When it comes to marketing, one of the staples that should be in every business’s repertoire is search engine optimization (SEO). Today investing in SEO doesn’t just mean doing whatever you can, even at your customers’ expense, to get to the top of a search engine. Algorithms today have become so sophisticated that companies that want to get to the top must have a beautiful, engaging, and accessible website to match.
There are several different kinds of SEO, and though the ultimate goal is the same, the scope is ultimately different. If you have a physical location, however, you will want to look into local SEO.
What Is Local SEO?
Local SEO is a series of strategies that work to increase your ranking on local searches. Unlike general searches, you can also get map searches so that customers can find and, ultimately, visit your business by looking online or on a maps app.
What Businesses Benefit from Local SEO?
The businesses that benefit the most from local SEO are restaurants, retail, boutiques, galleries, and so on. If you have a physical location that customers can visit, then you can benefit from local SEO.
What If I Don’t Have a Physical Location?
If you don’t have a physical location, you won’t get a lot out of local SEO. Instead, you should look into targeting your SEO efforts to your niche.
How Can I Optimize My Business for Local Searches?
These tips can help you start to optimize your business for local searches:
1. Find a Local Agency
When it comes to building the best local SEO strategy, your best bet is to stick with the guidance of a local SEO agency. If your business is based in Atlanta, for example, then you will want an agency based there like YEAH! Local. When you choose a local company, they will know how to best optimize your business for your area and help you get the largest volume of traffic (both online and physical) to your store.
This local agency should help by optimizing your website, your Google My Business profile, and your maps listings. Combine local SEO with more traditional SEO services like link building as well for the best results.
2. Outline Where Your Customers Are Located
One of the first things you should start doing is to outline how far customers travel to visit you. If you own a hot new restaurant, they may come from across the city, but if you are a small café, it might just be those in your immediate vicinity. By understanding where your customers are, you can then direct your SEO experts to target that area over any other.
3. Publish Local Content
Local marketing will help take you so far. https://www.mensamarketing.com.au/ will directly target those living near your business and help you even save on many marketing campaigns like PPC. By choosing local keywords that put the city you operate in first, you can cut down on competition and increase traffic all at once.
While optimizing your website for your location is a great place to start, you are going to want to follow up with local marketing. Create local guides, partner with local businesses, and keep customers abreast of the local news in your area. These little strategies can help increase your audience and your return customers.
