The local SEO is one of the most important strategies that you can use to outsmart your competitors on the search engine result pages. If you have a small business, then you will need a proper plan and a strategy to implement the SEO locally. Here is a definitive guide which will help your small business on the search engine rankings.
Understanding the local search engine optimization
It is the type of SEO which deals with the SEO for local businesses. If you have a well-structured strategy, then you can have your small business on the top of organic listings in no time. It will boost your rankings when people search for a product from a certain location. The location-based searches are vital for a local business.
Mobile rankings
You need to understand that mobile searches are more local than any other type of search. Almost 56% of mobile traffic on the web has local intent. The reason is that the people who use the internet or search for anything on their mobile phones are something instantaneous. They won’t search for something that is out of the country while they are using mobile internet.
Google my Business
For the local business SEO, the most important step has a Google my Business page. You should list your business on Google Places. Without Google Places, you will never get the search engine rankings that you wish. No one will find you on Google Maps if you do not list your small business there. Listing your business on Google places is easy. You can do it on your own or ask an expert.
Optimizing Google My Business
Make sure that you provide all the information on your business page. You should give the exact location of your business. There are several important things that you should take care of when optimizing Google My Business Page.
- You should have a 100% complete profile.
- Make sure that the images you choose are engaging and attractive.
- The image file you upload on the page should have the name of your business or relevant to it.
- Choose the correct categories for your business.
Keyword Research
Behind a successful SEO strategy, power is the keywords. You should always choose the best keywords to optimize the content. Many people try and use the keywords which have more impressions; it is not correct. You should use the keywords which are more relevant to your business. Make it your priority to utilize the most relevant keywords for your SEO strategy. For example, if you are a hairdresser who only performs women haircuts, then you should optimize using the words and phrase such as, “women’s hair salon,” “women hairdresser,” “girl’s hairdresser,” etc.
These are the terms which directly relate to your business. People will most likely use these terms to search for your business.
Many people make a mistake and use broad search terms. For example, they use “hairdresser.” It is the wrong approach. Your traffic and visitors will be men who are no benefit to your business.
Localizing the keywords
Adding the locality in the keywords is simple but important. It is a simple step by adding the location to your keywords, but you should do it. For example, you would include keywords such as women’s hairdresser in Las Vegas or Women’s hair salon in Las Vegas. The local search keywords will narrow the traffic to your locality. It is better and more relevant to your business.
On-Page SEO
Marketing your local business is vital. It is why you should have a reliable local SEO strategy. Once you have a comprehensive list of keywords, you should then use it for the on-page content.
The first is the title tag. Placing the local keywords in the title tag is important. You should putt relevant keywords in the title of every page. Make sure that the title tags are not too long. Google does not like the lengthy keywords in the title.
The next step is the Meta description. Make sure that you know how to use the keywords in Meta description tags. It is only 160 characters, so make it precise and accurate. Taking help from an SEO expert is a great way to ensure that you get the best SEO strategy. For that, you can use the Local SEO services offered by Mike Khorev.
URL structure
Another key element for the best local search engine optimization strategy is to create the URLs which are relevant to the content. Create short, precise and SEO URLs.
