What is local seo?

Local SEO is a specialized approach to search engine optimization that focuses on helping businesses rank higher in local search results. This is especially important for businesses with physical locations, like restaurants, retail stores, or service providers, who want to attract customers in their immediate vicinity. When someone searches for a product or service with a local intent, such as 'pizza delivery New York' or 'dentist near me', local SEO ensures your business is visible.

Think of it as making sure your business is easily discoverable by people who are physically close to you or specifically looking for services in your area. It involves optimizing various online elements so that search engines like Google understand where your business is located, what services it offers, and how relevant it is to local searchers. This can significantly impact foot traffic, phone calls, and website visits from local customers.

Why local SEO matters

For many businesses, a significant portion of their customer base comes from local residents or visitors. Local SEO directly connects these potential customers with your business. It's not just about showing up in general search results; it's about appearing in the 'local pack' (the map results with three business listings) and other geo-targeted searches.

Consider that a high percentage of mobile searches have local intent, and many of these lead to a store visit or purchase within a day. By optimizing for local SEO, you are essentially putting your business in front of customers at the exact moment they are looking for what you offer, often when they are ready to make a purchase. This can lead to higher conversion rates compared to broader, non-local searches.

How to improve your local SEO

Optimize your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the cornerstone of local SEO. It's a free tool that lets you manage how your business appears on Google Search and Maps. Make sure all information is accurate and complete: business name, address, phone number (NAP), website, hours of operation, photos, services, and categories. Regularly post updates, respond to reviews, and keep your business information current. Inconsistent information can confuse both search engines and potential customers.

Build local citations and directories

Local citations are mentions of your business's NAP information on other websites, like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific directories. Consistency is key here. Ensure your business name, address, and phone number are identical across all platforms. These citations signal to search engines that your business is legitimate and well-established in its local area.

Create localized content

Develop content that is relevant to your local community. This could include blog posts about local events, guides to neighborhood attractions, or articles addressing common issues specific to your area. For example, a real estate agent might write about 'Best neighborhoods for families in [city name]', or a local bakery could share 'Our favorite fall recipes using local ingredients'. This type of content helps you rank for specific local keywords and demonstrates your connection to the community.

Encourage and manage online reviews

Online reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook are crucial for local SEO. They build trust with potential customers and are a significant ranking factor. Actively encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews. More importantly, respond to all reviews, both positive and negative, in a professional and timely manner. This shows you value customer feedback and are engaged with your community.

Implement local on-page SEO

Beyond your GBP, optimize your website's pages for local search. Include your city, region, and neighborhood names in your website's title tags, meta descriptions, header tags (H1, H2, H3), and body content. Use schema markup, specifically LocalBusiness schema, to provide structured data about your business to search engines. This helps search engines better understand your business's location and offerings.

Key metrics to track for local SEO

To understand the effectiveness of your local SEO efforts, it's important to monitor specific metrics. Key performance indicators include:

• Google Business Profile insights: Track how many people viewed your profile, requested directions, called your business directly from the profile, or visited your website.
• Local search rankings: Monitor your position for local keywords in your target areas.
• Website traffic from local searches: Use Google Analytics to see how much traffic comes from localized organic search queries.
• Review volume and sentiment: Keep an eye on the number of new reviews you receive and the overall sentiment (positive, negative, neutral) of those reviews.

By regularly tracking these metrics, you can identify what's working well and where adjustments are needed in your local SEO strategy. Local SEO is an ongoing process, and consistent effort leads to better visibility and more local customers.