Local SEO is a marketing strategy focused on using near proximity searches to position their business better. Ranking higher on local searches means users nearby find their products easier.
If your business has a physical office, it is especially important for you to exploit your geographic advantage.
So how do Local SEO ranking factors start to exist?
With the increase in users preferring mobile online searches, Google discovered that there is a need to provide immediate relevant results for people looking for topics near their location.
To improve results, they started taking the searcher’s proximity into account even when no location is provided in the search keywords. Marketers supplement this with various SEO strategies of their own.
Check out how Local SEO works from an expert local seo training provider in HK to learn more.
I prepared a few guides on what to focus on and what you can do on how to do it effectively based on the most recent trends.
Google My Business. Create Google My Business page and make sure you get verified. It gets you on Google Maps and adds you to Google’s local search results. Add important information and links to your website.
Consistency of Information. There are a lot of platforms your business can be nowadays, each having different features and benefits.
Make sure that your business name, contact numbers, address, landing pages and social media accounts are consistent and correct along all platforms. Add location pages. Make it easier for people to find you.
Research Local SEO Keywords. Before embarking through the journey of Local SEO planning, do your research. Check the competition. Look for new prospects and find ways to capitalize on the old ones.
Learn elements within your locality that are unique to your region. You can start with identifying what differentiates your local audience from general ones.
Mobile-friendly Website. Compared to when internet connection was only possible through a cable at home, the switch to mobile meant that proximity of where the search was made and what they are looking for has become more relevant.
Recent data suggests that more than half of online queries come from mobile devices. The need to cater to those queries is an urgent matter.
Make sure your pages are adaptive in form and structure. Improve user experience. A simple difference in screen orientation can make a world of difference when you’re looking into a small 5-inch device.
Social Media. Since mobile devices have taken over online queries, social media has also become a worthy topic to discuss.
People on their mobile phones engage on multiple social media platforms on their phones. Make sure you are visible to them.
Each social media platform has their own target audience and strategic guides. Make sure you are active on platforms that are in line with the nature of your business.
Being on facebook is a staple for almost all businesses since they hold the most number of audience. If you are engaged in an aesthetic themed coffee shop, Instagram might be right for you. If you’re a third party business solutions provider, linked in might be a better choice.
Participate in your Community. Everybody is on the internet. By participating in your local community, individuals and other businesses are encouraged to talk about you. Mentioning you on their blog or on their social media account gives a boost to your rankings.
Google also detects the locality of the sources of these contents and links. This makes it much easier to gain good local SEO returns.
Create Local Content. To further encourage internet users from your locality to engage with you, produce contents that are focused on topics they can relate with. People are bound to interact with matters that they are familiar with.
Where is Local SEO headed?
As time went by, along with Google updates and changing digital marketing practices, local SEO strategies have also evolved. New strategies will come to be developed and some will be deemed obsolete.
The fact still remains that in the world created by technology towards immediate solutions, Local SEO will remain relevant. Google searches will only continue to advance and strive to make search results be the most useful to their users.