Local SEO helps to promote your business’ visibility for location-based searches. It has been building traction for a number of years now, but is often an overlooked part of digital marketing. This is despite compelling evidence of the benefits it can yield for start-ups and small business owners. For example, Google has reported that four in five consumers use search engines to find local information and that 50% of people who conduct a local search on their smartphone will visit a store within a day. Further to this, SEO Tribunal reports that 97% of people learn more about a local company online than anywhere else. Consequently, local search engine results can serve as a bridge, connecting your business to real-world customers and communities that may have never heard of your brand before.
The rise in local search behaviour is a product of the modern lifestyle. The modern user expects immediate, often on-the-go answers that are nearby. As such, search engines need to provide fast and accurate results that are as much about the context of a search as the actual search query itself. For instance, search queries that ask “where is the best sports shop, restaurant, jewellers etc. near me” rather than referencing a location such as the “where is the best sports shop in London” are becoming more and more prevalent. This is because users know that search engines will provide results that reflect their current location so there is no need for them to waste time specifying it themselves.
So how can busy start-ups and small business owners utilise local search to help better engage with potential customers and drive more business?
Local keywords
Firstly, it’s vital to identify keywords relevant to your business and location that customers are searching for. Next, ensure that your website content is geared towards targeting those keywords. Google’s own Keyword Planner (found in Google Ads) lets you filter keyword searches based on location, providing you with a list of popular search terms in your region. Once you have your list, be sure to reference those keywords naturally in your website’s meta content, copy, and URLs.
Location pages
If your business operates from more than one location, it’s important to create individual pages for each location. Each page should include:
- Your opening hours.
- Name, address, and phone number.
- A short description of your business.
- Testimonials.
- Promotions.
- Parking availability.
- Google Maps attached to each location page.
Schema mark-up
Schema mark-up is used by search engines to better interpret the content of a given web page. It is essentially a way of marking up HTML content to better convey what that content is to search engines. A full list of schema mark-up can be found on Schema.org. Once added, it means that information like your opening hours, address and directions can be pulled through into search engine pages. You might have seen search engine results whereby certain listings have gold review stars listed beneath them? This is made possible by Schema mark-up. Schema mark-up is not only important in terms of helping search engines to interpret your content; remember, your potential customers want to see results as quickly as possible so showing information about your business in search engine results pages rather than making the user have to click through to your website can give you a clear advantage. If you’re not web design/development savvy then you may want to consider hiring a local SEO agency that will be able to implement this for you.
Online business directories
Authoritative online business directories like Yelp and Yellow Pages not only provide an opportunity to advertise your business and website within their directory (often for free), they can also really help your SEO efforts as they are another means of conveying the location of your business to search engines. Be sure to list accurate information that is the same as the information listed on your website as well as a link back to your website where possible. Search engines monitor the content of these directories and if they can’t determine which information about your business is correct, they may show incorrect information or not show your business at all.
Optimise your Google My Business account
An optimised Google My Business account is imperative for local search and completely free! For search queries that include “near me” or a similar phrase rather than a specific location, search engines often rely on the user’s location and turn towards Google My Business listings for results. With an increasing number of “near me” style searches taking place, never has it been so important to claim your Google My Business listing. It also means that your business will appear in Google Maps. Again, be sure to provide accurate and up-to-date information. Include your logo, opening hours, acceptable payment methods, the product or service you sell and plenty of images. It’s also a good idea to encourage users to review your business online, always respond sincerely to any customer reviews that you receive.
Encourage reviews in general
Encourage customers to leave reviews whether on Google My Business, a directory listing, or third party review platforms such as Feefo. Getting glowing online reviews for your business not only assists SEO, it also encourages more customers to buy from you. BrightLocal’s 2018 Local Consumer Review Survey reveals that 91% of 18-34 year old consumers trust online reviews as much as they would personal recommendations.
Content based on local news and events
Publishing content on your website in the form of a blog post or news article about local events and news that are relevant to your business is a great way of relating directly to your local customers. In addition, such content will only help to further increase your website’s local signals in the eyes of search engines, further assisting your SEO efforts.
Make sure your website is mobile friendly
Broadly speaking, mobile visits to websites are growing while visits from desktop computers are shrinking. If your website is slow or difficult to navigate for users then it will not rank well in mobile search as factors like page speed impact SEO performance. Of course, it also means that you may lose potential customers as well as they will have difficulty using the website!
If you own a small business, optimising your website for local search can be extremely rewarding. It helps potential customers to discover you and provides them with the information they want and need quickly, no matter if they are searching at home or on the go. Done correctly, local search optimisation can significantly increase traffic to your website, leads and/or transactions and really set your business apart from the competition!
