Local SEO is becoming one of the most important components of every business and brand that wants long term success through a Search Engine. Here we will explain what the meaning of local SEO is and how you can use it to attract customers.
What Is Local SEO?
Local SEO has significantly grown in the last few years, partially thanks to the growth of smartphone usage. Although there are a lot of similarities with basic SEO, in the end it’s actually quite different.
It is focused on giving results that are relevant to the Search Engine based on the current location. If you would, let’s say, search for “10 best restaurants”, Google would give you results that are closest to you (for example if you search from Houston, you will get Houston restaurants). You can get the same results by searching on your phone.
Google has said that 95% of mobile phone users search for local information on their devices. To make sure Google and other Search Engines are giving the most relevant information, the results based on location are going to become more and more popular in the future. What can you do to optimize your website for local searches?
Here are a few tips that can help you in making your page local-friendly.
1. Google Places for Business
This is the first thing you should create. Open your Google Places for Business account, and make sure you fill out all the right information. The whole profile should be complete. This will allow Google to better sort you in the searches.
2. Google+ Local
You should connect your Google Places profile with your Google+ Local page. This is more focused on social interaction. You can put various info on there and it will help you interact with your audience.
When you are opening your Google+ Local account, make sure you do the following:
- Optimize the information about your company with keywords. The heading of the page should have the name of the brand, the keyword you are going for and the location.
- Associate your business branch with the right category.
- Add your address in a format that is consistent to any other place where you mention your address, phone number, or your name. It is one of the key factors in Local SEO ranking.
- Encourage visitors to leave comments and reviews. Reviews are probably the strongest Local SEO factor, and are often compared to links in standard SEO.
- Make a list of all the physical locations of your company. This will allow visitors to get the right information about your closest outpost.
On-page Local SEO
When you are optimizing your website for local searches, it is important to leave your address on the page. The heading should have the name of the brand, the keyword you are aiming at, and your location. You should also think about this when doing the meta description of the page. Putting a map in your contact page can improve your rank, because it illustrates where your business is located. Use structured data markup embedded in your website to specify your address, brand name, working hours, and phone numbers.
