Are you a business owner looking to optimize your online presence for local searches? Local SEO (search engine optimization) is the process of improving search engine visibility for local businesses, mainly those with physical locations. By following local SEO best practices, companies can improve organic traffic from customer searches in nearby areas. Now that smartphones are part of our daily lives, it's natural that many people use their phones to search for information and local businesses. Uberall commissioned a study, which found that 82% of respondents had used their mobile devices to perform a search “near me”.
This shows how much people rely on their phones to perform local searches. You never know when Google will introduce new features in its SERPs for local searches, but you can count on these changes to take place. That's why it's essential to always be aware of local SEO trends and best practices. By implementing these 10 practical elements, you'll ensure that your business not only takes advantage of lucrative local searches, but also has a solid foundation when new SEO features are introduced. And if you don't have the bandwidth to make these adjustments, you can try a local SEO audit or search for an SEO service provider for small businesses. As you grow your blog audience, you'll also want to collect inbound links.
Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence so that people can easily find you through relevant local searches. Google and other search engines use user geolocation and search keywords to determine what to show users. In this article, we'll discuss the best methods for local SEO and how you can use them to increase visibility and organic traffic for your business. We'll also show you how to give personality to your local search efforts so that local searchers want to know who you are.
What is the Local Search Ecosystem?
The local search ecosystem describes the existence of several websites, directories, platforms and applications that list, distribute and share information about local companies. It's not the Google My Business type, the type of local SEO that job boards, home ad sites and national delivery services need to count on.How Can I Optimize My Business for Local SEO?
For brands with multiple locations, Google My Business and local SEO can be confusing and frustrating.Including your company's name, address, and phone number in these directories will not only help improve visibility, but it will also boost your local SEO. There's nothing like creating content that speaks or relates directly to a local topic to capture the attention of local customers. Local SEO will help your audience find you when they search online if you have a store or service area. A map of local service providers or a calendar of events throughout the city could add value to your personality and contain very relevant local signs on the page.
What Tools Can I Use for Local SEO?
Local SEO tools can help track rankings, provide competitive information, help develop keywords optimized for SEO, monitor performance, and encourage customer participation. Watch for spelling errors, discrepancies in addresses and phone numbers, and duplicate listings and resolve them to improve your local SEO. Include local news and events, which will not only boost your SEO but will also provide useful information to your audience.While these sites don't always have a local focus, local search engines may consider them sources of citations.