Local SEO tips to improve your search rankings

How Do You Know Local SEO Really Matters?

Here’s how it goes. 2016 will go down in history as the year mobile devices finally overtook desktop computers for web browsing. This means that people are increasingly browsing on the go and that they are searching for things located near them.

Anywhere between 30 and 50 percent of all Google searches might be local, and around 69% of smartphone owners use their devices to help them shop. 82% of them search for things using the phrase “near me.”

Of course, you can find different studies that came up with slightly different numbers, but the overall picture they paint is the same. Local business needs good local search rankings because as many as three-quarters of these searches end with a visit to a store.

Let’s sum it up. People who have clear purchase intent might look for the things you sell while they’re close enough to pop for a visit. You get qualified buyers looking for your products in the area where your store operates. If it sounds too good to be true, you should know it isn’t, mostly. It is true. It just has a bad side, too.

How Serious Do You Need to Get with Local SEO?

Local SEO isn’t something you should get into over a weekend and think you’re done with it. Local search optimisation is a highly competitive area, and the way Google’s been managing only made it more so.

The top of the local search results page features a Google map and three listings. If you’re trying to optimise your business’ online presence for local SEO on Google or Bing, your goal is to appear in that “snack pack”, the three results that are displayed prominently on the top of the result page.

If you don’t get into these select results, your business will still be findable via a local search. It’s just that the person searching will have to take one extra step to access the much larger listing where your business will appear. As you can see, getting into that “snack pack” has clear advantages.

Understanding Local Search Ranking Factors

Before you can start optimising your website for local search, it’s important to understand the factors that influence local search rankings. Google or Bing uses a variety of signals to determine the relevance and authority of a website for a particular local search query. Here are some of the most important local search ranking factors:

• Google My Business Listing and Bing Places
  Your Google My Business listing and Bing Places is one of the most important in local search rankings. A complete and optimized listing can help you rank higher in local search results.
• NAP Consistency & Citation Building
  NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone Number. Consistency in your NAP across all online directories is critical for local SEO. Citation building involves getting your business listed on authoritative directories and websites.
• Online Reviews and Managing Reputation
  Online reviews are a critical factor in local search rankings. Social Proof is more effective than marketing directly from the business because other customers’ experience is more genuine.  Positive reviews can help you rank higher, while negative reviews can hurt your rankings. Reputation management involves monitoring and responding to reviews to maintain a positive online reputation.
• Local Specific Relatable Content
  Creating location specific content can help you target local keywords and improve your search rankings. Content can include blog posts, landing pages, and other website pages.
• Local Backlinks
  Backlinks from local websites can help you improve your local search rankings. Building relationships with local businesses and organisations can help you earn local backlinks.

How to Improve Local Search Rankings

There isn’t one single thing you need to do for your business to have a good place in local search rankings. Plenty of factors contribute to a good ranking. Taking care of each one of them is more of a process than something you just sit down and do over an afternoon or two.

Still, some things are more important to address than others. Let’s see what are the things you should do first, and that will have the most impact on your rankings.

Create a Mobile-Friendly Website

While a lot of local optimisation is aimed at doing what Google wants you to, you should never forget that it’s really about customers. The customers you’re trying to attract are increasingly looking for a decent mobile viewing experience.

There are a couple of ways you can go around making your website mobile-friendly. Any one of them is perfectly fine if it helps your website display well on small screens and is easy to navigate with thumbs alone.

That’s why our web design puts mobile experience first to provide the best user experience.

Claim and Optimise the Google My Business Page or Bing Places

You won’t get anywhere in Google’s/Bing local search results without a My Business page. That’s where you tell the search engine that your business exists, that it has a physical location, working hours, payment methods it accepts, and things like that.

Claiming the My Business page will put your business on the map. It will also give you an opportunity to create some content, which is something you should strongly consider. Most importantly, though, it will allow you to receive and answer customer reviews.

Here are some tips and steps:

• Claim your Listing
  If you haven’t already claimed your Google My Business or Bing Places listing, do so immediately. This will allow you to manage your listing and ensure that your information is accurate.
• Complete your Listing Profile
  Make sure that your Google My Business or Bing Places profile is complete and accurate. This includes your business name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and business category.
  
• Add Photos
  Add quality photos that best represent your business to your listings to stand out in the search results and improve click through rate.

NAP Consistency and Citation Building

NAP consistency refers to the accuracy and consistency of your business’s name, address, and phone number across all online directories. Citation building involves getting your business listed on authoritative directories and websites. Here are some tips for NAP consistency and citation building:

• Audit your NAP
  Conduct a thorough audit of your business’s name, address, and phone number across all online directories. Make sure that your information is accurate and consistent.
• Get Listed on Business Directories
  Whether you’re selling locally, regionally, or globally, you should get your website listed on online business directories. You don’t need to get your business on each one of them. But you should sign up for as many as you can follow regularly.Business directories can improve how easy it is to find your website. Besides the visibility boost, these websites usually provide a platform where you can get reviews and answer them. This is an incredibly important part of doing business online.
• Monitor your Listing
  Monitor your business’s listings on all online directories to ensure that your information is accurate and consistent. This can help you avoid any negative impact on your local search rankings.  Keep a record like on a spreadsheet, on all the signed-up directory listings to track all the listings to ensure consistency.  

Online Reviews and Managing Reputation

Online reviews are a critical factor in local search rankings as they provide customers with social proof. Positive reviews can help you rank higher, while negative reviews can hurt your rankings. Reputation management involves monitoring and responding to reviews to maintain a positive online reputation. Here are some tips for online reviews and reputation management:

• Encourage Reviews
  Encourage your customers to leave reviews on your Google My Business listing and other online directories. Positive reviews can help you rank higher in local search results. Only encourage reviews when your customer has a pleasant experience with your product and service.
• Monitor your Reviews
  Monitor your business’s reviews on all online directories. This will allow you to respond quickly to negative reviews and maintain a positive online reputation.
• Respond to Reviews
  Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative. This shows that you value your customers’ feedback and are committed to providing excellent customer service.

Local Specific Relatable Content

Creating location-specific content can help you target local keywords and improve your search rankings. Content can include blog posts, landing pages, and other website pages. Here are some tips for creating location-specific content:

• Research Keywords
  Research local keywords that are relevant to your business. This will help you create content that targets the right audience.  This can be obtained through the Google Search Console or researched through a keyword planner like Google or Bing.
• Create a Landing Page
  Create location-specific landing pages that target your local keywords. These pages should provide valuable information to potential customers and encourage them to act.
• Create Blog Posts
  Write blog posts that are relevant to your local audience. This can include news and events, local attractions, and other topics that are of interest to your potential customers.  Creating valuable information and events rather than “sell sell sell” will build customer trust with your business.

Building Local Backlinks

Links are regarded as a key component of SEO. Just how important they are changes with each new Google algorithm update. Still, it’s a good idea to pay attention to the links that go to and from your website.

Follow the good old linking practices: try to have high-quality links going from your website. Use guest blog posting on websites with high domain authority to get links leading back to your website. It’s as simple as that.

Here are some tips for building local backlinks:

• Partner with a Local Business
  Partner with local businesses and organisations to earn local backlinks. This can include sponsoring events, hosting joint promotions, and collaborating on content.
• Guest Posting
  Write guest posts for local blogs and websites. This can help you earn valuable backlinks and improve your local search rankings.
• Create Relevant Engaging Content
  Create content that other websites will want to link to. This can include infographics, guides, and other high-quality content.

Tracking and Measuring Success

Tracking and measuring your local SEO success is essential to understanding what’s working and what’s not. Here are some ways to track and measure your local SEO success:

• Analytics Tools from Google or Bing
  Use Analytics tools to track your website’s traffic, including traffic from local search.
• Search Console from Google or Bing
  Use Google Search Console to monitor your website’s performance in Google search results and keywords.
• SEO Ranking Tools
  Use rank tracking tools to monitor your website’s search rankings for local keywords like Semrush.

Local SEO Mistakes to Avoid

To make the SEO mistakes more clearly, here is what you should avoid:

• Ignoring your Google/Bing Listing
• Inconsistent NAP Information
• Ignoring online reviews
• Failing to understand and target relevant keywords

Conclusion

Local SEO is essential for businesses that rely on local customers. By optimising your website and online presence for local search, you can attract more local customers, improve your online visibility, and grow your business.

By implementing the tips in this article and what to avoid, you can take your local SEO strategy to the next level and achieve top search rankings.