Local SEO Tactics That Will Make the Phone Ring
Running your own company local SEO can be profitable, but only if you know what you’re doing and you do it right.I have spent some time researching and learning about the field of local SEO and how to leverage it to any business’s advantage. After learning what works, my phone started ringing off the hook with new clients! Here are a few local SEO tactics that will make your phone ring too!
Understand Your Area
Deciding on a local SEO strategy should begin with an understanding of your clients and what they need. To understand your local clients’ needs, you’ll need to do some research. Find out what kind of information people are searching for in your area. Where are people looking for resources? What services do they need? How much information are they giving away online that could be valuable to local companies? Once you have a good idea of who your local clients are, it’s time to get more specific about their needs. The best way to do that is by analyzing search engine data from Google Analytics or other keyword-tracking tools like Moz Pro or Ahrefs. You can also use tools like BrightLocal or Localeze if you don’t have access to Google Analytics. These free local SEO tools will help you identify which keywords local searchers are using to find businesses like yours.
Master the Basics of Locality
If you’re looking to increase leads from local customers and clientele, it helps to understand a few concepts that fall under locality. A local seo consultant can help a lot here; they might suggest you try some of these tactics: leverage your citations (Google, Yelp), connect with top bloggers in your area, and offer special packages for local customers. You should also think about how you present yourself on social media—it could make all the difference. Be sure to mention local events, or post pictures taken at local events. It’s important to be visible online as a local business—if only because most people don’t bother calling out-of-town businesses for their needs. They look local first. This is why you need a local SEO audit in order to rank high for relevant keywords like restaurant Seattle or real estate agent Austin Texas. Use Google Trends to see what other people are searching for when they use words related to your field. And, when possible, connect with other local companies and encourage them to do so as well.
Get Reviews
It’s a proven fact that your local ranking will increase if you have 5+ reviews. I don’t think anyone can argue with me on that! So, how do you get more reviews? First, ask for them! When a customer leaves after providing you with their email address, ask them to please leave a review online so that other people can find you. Nowadays local guides are becoming increasingly important when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO). Google looks at factors such as citations and maps when deciding where to rank your business in local search results. Getting positive reviews from local guides is one of those factors. In addition, positive local citations can also help boost click-through rates and overall traffic coming from Google Local Search results. -Always reply to reviews whether bad or good, both will still read what you say and not delete your comment. Even negative reviews are an opportunity to build rapport with a disgruntled customer. Offer something like I’m sorry you had that experience; here is my direct number/email…I would love to make things right! You might be surprised by how many customers appreciate that approach instead of getting defensive about bad ratings. Answering reviews also show how you handle situations. Just saying We care isn’t enough, however—prove it! If someone writes a bad review about your company, offer some type of refund or discount on their next visit if they choose to give you another chance. Reviews are a great local SEO solution for small businesses.
Create Custom Landing Pages
A custom landing page is a great first step to creating local relevance. If you’re new to local SEO, try setting up a Google My Business page and directing traffic to it. Landing pages are designed to create local relevance and build trust between you and your customers. A landing page, especially if created on a service like Google Sites, can be linked back to each individual business location. For example, if you offer local moving services in Chicago, use phrases like Chicago movers or Chicago moving company as key words. Create Local Listings: The next step in local SEO is creating relevant listings for your business online. These include things like Facebook Pages, Twitter accounts and Yelp listings—all of which should be linked to your website and local landing page. What’s more, local search engine optimization (SEO) is now much more than just optimizing your webpages for local search engines. You also need to optimize for local directories, blogs and other local sites that allow businesses to have profiles. Create Links with Local Influencers: The last piece of a solid local SEO strategy is creating links with local influencers. There are many ways to do so; an easy way is by becoming an active member of your community.
Optimize Images in Posts
Images are a powerful way to grab a reader’s attention and bring them into your post. Try to include at least one image in each of your posts. Search engines may give your content a boost for certain keywords if you optimize images for that term—try using keyword phrases in your alt tags, file names, and titles as well. As with all local marketing tactics, it’s important to tailor your strategy according to demographics, search behavior, and competition in order to maximize results. Be sure to use high-quality images (the more visually appealing, the better). If you want to be really picky about it, use only photos that have been taken by professionals or ones you took yourself. A picture is worth a thousand words, but only if those words are related to what you’re trying to say. For example, don’t upload an image of a woman standing on top of a mountain unless your post is about hiking up mountains! Use captions wisely: Adding captions can help increase engagement with your readership. If you want to know what Google sees then use the photo Ai.
Optimize Keywords in Headlines
Using an SEO tool, run a quick search for your keywords, and take note of all of your relevant head terms. Add these keywords to all of your headline tags on web pages and blogs. Although this may be overkill for some businesses, a good local SEO strategy involves always optimizing headlines for search engines. Because it is difficult to control what users will actually click, optimizing headlines is a must. It’s also important to have strong copywriting skills so that you can write attention-grabbing headlines that entice searchers. This way, even if someone doesn’t find your website through Google but does find it through a social media link or referral from another site, they are still likely to stay because they were intrigued by your title.
Use Video to Stand Out
Video is a great way to stand out in local searches. A well-produced video (showing off your business and what you offer) can be much more effective than traditional text content when it comes to getting clicks and calls. And, most importantly, video can actually help your business get found—if you optimize it for local search with relevant keywords and descriptive metadata (i.e., title, description, tags). There are many different kinds of videos that can work as local SEO tools: 1. On-site videos – You should have at least one on-site video on every page of your website that describes what your business does and offers, who you are, etc. Use all possible local keyword variations! 2. YouTube channel – Having a presence on YouTube helps establish yourself as an authority figure in your industry while also showing Google that you’re trying to rank organically (and not solely relying on paid ads). In conclusion, local SEO is a must if you want to stay competitive online. It has become an essential part of any marketing strategy today and will only continue to grow in importance as time goes on. If you want to learn more about how local SEO works or how it can benefit your business, contact us today. We’ll gladly walk you through our services and explain how we can help make your phone ring.