5 SEO Tips and Tricks for Local Business Success

Why Is Local SEO Important for a Growing Business?

The idea of local SEO is to make a business visible online to large number of people, whether within that geographical area or beyond. Local SEO is extremely important for a business for the following reasons:

• Competitive advantage
• Trust and credibility
• Increased online visibility
• New customers
• Build local backlinks
• Grow your business
• Improve local search rankings
• Targeted traffic
• Enhanced online reputation
• Increasing brand awareness

Local businesses should know that it is not just about being online, but also being found  by their potential customers. In this article, we will be revealing five top tips and tricks for local business success.

Top 5 SEO Tips and Tricks for Local Business Success

1. Claim and Optimise Your Google My Business Listing
2. Master Location-Based Keywords and Content
3. Build Local Citations and Online Presence
4. Embrace the Power of Online Reviews and Engage With Your Community
5. Optimise for Mobile Search and Local Voice Searches

Claim and Optimise Your Google My Business Listing

Google My Business is a provider furnished by Google that permits users to display their images, videos and different crucial statistics approximately their business in an optimised manner so that it will make it easily determined on Google Search and Map.

What this means for companies is that, with the right optimisation, they stand a hazard of attracting as many customers as possible and likely developing their commercial enterprise.

How Can Claim and Optimize Your GMB Listing?

By following the underlisted steps, you properly optimise your GMB listing:

High-quality photos and videos of your business

• Positive customer reviews
• Prompt response
• Working/Business hours
• Relevant business categories
• List of products or services
• Accurate and consistent Name, Address and Phone number information.
• Verification
• Website URL
• Updated information

Master Location-Based Keywords and Content

In a bid to cover a wider geographical location, business owners make the mistake of using a generic location in their SEO. Thus, instead of getting the desired result, it sends customers away.

This shows the importance of using geo-targeted keywords in your SEO strategy. It can help grow small businesses online. It may please you to know that 46% of all searches have local intent and this information is verified by Google.

It’s best to use long-tail keywords that highlight your location and incorporate it into your URL, meta descriptions, title tags, and website content.

Beyond optimising your location, you have to create engaging local content. If you have a website, you can create blog posts that talk about local issues and programmes.

If you are on any social media platform, you can give information on local events and give your potential customers special offers (such as discounts, exclusive deals, buy-one-get-one free, etc.).

Build Local Citations and Online Presence

As a businessperson, try to get your business listed or mentioned in industry-specific websites, local newspapers, and relevant online directories; that’s what local citations are all about.

It helps people from your business location who are interested in the products and services that you have to offer easily find you.

What are the strategies for building high-quality local citations?

• Submit your business information to major sites, newspapers and online directories
• Ensure that they are relevant to your business category
• Keep your information updated
• Let all your social media profiles bear the same name, address and phone number.
• Use quality sites like Yelp and Bing places

Note that it is necessary to audit your business information across all online and social media platforms, and keep it up-to-date to ensure consistency and trustworthiness.

Embrace the Power of Online Reviews and Engage With Your Community

What crucial role do online reviews play in influencing local search rankings and customer decisions?

• Builds trust and credibility
• Enhance local visibility
• Influence customers
• Virtual word-of-mouth recommendations
• Attracts new customers

How do you get positive reviews from satisfied customers?

• Through emails.
• Social media
• In-person interactions
• Phone calls

It is not enough to just request reviews and get them, you must promptly respond to all reviews in a professional manner. For positive reviews, you just have to appreciate them and encourage them to come back.

Meanwhile for negative reviews, you have to apologise and work on the issues complained about. This will make your customers feel important and show them that you are committed to them.

Optimise for Mobile Search and Local Voice Searches

It is a practical thought that people carry a more convenient device around than a laptop or a desktop computer. For instance, if you are standing along a busy street, it is easier to search for the nearest coffee shop on your phone than with a laptop.

This shows that mobile search is dominating any other technology-search. If you do not wish to miss out on major customers, then ensure that your site is mobile-friendly.

It makes your site faster to load and more convenient, which is what most customers love and will go for.

Another thing that is dominating the technology market is voice search. People are now too lazy to type in their destinations, especially if there is an option to just say what you want in their natural language

Also, adding terms/keywords such as ‘closer to you’ or ‘near you’, can help attract more customers your way.

To End With,

These tips and tricks can guarantee your local business success if used properly. To get the best of them, you have to start implementing them and researching further on how to optimise your local SEO.

You can contact a digital agency specialising in SEO services if you want more professional help.