The trend of local search is growing. As per a Google study, 46% of all Google searches are looking for local information. And in this local search, mobiles play a significant role. Another study reveals that 88% of consumers who do a local search on their smartphone visit or call a store within 24 hours. Businesses that are smart enough to use local SEO tactics will stay ahead of those that are slow to adapt.
Let’s look at local search optimization step-by-step for boosting your Goole rankings and improving your business visibility.
Get the Local Search Fundamentals Right
Google Business Profile displays your locations, hours, phone number, and pictures. It also helps you rank in local searches and Google Maps. You simply need to keep this information updated and encourage customers to leave a review.
Local citations—mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) across directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific websites—are critical for credibility and local ranking.
Review management is also essential in a world where all it takes is one negative review to get people talking about a business. First, encourage customers to leave a review. Make sure to respond to both positive and negative comments. For a client, I implemented an automated review system. The reviews went up, and so did the ranking!
Location-specific pages can be game-changers for multi-location businesses. Use region-specific keywords to appear in local searches. E.g. “Web marketing consultant Lakewood”
Focus on Technical Implementation
How is your website performing for the users as well as search engines?
Schema Markup – These are a set of tags that help search engines get to know your content. Add LocalBusiness schema to your website to enhance search listings with details like operating hours, location, and reviews.
Mobile Optimization – Ensuring that your website performs well on mobile is equally important considering the increasing number of on-the-go users. Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test for a reality check.
Page Loading Speed – Slow loading speed frustrates users and increases bounce rate. That can work in favor of your local competition. Solution? Use compressed images, enable caching, and avoid redirects on your website.
Local content – Creating high-quality, localized content that meets the needs of the local audiences is a sure-shot way to generate organic traffic. E.g. “5 Great Investment Ideas in Dallas”.
Devising a Competitive Strategy
This starts with market analysis. Analyze who ranks for your target keywords, how they structure their websites, and what drives their visibility.
Next is keyword research. Local search optimization begins with using geo-targeted keywords. For example, “Dallas sustainable construction”.
Further, perform a content gap analysis using tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to discover keywords and topics your competitors rank for but you don’t. As a Dallas digital marketing consultant, I have helped many clients use this data to get more traffic to their websites.
Local link-building helps establish authority and build trust. This could include links from local businesses, directories, news sites, and community events.
Monitoring & Maintenance
Rank tracking – Track the ranking of your website and Google Business Profile. Accordingly, make adjustments to your strategies.
Review monitoring – Pay attention to both positive and negative reviews and address them as needed. My advice is to automate the review monitoring process.
Keeping profile updated – Outdated information can be a put-off for customers and lead to loss of business. Stay at it, keep it fresh!
Evaluating ROI – Website traffic, customer interactions, keyword ranking, and conversions are some important metrics to track. Once you find a local trend, you can leverage it to fine-tune your strategies.
Start with a free consultation on localized SEO strategies to boost your local business visibility and ranking!
