To help small businesses harness the power of local SEO, we've gathered nine insightful tips from top SEO strategists and CEOs. From leveraging Google My Business and reviews to creating high-quality, location-specific content, these experts share their best strategies for local SEO success.
Leverage Google My Business and Reviews
Treat Google My Business as Social Channel
Focus on Customer Reviews Collection
Establish Presence on Facebook Directory
Promote Client Reviews and Manage Reputation
Build Local Backlinks for Visibility
Utilize Local Keywords in Blogs
Tailor SEO to Local Needs
Create High-Quality, Location-Specific Content
Leverage Google My Business and Reviews
Make sure your Google My Business listing is up-to-date with the right information, and that the tags you choose align exactly with what you do.
After that, start giving your current customers an incentive to leave a rating on the Google listing. Google's algorithm tends to favor local businesses that align with the searcher's intent and have high star ratings with reviews. I've seen a successful local business give 25% off coupons to motivate their customers to leave reviews, and it works.
Lora Bovie, Sr. SEO Strategist, Revelo
Treat Google My Business as Social Channel
The best local SEO tip for small businesses is to treat Google My Business like a social channel and syndicate all your business information (Name, Address, Phone, URL) across other websites to build local citations.
GMB itself is a powerful platform to drive visibility for local businesses. It's also the best place to collect reviews. But don't stop at Google. You can also list your business on Bing, Yelp, Facebook, Apple Maps, LinkedIn, YellowPages, and Hotfrog, plus many others. These all help Google with your local rankings and help Google itself understand and validate your business.
Last, ensure your website and Google My Business profile have matching information. You can embed your listing on your contact page. This is another signal Google uses to validate business information.
Ben Poulton, SEO Consultant and Founder, Intellar
Focus on Customer Reviews Collection
Focus on getting reviews from your customers. These are the first reviews customers see when they are looking for you online, so it's very important to have a good rating from happy customers.
If you have a local shop, place a QR code right at the cashier station and kindly ask clients after the purchase to leave a review. Or, if you provide local service jobs at customers' locations, ask the customer if they were satisfied with your work after the job is complete and request they leave a review about their experience.
Also, make it a point to follow up with every customer by email to see how the service went. If they are happy with everything, ask for a review. If they are not satisfied, make it a point to fix whatever issues they encountered with the product or delivery.
Isaac Hammelburger, Founder, Search Pros
Establish Presence on Facebook Directory
A useful tip for small businesses to leverage local SEO is to establish a presence on Facebook. Facebook features a business directory, and not being listed there means missing out on a significant opportunity to expose your business to more potential customers. The process is simple—create a Facebook page, include some details about your business (such as photos, hours), and then submit it to the directory!
Gert Kulla, CEO, RedBat.Agency
Promote Client Reviews and Manage Reputation
Actively cultivating client feedback and managing their online reputation is a crucial tactic for small businesses to take advantage of the power of local SEO. Trust and credibility are built, and more people will visit your business, all thanks to positive reviews, which boost your local search rankings and provide essential user-generated material for SEO.
Businesses can increase their internet visibility and attract more local customers by asking happy customers to submit reviews and responding quickly to criticism. This easy-to-implement strategy can greatly improve a company's local SEO and online competitiveness.
Jeff Romero, Founder, Octiv Digital
Build Local Backlinks for Visibility
Building local backlinks can provide small businesses with a unique advantage in their local SEO strategy. By actively seeking relationships with influential local entities, businesses can enhance their credibility and boost their visibility within the community.
For example, partnering with local charities or sponsoring community events not only generates backlinks but also establishes trust and fosters a positive brand image. These local backlinks not only improve search engine rankings but also drive targeted traffic from relevant local websites.
Ben Lau, Founder, Featured SEO Company
Utilize Local Keywords in Blogs
Small businesses have an incredible opportunity to leverage the power of local SEO. One such strategy is to use local keywords in your blogs and try to rank on these keywords.
When executing local keyword research, focus on identifying keywords that include phrases like "near me" or "in (city)." Utilizing these types of keywords will help target people who are searching for services or products in their area. This will also help you to rank quickly and easily because you narrow down your research.
Alex Murray, Search Director, Tilious
Tailor SEO to Local Needs
We consistently see the impact of local SEO. A tip often shared with small-business owners is the power of local keyword research. For instance, a local bakery in Austin might focus on terms like "Austin fresh bread" or "homemade pies Austin."
A small café once started incorporating the phrase "best organic coffee in Tucson" into their content. This shift not only increased their website traffic but also led to more walk-ins, as locals searching for quality coffee found them easily. Tailoring SEO to local needs can genuinely make a world of difference.
Alexandru Contes, Co-Founder, ReviewGrower
Create High-Quality, Location-Specific Content
Creating high-quality, location-specific content is a potent strategy for small businesses to leverage local SEO. Create blog posts, articles, or videos that address community-relevant local topics, events, or issues.
Integrate local keywords into your content organically, including the city or community you serve. This helps search engines determine the geographic relevance of your website.
Consider participating in local partnerships, sponsorships, and collaborations. When other local businesses or organizations link to your website, your local search authority can increase.
Ensure that your website is compatible with mobile devices and optimized for local searches. Numerous individuals use their devices to locate nearby businesses; therefore, a responsive website design is crucial for local SEO success.
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