“Copywriting agency near me” or “best sushi restaurant Kent” – these are just some of the common phrases people use when searching for local businesses. In fact, 22.6% of all web traffic is made up of these types of searches. It means that having a strong local SEO strategy is not something to be overlooked. As a business owner, you want those local searches to point customers in the direction of your business. If you can achieve that, you’re on to a winner. But how can you optimize your website for local SEO? Is it just a matter of adding a few keywords and calling it a day? There’s a little bit more to it than that, and we’re here to break it all down for you.
What is local SEO?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of optimizing your website, let’s first clarify what exactly local SEO is. Local SEO stands for “local search engine optimization” and it refers to the process of improving your online presence for local searches. This includes optimizing your website, Google My Business listing, and other online directories to improve local SEO visibility in search results. The goal of local search engine optimization is to attract more relevant traffic to your website and drive more foot traffic to your physical business if you have one.
And if you don’t have a physical business location open to the public, you might still benefit from implementing local SEO strategies. For example, you might provide a service that only serves a local area such as house cleaning or lawn maintenance. In these cases, having a strong local online presence is 100% necessary for acquiring new customers.
But even if you are not tied to a particular locality – let’s say you provide online services worldwide – local SEO can still help you reach a wider audience. By targeting specific regions or cities, you can tailor your content and marketing efforts to those areas. This makes it more relevant and effective for those potential customers.
Why do you need local SEO?
Is local SEO really that important? Can’t I just focus on general SEO and still attract local customers? While Google is smart enough to show local results even if you haven’t necessarily optimized for it, you still need to make the effort to make sure your business is getting its slice of the local search pie. Here’s why:
High conversion rates
Local searches often lead to higher conversion rates. According to Hubspot, 50% of local searches cause mobile users to visit a physical store within 24 hours with local mobile searches converting at an average rate of 80%. This is a significant opportunity for local businesses to convert online searches into real-world customers.
Long-term cost-effectiveness
While there’s an initial time investment in optimizing for local SEO, it is a cost-effective marketing strategy in the long run. Unlike paid advertising, the results of local SEO are organic and can provide continuous visibility with minimal ongoing costs.
Building trust and credibility
When your business appears in local search results, especially with updated information and positive reviews, it builds trust and credibility. According to a survey by BrightLocal, 81% of customers use Google to evaluate local businesses and 87% of consumers read online reviews. It’s no surprise that great reviews are one of the most valuable digital assets for local businesses.
Competition in local markets
One of the biggest reasons to focus on local SEO management is because your competition is likely already doing it. With more businesses understanding the importance of local SEO, there’s a high chance your competitors are already optimizing for local searches. This means that without implementing local SEO strategies, you may be losing market share to your competitors.
How to optimize your website for local SEO
Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of local SEO management, let’s discuss how you can optimize your website for local searches. Here are our top local SEO tips for businesses looking for greater local visibility:
Identify relevant keywords
Every SEO strategy begins with keyword research, and this applies to local SEO as well. Start by identifying which location you want to target. This might seem a bit obvious, but this is an important consideration for businesses that operate remotely or have multiple branches. In these cases, you may want to target several locations and use specific keywords for each one.
Once you have your target location, you can then conduct keyword research to identify relevant keywords that are commonly used in searches related to your business and its location.
You’ll need a keyword tool to help with this. There are many free and paid options available online. Google’s Keyword Planner is a popular choice, as well as tools like Ahrefs, Moz, and SEMrush.
Here’s an example of a keyword research process for a local coffee shop in London:
- Start with general keywords: “coffee shop,” “cafe,” “coffee near me”.
- Add location-specific keywords: “London coffee shops,” “London cafe,” “coffee places in central London”.
- Consider long-tail keywords: “best coffee shop in London,” “organic coffee shop in London,” “coffee and pastries near Westminster”.
- Utilize keyword tools to find related keywords: “coffee and tea,” “breakfast spots,” “artisanal coffee”.
You can also take advantage of Google’s autocomplete feature by typing in your main keywords and seeing what related phrases come up. The next step will be to incorporate these keywords into your website content. It can be a bit tricky to do so without sounding unnatural, so sometimes it’s helpful to have a professional copywriter or SEO specialist assist with this process.
SEO copywriting services can help optimize your website content for local SEO by integrating relevant keywords in a natural and authentic way. They have the know-how to create content that will not only improve local SEO search rankings but also engages your audience and drives readers to convert.
Optimize meta tags and descriptions
Meta tags, or the HTML code that sits between the <head> tags on a webpage, are an element of on page SEO that you shouldn’t neglect. These tags provide search engines with
information about your website, such as the title and description of each page.
For effective local SEO management, it’s important to include location-specific keywords in your meta tags and descriptions. This will help search engines understand the geographic relevance of your website and improve your chances of appearing in local search results.
You can also optimize your meta tags and descriptions by including your business name, city, and county or state in the title tag. For example: “Organic Coffee Shop in Westminster, London | Joe’s Cafe.” This way, when someone searches for “coffee shop in London,” your business is more likely to appear at the top of the results.
Create location-specific pages
Some businesses use the strategy of creating location pages for SEO purposes, targeting the specific areas they serve. These pages can be optimized for specific local keywords and include information about that location, such as address, phone number, and hours of operation. They can also feature unique content, such as customer reviews from that area or local events your business will be participating in.
However, you need to be careful when creating location-specific pages. Google’s algorithm doesn’t like what are referred to as “doorway pages” – pages specifically created for the purpose of ranking in search engines, but with little or no value for users. If you’re creating many location-specific pages, you could fall into this category and may be penalized by Google. To avoid this, stick to the following local SEO best practices:
- Don’t create too many location-specific pages. Two or three pages should be enough for most businesses, but if you’re creating 50 of them, that’s a red flag for Google.
- Make sure each page offers unique, valuable content for users. If you’re duplicating the same content across multiple pages, Google could punish you for it.
- Don’t stuff them with location-specific keywords. They should be naturally integrated into the content. If you’re stuffing too many keywords, Google might view it as spammy and penalise your site.
- Keep the content relevant to both users and search engines. Use internal linking to connect these pages with your main website in a way that makes sense.
- Make sure each page has a unique title tag and meta description that includes the location-specific keyword, but also accurately describes the content on the page. This is important for both user experience and local SEO optimization.
Add Schema markup to your website
Schema markup is a type of structured data that helps search engines better understand your website content. It allows you to provide additional information about your business, such as location, contact information, and business hours. It’s different from metadata (such as title tags and descriptions), as it’s not visible to users. Rather, search engines use it to organise and display information in search results. When it comes to your local SEO strategy, schema markup can come in handy. You can use it to point search engines to your business’s NAP (name, address, and phone number) and show your service areas.
To add Schema markup to your site, you can use Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper. This tool allows you to easily create the necessary code for your website without having to be a coding expert. You can also use plugins or extensions for popular website platforms like WordPress and Shopify to add Schema markup.
Get listed in online directories
Online directories, such as Google My Business, Yelp, Yellow Pages, etc., are an important part of local SEO management. These directories provide users with information about businesses in their area. They also serve as a source for search engines to gather data about your business.
Make sure your business is listed accurately on these directories, including NAP, business hours, website URL, and other relevant information.
Google My Business is especially important. It’s free to use and can significantly improve your local search rankings. 5% of all GMB views result in a website click, a call, or a direction request. With the average website appearing in around 1,000 local SEO Google My Business searches per month, that translates into valuable exposure for your business.
Business listings also serve another purpose. They can provide valuable backlinks to your website. Backlinks from reputable websites signal to search engines that your site is trustworthy and authoritative, which can improve local SEO as well as your overall search rankings. Customers can also leave reviews on these directories, which can have a positive impact on your website traffic (if the reviews are positive).
Build local backlinks
Speaking of backlinks, building high-quality local backlinks is an essential part of optimizing for local SEO. In general, backlinks signal to search engines that your website is relevant and trustworthy. Backlinks from local websites, such as local blogs, news sites, or other businesses in your area, can give a powerful boost to your local rankings. They show Google and other search engines that your business is relevant to the local community, which can greatly improve local SEO visibility in search results.
To successfully build local backlinks, you need to start establishing a strong online presence and reputation. This means having a well-designed website, active social media accounts, and positive customer reviews on various platforms.
From there, you can start developing your backlink strategy. One way to build local backlinks is by partnering with other businesses. When collaborating, ask if they can provide a link back to your site. You can also reach out to local publications or websites to see if they’re interested in featuring your business or writing a guest post. You could also try reaching out to local influencers who may be interested in featuring your business.
Utilize social media for local engagement
Social media is a powerful local SEO tool. For any business, it is crucial to have an active presence on popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and so on. But for local businesses specifically, optimizing their social media profiles and engaging with the local community can help their local SEO standing.
You can start by adding your business address, phone number, and website to your social media profiles. This will make it easier for potential customers to find and contact you. Regularly posting updates about your business, events, promotions, or even industry-related news can also help you to start engaging with the local community. On sites like Instagram and Twitter, you can use location-based hashtags to increase your reach to local users.
Monitor your local SEO performance
Local SEO isn’t a one-off task. You’ll need to keep track of your local SEO performance to see if your efforts are paying off. There are a few key metrics you should monitor:
- Local search ranking. Keep track of where your website appears in local search results for relevant keywords.
- Online reviews. Monitor and respond to customer reviews on various platforms, such as Google My Business, Yelp, and Facebook. Positive reviews can improve local SEO rankings and help attract more customers.
- Website traffic. Use tools like Google Analytics to track your website traffic and see how many visitors are coming from local search results.
- Local backlinks. Keep track of the number of local backlinks you have acquired, as well as their quality and relevance.
- Social media engagement. Monitor your social media accounts to see if your posts are gaining traction with the local community. High levels of engagement can increase your visibility in local searches.
You’ll need to keep adjusting and refining your local SEO strategy based on these metrics.
Partner with VAMS for SEO copywriting services
As a content marketing and local SEO agency, we can help you optimize your website and content for local SEO. This includes conducting keyword research, creating location-specific landing pages, and creating high-quality, relevant content that appeals to your local audience.
Our team of copywriters specialise in writing engaging and SEO-friendly content for a wide variety of industries. If you’re looking to improve local SEO and attract more customers, then get in touch with us to discuss our SEO copywriting services.
FAQs
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about local SEO.
How do I create local SEO content?
Start by understanding what the people in your area are searching for. If you’re a cafe in Stratford, they might be looking for the “best espresso in Stratford”. Use these local terms in your website’s blogs, product descriptions, and even in your ‘About Us’ page. Just make sure it sounds as natural as possible. If you can include local news, events, or any local collaborations you’re doing within your content calendar, then even better. It’s all about connecting with your local community through your content.
What is the best strategy for local SEO?
There isn’t one set strategy for local SEO as it will vary depending on your industry, location, and competition. However, the first step is usually to create a Google My Business listing, as this will instantly open up your business to local searchers on Google Maps. From there, it’s important to research and use relevant keywords, make sure your NAP (name, address, phone number) is consistent across all online platforms, and even start creating location-specific landing pages.
What is the local SEO checklist?
The local SEO checklist includes the following steps:
- Claim and optimize your Google My Business listing.
- Research and use relevant local keywords in your website’s content.
- Ensure NAP consistency across all online platforms (website, social media, directories).
- Encourage online reviews from happy customers.
- Create location-specific landing pages for each of your business
What is the difference between local SEO and SEO?
Local SEO focuses on optimizing a website for location-specific search terms, while traditional SEO focuses on overall website optimization. Local SEO also takes into account factors such as NAP consistency and online reviews, which may not be as crucial in traditional SEO. Additionally, local SEO has a narrower target audience compared to traditional SEO, as it mainly aims to attract customers within a specific geographical
Is doing local SEO worth it?
Yes, investing time and effort into local SEO is definitely worth it. Having a strong local online presence can greatly increase your chances of potential customers finding you in your area. Local SEO can even help improve your overall website rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs).