area. When crafting these types of posts it is essential to use hashtags; these can extend their reach but must be carefully chosen according to relevance to your brand.

4. Optimize your content for local search

When it comes to local search engine optimization (SEO), content is key. Crafting geo-targeted material can help you get closer to customers and boost your local SEO rankings.

When creating an infographic, blog post or video, be sure to incorporate high-volume keywords in the URL, title tags, header, meta description and body. Furthermore, highlight customer success stories and case studies that demonstrate your capability of delivering results to potential customers.

Furthermore, be sure to include location pages on your website if you have multiple locations. These provide readers with important information such as names, addresses, phone numbers, store hours, unique store descriptions, parking/transit details, promotions and customer testimonials.