For many businesses, it is now essential that you have an impactful local SEO strategy. The rise in mobile phone usage has only amplified the need for this type of strategy. It is important to understand that doing this in a big city is no easy feat – SEO Sydney, for example, is very competitive so it will take a significant amount of effort as many are fighting for the same space.
Another thing you must remember when looking to nail your local search strategy is that things change. Local SEO is constantly evolving and you need to ensure you are doing all you can to keep up with the trends and only use tactics that are considered best practice.
That being said, with its constantly evolving nature, it can quickly become confusing as to what specifically you’ll need to do to ensure your website is dominating the local search space. In local SEO, there are a few key areas that you should be focusing on.
Have a read below at the most important aspects to get right to ensure you nail your local search strategy:
Make use of online directories
Gone are the days where the white or yellow pages would turn up on your doorstep! Everything is online now. People still use the online equivalent of the white or yellow pages, so it is important that your business is actually on there.
There are so many different online directories to put your business’s information on, that it can be quite daunting. So, stick to the major ones that are highly visible and have many users. Not only will this mean your can be found easier, but it also creates a backlink to your site which is very helpful for your overall SEO strategy.
When setting up your business on an online directory, it is important that you include as much information as possible. It is also a good idea to keep a document as to which online directories you are on, so you can check back every now and again to update your business information if required.
Claim and use Google My Business
This is a free tool offered by Google itself, so why wouldn’t you want to take full advantage of it? The first thing you will need to do is claim your business (if you haven’t done so already). What happens here is Google will mail you a code to the address, you input the code so they know it is really you.
Once your business is claimed, you then should go and fill out as much information as possible. Important information to include would be; opening hours, business address, website, phone number, images and/ or videos.
Again, you will need to ensure this information is kept up to date otherwise it can really annoy users. For example, think about how your opening hours could change during Christmas or Easter.
Produce quality content targeting local
A major section of SEO is content, and this is certainly no different for local SEO. So, if you want to see some great results for your local SEO, you will need to product quality content that is specifically targeted towards local. This means using local focused keywords like “car repairs in broadbeach”.
This content can be in any form, like blog or Q&A. But it is important that your content actually answers a question users have as well as having enough substance. Google really likes quality pieces of content that are over 2,000 words.
Use social media to connect with users
Social media is a great tool to use to for local search. You would be silly not to be on social media as nearly 30% of the worldwide population are users. Not only do you need an account, but you also need to be active.
On social media you should be looking to post every couple of days. Each different social media platform have a slightly different user base, so it is important for you to research and find the few platforms that you think your type of business can excel in.
Get reviews for your business
Customer reviews are so important these days. A study from BrightLocal found that over 80% of users trust an online review the same as they would a personal review. Reviews certainly have the potential to make or break your business.
Therefore, you will need to go and actively pursue reviews, as people may not always think to leave a review. Remind users at every possible point that you would like them to review their experience with you, be it positive or negative.
It is also important that you reply to as many as you can (and not just the positive ones). It is unlikely that any business will have a 100% positive track record. But potential customers are looking for how you deal with a negative review. Do you actually care about fixing the problem? Or did you just want the sale?