Suppose you own a burger shop “X” in Seattle, your primary focus should be on attracting local customers. If someone in Washington State googles “burger shop near me”, and if the search engine results provide your shop name, “X”, that’s a win for you! Thus, logically your website should be incorporated with localized keywords in addition to other SEO strategies as well. To discover those other local SEO tactics, hook on to this blog till the very end, as it shall also unveil some bonus tips at the end. Preceding that, let’s understand the distinctions between traditional and local SEO first.
Typical SEO vs Local SEO
As mentioned shortly before, typical SEO focuses on gathering a reach at a global level, whereas local SEO cuts shorts and concentrates just on the local market and audience. This local SEO implementation is achieved by using localized long-tail keywords, which also helps the search engine resonate with the voice search on a deeper level.
Backlinking is another way to incorporate local SEO into your content. Similar to SEO, Google search engines decide and rank these contents via several algorithms. Next listed are some of the best techniques for local SEO optimization in your content.
Strategies for incorporating local SEO for the best possible result!
1) Optimizing your profile in Google My Business (GMB)
“Google My Business” is a free-of-cost service offered by the Google search engine. It is basically an online directory of businesses based on geographical regions. Now, in order to get listed in the top searches on the browser results, the details filled in the GMB shall be devoid of any ambiguity. You need to crosscheck the details provided in this GMB listing; with any other platform you use.
In other words, incorrect or inconsistent data may lead to a decline in Google search rankings.
2) Give priorities to Backlinking
The backlinking strategy is a well-practiced form of SEO for websites. It is the process of linking another website to your website or vice versa. This way you can showcase your authority, which in turn helps push search rankings high up the ladder. You can contact related local businesses to collaborate with you, allowing you to backlink their content to your webpage. Local SEO is greatly optimized by this technique.
3) Localized Keyword inclusion is a must
When you are trying to optimize content with the help of Local SEO, binding your content with localized keywords is quite a logical decision to make. By localized keywords, you can add long-tail keywords which shall also cater to Voice Search Optimization.
For example, if a user in California searches for “laundry shops near me”, including keywords like “near me”, “best laundry shop in California”, etc shall be incorporated. Thus, rather than talking about just the business in general terms, be more specific and funnel it down to localized words. This will help customers to locate you faster.
4) Obtain online reviews as much as possible
Reviews received, be it positive or negative, hugely affect the SEO rankings of any website. When it comes to matters of local SEO, encouraging reviews from local customers is a great tool to build your reputation. Even if a person doesn’t give a review, prefer sending personalized emails and forms to collect their honest review.
Some more bonus tips to excel
– NAP (name, address, and phone number) across all platforms shall be consistently entered to boost your Local SEO.
– Use well-researched localized keywords in tags, titles, and meta descriptions of your website.
– Building your local market shall be your topmost goal, by engaging them in gatherings and gaining their trust.
Final Words
If you have obtained mastery in SEO, cracking the morse code of Local SEO may not be a herculean task. You may consider Local SEO as just a subset of normal SEO.
By following the above-stated strategies, you can ace your local business game fast. Be your eyes open and be updated about the changing trends. SEO optimization is not an overnight miracle, thus learn and stay patient for the results!
Sandeep Goel is the founder and CEO of Obelisk Infotech, with over a decade of experience in digital marketing. He started his career as an SEO Analyst, refining his skills with US clients, which deepened his understanding of digital culture. Sandeep is passionate about writing and regularly shares insights through blog posts. He plays a key role in company growth by implementing processes and technologies to streamline operations.