Local SEO

The ‘near me‘ search results on Google are possible through local SEO. Every local business needs to list and verify themselves in their region to appear in these results. This is where local SEO comes to your rescue. 

It improves your business visibility, increases organic traffic, gathers your local audience, and popularises your business.

Tips to better local SEO

1. 1. Business Listings

You need your business and website visible to your audience on Google. Thus, you must create an account on Google my Business to list and verify it. Then, add accurate business citations, the name, location, contact, and website.

So, optimize your account by including relevant images, customer reviews, and business hours. Refresh your content often to increase your website rank and traffic.

2. 2. Website Optimisation

You must customize the business website for your target audience. Thus, include content that they look for, add images to make it attractive. Also, mention how your products or services can help them.

Most of your audience is mobile phone users, make your website mobile-friendly. Ensure it should load faster than other websites and easily accessible. This way, it increases the popularity of your website.

3. 3. On and Off-page SEO

On-page SEO is applicable for the content in your website. It requires relevant keywords for the search engine results page. Furthermore, the content must surround local stories, or news to connect with your audience. So, create location-specific webpages for a wider audience reach.

Make sure that you increase dwell time on your website. Your audience must stay on your website after clicking on it. Hence, the website content must be exciting, interactive, and load faster.

Off-page SEO makes your website content clickable. These are outside the webpage, the title, and meta description. It also includes building a social media brand to create awareness of your business. With this, your business website will receive more traffic and ranks on Google.

4. 4. Research your Competition

Search your competitors to expand traffic and rank your website. Those with similar products or services as you are your competitors. Track the keywords that increase their search ranks and traffics. Then, find out their weakness and include better SEO strategies on your website to stand out.

Always remember your competitors are your colleagues, create business networks with them to increase your visibility. But, never copy their ideas or content.

5. 5. Build Link Strategy

A link strategy is vital for your website traffic and rank. Thus, you need to include internal and external links to your website. These improve your local SEO, verify your business and increase domain authority. 

An internal link convinces your audience to purchase or engage with your products and services. Also known as hyperlinks these lead your audience to other reliable websites to increase your website authority.

An external link increases the visibility of your business and website. Popular as outbound links, these are from other websites. When you build a network with your competitors, partner with them, or guest post on their sites, they add links to your website. It brings potential audiences to your website and increases traffic. 

Tools for better local SEO

1. 1. Moz local

This tool ensures your business is visible to your potential audience. So, it automatically alerts search engines, directories of your business and tracks your audience and growth.

2. 2. SEM Rush

The listing management tool in SEM Rush lists and updates your business data in directories. It filters and engages with customer reviews. Also, it tracks your business updates, ranks, and performance.

3. 3. Google Search Console

This free tool shows the keywords that rank your website. It checks and solves usability errors for mobile. Also, provides detailed insights about your website traffic. 

FAQs

1. 1. Can I put fake reviews on my website?

No, you cannot add fake reviews to your website. It violates the terms of services of every business review site. Thus, to stand out among your competitors, add actual reviews on your website to build trust with your audience. 

2. 2. How do I know my website is driving more traffic?

You need to check your website data to know your website traffic. So, use free or paid tools like Google Search Console, or SEMRush to get a website traffic report.  

3. 3. How do I manage my website traffic?

You need to manage the amount of website traffic to prevent overloading. Thus, use Google Analytics to track website traffic and optimize your website to filter out your target audience and get quality traffic every day. 

4. 4. Do I need SEO even after my website ranks well?

Yes, you need SEO even after your website ranks well. It makes sure that your website receives regular content updates and quality traffic. 

5. 5. What is organic vs inorganic traffic?

Organic traffic is increasing website traffic through search engine results with SEO for the long term. Instead, inorganic traffic is where you use paid advertisements or buy website traffic.