How To Improve Your Local SEO
What is Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization)? It can enhance your search engine visibility within your local area and improve organic website traffic from local customers. Local SEO is incredibly important because if your business isn’t optimized for local SEO, you might be missing out on customers who are actively shopping in your area. Did you know that 46% of all Google search entries are searching for local information? Keep reading to learn how you can improve your local SEO to make sure nearby customers can see what services or products your business offers.
Take Advantage of Google My Business.
Google My Business (GMB) is a tool created to help Google ensure the quality of business information on its sites and to standardize the way businesses are presented in search results. You can easily create and verify your GMB page and add information that helps customers find and contact your business such as your hours, pictures of your building, or of your products. Google users can leave reviews and share their experience with your company on your GMB page. Encourage your customers to leave online reviews, and be sure to respond to those reviews – whether they are positive or negative. . Everything on your GMB page helps to ensure Google that your business is authentic, which helps increase visibility in searches. . Reviews and a google my business page won’t just impact SEO, it also improves the customer experience – making it easier to be found. Share your GMB page on your social media accounts to integrate your SEO strategy with your social media strategy.
Make Sure Your Business is Listed in other Directories
Online directories are websites that aggregate business listings and make them searchable for users. Many add user reviews or the ability to rate businesses as a way to filter the good ones to the top of the rankings. Two of the most popular are Yelp and Foursquare. Besides these sites, investigate other local, national and global directories and add your business info. More directory listings will send more local SEO signals to Google and will help increase your search rankings.
Mobile-Friendly and Accurate
Local SEO and mobile devices are a perfect pair. An estimated 61% of Google searches are performed using a mobile device. Think of how many times you have looked up a restaurant or business review, ‘Google Mapped’ a destination, or searched for contact information using your phone. Ensure that your business website is mobile-friendly, and ensure that the name, address and phone number are in the header or footer of the home page. All of this makes it easier for search engines, and therefore people, to find your business.
Thinking Ahead – Voice Optimization
Optimizing your website for mobile devices is necessary but did you know that studies have shown a voice search is 300% more likely to have local intent than search performed by text? Many websites have not optimized their website or content for voice and the era of “voice search” is still relatively new. Choosing to optimize for voice now will allow you to more easily stand out from your competition, especially as voice optimization becomes more and more common.
SEO is an ongoing and ever-evolving process. If you are interested in enhancing your business’ use of local SEO, a start is to perform an audit to gauge where your website currently is and what work you will need to put in to improve your SEO.
Not sure where to begin? We can help! We are a Burlington marketing agency and we specialize in working with passionate small-to-medium-sized business owners! Give us a call at 1-855-656-5262. You can also follow us on Instagram or LinkedIn. We look forward to hearing from you about how to improve your local SEO.