Local SEO: What You Need to Know

Imagine you run a pizzeria. You have your website all set up and you’re starting to gain some traction in search engines. 

Let’s call our imaginary pizza shop Marco’s and say that it’s located in the Sauganash neighborhood in the north Chicago suburbs. 

What search queries are you hoping to rank for? Just “pizza” is going to have a ton of competition, so that’s probably out. Obviously, you want “Marco’s” and “Marco’s Chicago,” but what about “pizza in Chicago?” What about the ever-important “pizza near me?”

Those are the kind of searches that not only get you found, but they lead to sales. It’s not hurting you if someone in Tempe, Arizona finds your website, but the chances of them ordering a medium pepperoni and mushroom are extremely slim.

What you really want is for the people in your neighborhood to find you, so they can pop in for a slice. And how do you do that? With local #SEO.

What is Local SEO?

You’ve probably already figured this out, but local SEO is a set of search engine optimization tactics that focus on getting your website seen by people who are nearby. 

There are two main components to it: organic search results, a.k.a., the blue links in SERPs and Google Map Pack results (i.e., the map highlighting top local businesses at the top of results). Both are important.

Why is Local SEO Important?

Another answer you’ve probably already sussed out, local SEO is important because it leads to physical traffic and customers at your location. Buying online is great and all, but many people still prefer to come into a store and get a look at potential purchases before pulling the trigger – which is where local SEO comes in. 

According to Social Media Today, 46% of all Google searches are looking for a local business. And a whopping 72% of people searching for a local business (e.g., “____ near me” or “_____ close to here”) visit a store within five miles of their location. 

And if you’re not targeting local searches with your SEO, these are potential sales you’re letting slip away.

Local SEO: 4 Key Tips

You could write a book about all the various pieces at play in local search engine optimization, but who has the time to read all that? 

Like all SEO, local search optimization is an ongoing battle that requires regular evaluation and strategic changes. To help you get started, here are four tips you can implement right away to start landing those local sales: 

1. Set Up and Optimize Your Google My Business Profile

Your Google My Business profile is the single most important aspect of local SEO. This ensures you’re visible in both search and on Google Maps. It’s also where you can and should provide your customers with information about your business, including operating hours, phone numbers and your address. 

Even better, this is a place where you can respond to reviews, which give you credibility (more on that later). Your business profile also demonstrates to Google that your business is legit, which can potentially land you in the sidebar space dedicated to local search. 

Make sure that you choose a relevant business category when you’re setting up your profile – that will help you get found.

2. Audit Where You Currently Stand with Local SEO

Just like with run-of-the-mill SEO, local SEO depends on high-quality content using target keywords. Title tags, backlinks, meta descriptions and the like are all still important. But there are a few other things that come into play for local search that aren’t part of ordinary SEO.

One of the most important of these is your NAP (name, address and phone number) citation. Make sure yours is accurate not just on your website and Google My Business profile, but also on any business directories and social media profiles you’re using. These clearly establish your location, while giving potential customers a way to contact you.

Are you listed on big data aggregators and business listing sites like Foursquare, Yelp and Yellow Pages? If not, submit your site with accurate NAP info. 

If you’re comfortable writing basic code, you can use your schema markup to help your site show up in SERP features like carousels, answer boxes and the always-coveted featured snippet.

3. Make Sure Your Site is Responsive & Voice Optimized

Mobile searches continue to outpace desktop, which makes sense in an era of smartphones. Make sure your website is capturing these searchers by ensuring your site design is responsive to devices of all types.

Along similar lines, voice search continues to grow, with more and more searches are being done via platforms like Alexa or Siri. Direct these searchers to your website by targeting question keywords and creating content using a conversational tone. 

4. Carefully Manage Your Online Reputation

Online reviews can make or break a business. According to studies, 93% of people acknowledge that online reviews impact their buying decisions. 

Ensure yours is sparkling by engaging with customers on social media and review platforms. Acknowledge places where you have fallen short of the mark and seek to make things right. 

It’s also important to generate as many positive reviews as possible, which often is as simple as asking for them. If that doesn’t work, simple incentives (e.g., “review us on Google and get 20% off”) are a great motivator.

Become a Fixture of the Local Community

The more you engage with people in your community, the better exposure your business will have. Take part in local festivals and events or offer your industry expertise to media personalities. The more ways you can evangelize about your brand to your neighborhood, the more awareness and inbound links you will generate. 

Of course, you have a business to run and might not have hours upon hours to dedicate to local SEO – or traditional SEO, for that matter. Then what?

That’s where Evisio comes in. Designed for busy entrepreneurs and experienced search professionals alike, it takes the tedious auditing and reporting aspects out of search optimization. 

All you need to do is plug your URL into our platform and Evisio will thoroughly audit your site, giving you a set of plain English, step-by-step instructions for improving your site’s SEO.

Want to see it for yourself? Contact me today for a free trial.

#seotips #digitalmarketing #doseo #searchengineoptimization #localseo