Local SEO can be an excellent way to drive traffic and gain exposure for your business, yet many factors must be taken into consideration, including citation signals and on-page optimization.
Create a homepage that includes keywords specific to the city or area in Plainview NY in which your business serves, such as for a portrait photographer in London optimizing for “London portrait photographer.” This will increase its local search ranking.
Keyword research
Keyword research is an integral component of local SEO. It allows you to identify relevant keywords for your business while also giving an indication of how often these searches take place in your region – this gives a great indication of competition levels associated with these terms.
Focus on creating content that is useful and informative for local searchers; this will enable your website to rank higher in the search results and boost its overall website ranking. Likewise, make your website easy for users to navigate; this will lower bounce rates and keep visitors on your site longer.
Another vital element for local SEO is NAP (name, address, and phone number). Google uses NAP information as a signal that your business information is accurate and trustworthy; to maximize this effect across citation listings and your website.
On-page optimization
One of the key local SEO ranking factors is on-page optimization. This includes optimizing website content, title tags, meta descriptions and more; in addition to making sure all business details are consistent and up-to-date – for instance your homepage should clearly state which area your business serves so as to rank for local searches that are more pertinent to it.
Optimizing your homepage for the primary search term you wish to target is also of utmost importance. For instance, a portrait photographer based in London would want to optimize for “London portrait photographer,” although doing so wouldn’t restrict them from ranking for other geographical keywords in future.
On-page optimization includes optimising your meta description to attract clicks. However, be cautious not to stuff it full of keywords – or they risk having their SERP display cut short!
Link building
Establishing quality links is an integral component of local SEO, especially if you’re competing for high-intent keywords. You can build them through community outreach efforts, guest posting on relevant blogs and pages, podcasting contribution or using advanced Google operators.
As another key ranking factor for local SEO, online reviews for businesses are an integral element to local SEO rankings, helping search engines determine whether the business is legitimate and trustworthy. Therefore, it is vital to create and manage positive online reviews – working with an expert local SEO can assist in this regard and increase visibility within your community online.
Moz research indicates that backlinks from authoritative websites in a particular local market are among the key ranking factors for both local search and snack pack results, meaning you should aim to acquire backlinks from local sources like industry publications or chambers of commerce in your niche market. It would also be wise to invest in geographically specific anchor text which informs search engines of its relevance in your niche market.
Social media
Social media can be an excellent way to expand local SEO and build relationships with potential clients, but be mindful of how your content is seen by search engines – avoid keyword stuffing and focus on producing high-quality, human-readable material instead.
Establish a clear and consistent plan on how you will promote your content to enhance SEO performance and measure results of efforts made. Google Analytics tracking should also be set up so you can measure results of efforts made.
Maintaining an up-to-date Facebook page with your business details is also crucial, as Google will use this data to verify it against GMB listings and other local listings to ensure consistency of NAP across the web and impact your rank positively. This consistency of NAP can also make for successful local SEO strategies.