Local SEO, or local search engine optimization, refers to the process of optimizing a website and online presence to increase its visibility and rankings in local search results. It involves targeting specific geographic locations to attract relevant local customers to your website.  Local SEO strategies can be applied to any website in any industry targeting anybody at the state, county, and/or city levels.  As an example, if you’re a college located in Kansas, you might target people within a specific mile radius or target the entire state.  Another example would be an appliance store that has one brick-and-mortar location.  Where you target your potential buyers will likely be determined by your exact location and what areas you deliver to in proximity to your store or warehouse location.  

Top Local SEO Strategies

Here are some effective local SEO strategies that you or your SEO agency can apply:

1. Optimize Google My Business (GMB): Claim and optimize your GMB profile. You can do this by providing accurate and up-to-date information about your business, including name, address, phone number, website, business hours, and categories.

2. Local keyword research: Identify keywords that are relevant to your local area and other areas you might be targeting.  Once you identify these keywords, you should include them in your website content, meta tags, headings, and descriptions. Focus on long-tail keywords that include the name of your targeted city or region.

3. On-page optimization: Optimize your website’s title tags, meta descriptions, headings, and content with local keywords. Ensure your website has a clear site structure, is mobile-friendly, and loads quickly.  Many of these on-page optimization elements also work to improve visitors’ experiences and interactions with your website.

4. Name, Address, Phone Number (NAP) consistency: Ensure that your NAP information is consistent across all online directories, including your website, GMB profile, local directories, and social media profiles. Inconsistent NAP information can negatively impact your local search rankings as it could appear spammy or lead to distrust among your visitors.

5. Online reviews: Encourage customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and industry-specific directories. Positive reviews can boost your visibility and credibility. Respond to reviews, both positive and negative, to show engagement and address customer concerns.  This is where brand reputation management plays a role. It’s important not to ignore this aspect of your business.  

6. Local citations: Build citations for your business on reputable local directories and review sites. This includes providing accurate NAP information and ensuring consistency across all platforms.  

7. Local link building: Build relationships with other local businesses, organizations, and influencers. Seek opportunities to earn backlinks from local websites, such as guest blogging, sponsoring local events, or developing strategic partnerships with local businesses.  For example, let’s say you own a plumbing business, you could develop a partnership with local distributors and link to each other’s websites.  

8. Local content creation: Create localized content that caters to the interests and needs of your local audience. This can include blog posts, articles, guides, and videos that highlight local events, news, and resources.

9. Social media optimization: Utilize social media platforms to engage with your local community. Share relevant content, respond to comments and messages promptly, and participate in local discussions.  Similar to online reviews, it’s important to maintain a positive image and respond to any negative comments in a respectful manner.

10. Schema markup: Implement local business schema markup on your website to provide search engines with specific information about your business, such as your address, phone number, business hours, and customer reviews.

Remember, local SEO strategies should be tailored to your specific business and target audience and their location. Regularly monitor your local search rankings and analytics to assess the effectiveness of your efforts and make adjustments as needed.

Ready to accelerate your local business growth?  Contact RMD today for a free website consultation.