Local SEO: 11 Tips to Rank for Local Searches
For many businesses, ranking at the top of Google feels impossible, especially when they compare their marketing budgets to companies already on page 1. This, along with the ever-increasing reliance on mobile searches by customers and the growing emphasis on personalised results, has made local SEO a crucial strategy for companies looking to thrive in their communities.
But even though you know how important it is, the question is still how to do it.
In this guide, we'll answer your questions, lay out the key strategies, and detail best practices for enhancing your business's presence in local search results.
What Is Local SEO
Firstly, let's understand what Local SEO is. It's a branch of SEO that increases your visibility on Google to local customers. This will often mean high rankings in Google Maps, but the most converted result is appearing in the Local Pack. The Local Pack (also known as the Snack Pack, Map Pack, or Google 3 Pack) is the map at the top of Google with 3 business listings.
Very often, these results will be triggered by searches that specify location names or queries that include 'near me'. Google is smart enough not to need them, however, and will almost always try to provide local results in this way if it can.
For example, suppose you search for 'hairdresser'. In that case, Google will know you don't want to travel far, so will prioritise local results based on your physical location.
How Is Local SEO Different from Normal SEO?
Local SEO places a significant value on the distance between the searcher and the businesses it shows.
This is why local SEO is such a good strategy for smaller businesses. It levels the playing field against national brands that have much deeper pockets.
Like with all Google results, though, it wants to ensure the searcher has a good experience. It wants to be sure the companies it shows are really at the locations they say they are, that they deliver a good service, and that the searcher will get the information they need.
So, whilst proximity is important, you must still prove to Google you're worth listing. That's why if you do a search now, you might not see the nearest hairdresser. Instead, it will likely be businesses that are both near to you and who have good reviews.
How Does Local SEO Work
Now we know what local SEO is, let's get into what you really want to know. How local SEO actually works!
1. Google My Business (GMB) Optimisation
This is the most crucial step in local SEO, and it's also why it's top of our list. For you to even stand a chance of ranking locally, you've got to claim and optimise your Google My Business (GMB) listing.
GMB is a free Google tool that allows companies to submit their core information such as business name, address, telephone number, website, products, services, opening hours, logo, images, and serviced locations.
Whilst it's not the only system Google uses to gather information on your company, it's an extremely important one. This is partly because Google insists on a strict verification process to prove your business actually exists in that location.
Google will sometimes create a listing if it finds a business that has yet to be registered. In these instances, you will see a small 'claim this business' button. Once you've successfully claimed your listing, you can amend any information that Google got wrong or didn't fill out.
For businesses that don't have a listing, you can create one and go through the verification steps.
Ensuring your GMB profile is complete with accurate information is critical. It's also vital to ensure the name, address, and phone number (also known as NAP details) are consistent on all other platforms – but more on this later.
2. Posting Regularly to Google My Business (GMB)
Once you've set up a GMB account, you'll need to keep Google informed on what's going on in your business. For most companies, this can simply be a case of uploading 2-3 new images a week, posting blogs, and ensuring the opening hours remain accurate during Bank Holidays. You might also want to update your profile with events, new products and services, and promote special offers.
Remember, Google loves content! So keep feeding it information and being more active than competitors. In return, Google will reward you with higher rankings.
3. Local Keyword Research
It's not all about GMB, however. Google will also look at your site to see if it includes local terms. This could simply be mentioning the town or city you're based in, through to talking about local landmarks. By conducting thorough keyword research, you'll identify relevant local terms that align with your business offerings and target audience. We'd recommend focusing on long-tail keywords that include local terms, such as city names, neighbourhood names, or other location-specific phrases.
To undertake this research, you can use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs.
4. Keyword Optimisation
Once you have your local keywords, you'll need to include them on your site. You'll want to add them to important SEO areas such as your page titles, meta descriptions, and H1 tags. You should also incorporate these terms into your copy.
Another good strategy is to create location-specific landing pages to detail all your shops and offices. You must ensure these location pages have relevant information about the local area, such as landmarks, nearby attractions, and community events. They must also add value to the reader. So before creating location pages, consider if a single page would deliver the same value to the reader as individual pages.
For example, a hairdresser will have different team members in two locations with different styles. A restaurant might have different menus. Accountants might offer different services through different offices. And all locations will need unique directions on how to find them.
The golden rule here is to avoid simply duplicating a page and doing a find and replace on the location. Always focus on adding value to the reader.
5. On-Page Optimisation
There's no getting around the fact that Google likes well-built sites that are mobile-friendly and load fast. And due to the nature of most local searches being done on mobile, adopting a responsive design that adjusts to the device, and having well written code that provides page loads in under a second, is a top consideration.
Fortunately, most sites are built with a 'mobile first' approach, so will be mobile friendly. In fact, if you get a quote from a web designer who considers responsive design an optional extra…run! Mobile friendly sites are just standard functionality at this point. It would be like a car dealer asking you if 'you'd like wheels with that?'. Just no.
If you want to know if you're site's responsive, the best test is simply to try loading it on your phone. There are tools out there that will do a complete audit (such as Google's Mobile Friendly test), but usually, just eyeballing it will tell you everything you need to know.
For page speed, we'd recommend either Google's PageSpeed Insights tool or GTMetrix. Both are free, and you simply enter your site into them and wait. After a few minutes, they'll tell you how well you score.
6. Local Citations and Online Directories
Consistent and accurate business citations across various online directories and platforms play a vital role in local SEO. Ensure that your business's Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) information is consistent across all national and industry-specific directories. Also, consider obtaining backlinks from reputable local websites and directories to boost your local search visibility further.
7. Online Reviews and Reputation Management
As mentioned above, Google only wants to list businesses that provide the reader with a good experience. This makes positive reviews a significant ranking factor. As such, develop a plan to identify satisfied customers and then ask them to leave a positive review. Ideally, they'll do this on your GMB listing, but any positive review on any platform is worth getting.
In addition, aim to respond quickly to all reviews (positive and negative) to demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction.
We've also seen significant improvements to local rankings when keywords are included in the review. So, if you're trying to rank for 'best restaurant in Manchester', try getting some customers to include that line in their reviews.
8. Localised Content Creation
In addition to optimising existing pages for local terms, consider creating valuable content tailored to your audience. Develop blog posts, articles, and videos that address local interests, events, and trends. Engage with your community by featuring other businesses and initiatives in your content. Talk about charity events you support and sports teams you sponsor. Show Google you're an integral part of the community while enhancing your local search visibility and brand recognition.
9. Local Link Building
We've already touched on this above, but forging partnerships with local businesses, organisations, and influencers to acquire local backlinks can be of enormous benefit. This might also mean participating in community events, sponsoring local initiatives, and collaborating with neighbouring businesses to build a network of local connections. Engage in guest blogging on local websites and contribute to local publications to strengthen your local link profile, thereby improving your local search rankings.
10. Local Schema Markup
Local schema markup, or local structured data markup, is a form of code on your site. It provides Google with specific details about your business, such as its name, address, phone number, business hours, customer reviews, and more. Whilst less important than it used to be, structured data can still help search engines better understand and index your information.
Most sites will include schema markup as standard, but if yours doesn't, it might be worth talking to your web designer about it rather than trying to do it yourself.
11. Monitoring and Measuring Success
You should always monitor and track your marketing efforts, and the same goes for local SEO. By using tools such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and GMB, you can view your performance and the impact your work is having on rankings, traffic, click-through rates, and sales.
Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of your changes and adapt your strategies accordingly. Not everything will work, but overall, you should see an upward trend if you adopt the above approach.
Conclusion
Prioritising local SEO is essential for businesses aiming to establish a strong presence in their immediate locality. We're confident these strategies can be undertaken by most companies, but if you don't feel like you have the time or experience to do it yourself, get in touch, and we'd be happy to help.
