Who doesn’t want free traffic for their website!!! Businesses in general, have this pain point that it gets very difficult for them to get the local traction from the internet.
Search engine optimization is the one such technique which can help you in making sure that your business gets the visibility it always craves for. It is a long game, and so it must be played with caution.
To ensure that you will get the exposure, you need the right strategy. Local SEO guide can be your best bet, however, in this post; you will learn all the major tenets associated with the SEO so that you can easily rank your website and get the maximum output.
So, without any further ado, let’s get you started!
Table of Contents
Things You Should Know About Local SEO
Whether your business is in local cities or not, targeting local customers is always fruitful. It is an effective marketing technique for your business to highlight it on local searches. There are many SEO strategies you can opt to enhance your business visibility locally. Let’s get straight to that and see how you can help your business to rank better locally.
Never underestimate title & meta descriptions
HTML elements such as title and Meta descriptions are crucial for your website. They are sort of “mini-ads” (as per Search Engine Land) which will help you to highlight what you are showcasing on your website way before the audience enters it.
You must have seen Google SERP (Search Engine Result Pages). There you will see how websites showcase to Google what content they have on their website. I tried to showcase clearly what are Meta titles and descriptions. Have a look at that.
Take advantage of that space and use it smartly to showcase your local business. Writing titles and description is an art when it comes to SEO. If these texts are not unique, then your website will take a toll and will crash down in the SERPs.
Always make sure to provide only helpful information in your title and description. And since you want to reach your local audience, then you have to make sure to include the name of the city, your local address, and what you offer.
So, when you get good rankings for your business with the right title & description, you have only one shot at your visitor.
Online citations & directories
It is not a secret that before purchasing, a buyer prefers searching online. There are many businesses which do not bother to list themselves online (Such a lost opportunity!!!).
So, what’s the catch!!!
Get your business listed on online platforms like Merchant Circle and Yelp. When you get your business listed correctly on these websites, you will get a place among some of the most respected businesses. It increases your business’s authority.
While enlisting your business over various local directories, always remember to make sure that you followed the NAP approach.
N.A.P!!!
Yes, it is a short acronym for Name, Address, and Phone number. Ensure that you consistently used NAP over all the business directories.
Claim to Google my Business
Google My Business is also a business listing directory.
You must be wondering why I put it here as in a separate section!!!
It is powered by Google (it is as simple as this). This tool is free and very powerful as well. It will give you tremendous exposure with the super Google’s local pack like this:
Go now to google.com/business to claim your Google My Business Page. There will be a verification process where Google will send you a postcard with a Pin. You simply have to enter that pin to complete the verification process.
No one can skip this verification process as it is must to ensure Google that your business is legit.
To optimize your business page, you need to give a solid description of your business, categories, opening and closing hours, mode of payments, and other things. You can also make use of your business logo and services as well. In general, Google recommends having at least three pictures of your organization.
Online reviews are crucial
According to a survey by Search Engine Land, 84 % of people trust online reviews. Seven out of 10 people will definitely leave a review if the businesses ask them for it.
Social media platforms are the best way to engage with your audience. You can ask them to give a genuine review which will increase the trust of your target audience. A high-quality positive review has the power to improve your business’s visibility online.
So, don’t wait up!!! Ask for reviews with your customers now.
Winding it up
So, these are some of the ways in which you can increase your rankings in a local area. So, what do you think about listing your business locally? Tell us all about it in the comments section. With Search Beast Calgary SEO you can easily get high visibility on Google. Adios till then!!!
