Local SEO has become one of the main marketing tools for small businesses looking to attract new customers in their geographic area. Thanks to its cost-effectiveness, it is an essential strategy for achieving concrete results. In fact, local and organic searches account for 69% of overall web traffic, meaning you can’t afford to overlook local search optimization.
Local SEO involves optimizing the online visibility of local businesses for searches on Google and other search engines. It differs from traditional SEO because it aims to rank both in organic results and in Google’s Local Pack, which is the list of local results.
The ranking factors for organic results and the Local Pack are different. For organic results, the most important factors are on-page optimization and links. For the Local Pack, however, the key factors are the Google My Business profile, on-page optimization, and reviews.
What Makes Local SEO Unique?
Let’s start with the most frequently asked question on this topic: what is Local SEO optimization? Local SEO is the practice of improving the online visibility of local businesses on Google and other search engines. In some ways, it resembles traditional SEO, but in others, it is completely different.
Specifically, the goal of Local SEO is to rank high in search engine results pages (SERPs) for local searches, meaning searches that include a geographic location or the phrase “near me.”.
But there’s another element of Local SEO that you don’t need to worry about with traditional SEO: the Google Local Pack. The Local Pack appears in almost every local search and ranks a business’s Google My Business profile. This is what makes Local SEO unique. You’re not just optimizing for Google’s organic results but also for the Local Pack.
Furthermore, Google uses a different algorithm to rank Google My Business profiles. Take a look at this list of the most important ranking factors according to BrightLocal:
- Proximity
- Relevance
- Prominence
As you can see, the ranking factors for the Local Pack are different from those for organic local searches. This means you have to manage even more variables when optimizing for Local SEO.
Why Is Local SEO Important for Businesses?
Now that you know what Local SEO is, let’s move on to the second most important question: why is Local SEO so important? The first point to emphasize is that, despite the growth of e-commerce, physical stores still account for the majority of retail sales (about 70%).
The second point is that 98% of people use the internet to search for local business information, according to research by Brightlocal. This figure is increasing. Google is the most trusted source of information. The same research shows that 87% of consumers use Google to evaluate businesses and trust its reviews more than any other site. It’s clear why Local SEO is so important. Consumers want to buy from local businesses and rely on Google to find stores like yours. This means you could be losing thousands of customers if your local business is not well-optimized for Local SEO.
How to Do Local SEO
Want to learn how to improve Local SEO for your site?
1. Find Local Keywords
The first thing to do is find high-volume local keywords to rank for. These are keywords that people in your area will use to search for your business. For example, if you are a florist in Milan, they could be:
- Florist Milan
- Florist in Milan
- Flower delivery Milan
- Wedding flowers Milan
As you can see, users may search for your type of business (a florist, in this case) or a service you offer (like wedding flowers). You can use SEO tools to find the most relevant keywords for your local business. Make a list of every relevant keyword. In the next step, we’ll use them to optimize your site.
2. Optimize Your Site for Local SEO
Now that you know which keywords to rank for, you can optimize your website for Local SEO. In addition to location-specific keywords, you should include several Local SEO-specific elements on your website that you might not consider for traditional SEO. However, start by using the SEO Analyzer to understand your website’s current on-page SEO score and identify areas for improvement.
For example, you can see that this website needs to improve keyword density on some pages, modify some meta descriptions, and add an H1 heading to a page.
Once these issues are resolved, follow the steps below to optimize your website for local search:
- Create pages for your local keywords. I recommend creating dedicated pages for each relevant keyword on the list. Some pages will naturally cover multiple keywords (like “florist Milan” and “flower shop Milan”). However, you should have localized pages for all your services.
- Create a contact page. Make sure you have a dedicated contact page on your website. It’s not only good website design practice but will also help you list your business’s name, address, and phone number (also known as NAP).
- Display all business addresses. If you have multiple locations, ensure they are all listed on your website. Even better, create a dedicated page showing all your stores or a dedicated page for each store.
- Ensure your site is mobile-friendly. There’s a good chance that people doing local searches are using their smartphones on the go, so make sure your website performs well on all devices.
- Add local schema. Schema markup is the common language search engines use to understand what your website is about. Adding the appropriate schema markup for local businesses to your website makes it easier for Google to understand exactly what type of local business you are.
3. Claim and Optimize Your Google My Business Profile
Your Google My Business profile is the most important ranking factor for Google Local Pack results. According to BrightLocal research, one of the first things to do is claim and optimize your Google My Business profile.
Fortunately, Google makes it easy to create a new Google My Business profile. Follow the step-by-step instructions, filling in as much information as possible. Don’t skip any fields unless you have a valid justification. Also, pay attention to ensuring that the information you enter in your Google My Business profile matches what’s on your website and wherever else you’ve listed your business details online.
One field that is often underestimated by businesses is “Business Category.” The categories you choose significantly influence the types of searches your business will appear in, so select all relevant ones.
You can tell if you’ve done a good job because Google provides a profile strength score. You can see this in the search results for your business when you’re logged into Google. In the meantime, you’ll want to claim other local profiles as well, including your Bing Places for Business profile, review sites like Yelp, and any social media accounts you haven’t already created.
4. Create NAP Citations for Local SEO
A NAP citation is any mention of your business’s name, address, and phone number. The term can be extended to NAPW, including your website as well.
According to experts, citations are an essential ranking factor for Local SEO and account for 7% of the algorithm for the Local Pack and local organic results. NAP citations are no longer as important as they once were for Local SEO, but they are still a useful way to get your local business found by both search engines and users, so they are worth creating.
Here are some methods for creating NAP citations:
- Major data aggregators. For businesses in the US, the main data aggregators are Data Axle, Localeze, and Foursquare.
- Local web directories. Your city will likely have at least a few local directories that list businesses.
- Industry web directories. Almost every industry has a relevant directory website where you can list your business.
- National web directories. These are well-known directories you’ve probably heard of, such as Yellow Pages.
- Local websites. Getting your business listed on local websites, whether they are blogs or news sites, can be a great source of NAP citations.
Ensure you maintain the consistency of your NAP citations everywhere. Use the same spelling for your business name and address. This includes things like abbreviating “Street” as “St.” or including “LLC” in the company name.
If you get tired of creating these citations manually, you can use services like Yext or BrightLocal to simplify the process.
Yext Listings, for example, allows you to automatically publish your NAP citations to over 200 third-party publishers. These tools also make it easier for you to manage and update existing citations.
5. Get as Many Customer Reviews as Possible
Reviews are one of the most important trust signals for your brand. Almost everyone (99.9%) checks reviews when shopping online. More than half (57%) of consumers specifically read reviews for physical stores before making a purchase. This should be enough to convince you to get more reviews for your business. But reviews are also an important ranking factor for Local SEO, particularly the third most important for Google Map Pack results.
Therefore, you need to encourage as many positive and detailed reviews as possible on Google. Reviews on other websites like Yelp and TripAdvisor can be helpful, but they are less powerful than reviews on Google. To get reviews, you should ask your satisfied customers to leave a review on Google. You can do this via email, through a link on your website, or via a paper reminder in your physical store.
Be sure to respond to reviews, both positive and negative, professionally and courteously. This shows that you care about your customers’ opinions and are willing to do what it takes to meet their needs.
6. Use Local Link Building Strategies
Link building is also important for Local SEO. Links from local and industry-relevant websites can help improve your ranking in local searches.
Here are some local link building strategies you can use:
- Collaborate with other local businesses to exchange links or create joint content.
- Participate in local events or sponsor local organizations to get mentions and links on their websites.
- Look for guest posting opportunities on local blogs or news sites.
- Create quality content that is useful to your local community. This can attract natural links from other local websites.
Remember that the quality of links is more important than the quantity. Aim to get links from reputable and industry-relevant websites.
Conclusion
Local SEO is an indispensable tool for local businesses looking to attract new customers. Its cost-effectiveness makes it one of the most powerful marketing methods available. In this comprehensive guide, we’ve covered everything you need to know about Local SEO. From its differences from traditional SEO to the specific strategies to follow, you now have all the information you need to successfully optimize your local business.
Remember to follow the six essential steps: find local keywords, optimize your website, claim and optimize your Google My Business profile, create NAP citations, get customer reviews, and use local link building strategies.
By following these guidelines, you can rank high in local searches and attract new customers in your geographic area. Don’t let your local business remain in the shadows; harness the power of Local SEO.
Pubblicato in Digital Marketing, SEO
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