Brick-and-mortar stores are adapting their websites in response to online shopping trends, but how can they achieve optimal local SEO results? Here are a few simple tips for increasing local seo for your business.
Step one in optimizing your website for local search is making sure Google My Business and other local directories contain accurate information about your business. Step two entails publishing local-oriented content like lists of events or guides specific to an area. Step three involves building citations across local directories and search engines – using tools such as Semrush’s Listing Management tool can make this easier by helping identify where exactly your listing appears and checking for duplicate listings.
Important tip #2: Implementing local business schema markup into your website. This will enable search engines to understand that your business operates in specific cities or regions, helping search engines rank you higher locally. Doing this is relatively easy – simply enter information in this tool before inserting it in your code and testing using Google’s structured data testing tool.
Page title tags and meta descriptions remain an essential ranking factor for local searches, so ensure they contain the name of your city along with any product or services you offer. Incorporating additional local details, such as neighborhood or region names, can further strengthen local relevance.
One aspect that’s often underestimated is the significance of having a mobile-friendly website. Since more than 86% of smartphone users search local business on their phone, optimizing for these mobile users means creating responsive designs with keywords tailored specifically for targeting local audiences.
Google’s local search tools can help you quickly identify the ideal keywords and locations for your niche or location, enabling you to create targeted campaigns to meet your goals – such as driving more foot traffic into your store. Furthermore, these tools also allow you to track their performance so you can see if your tactics are working effectively.
Local SEO should not be considered an isolated endeavor; rather, it must be integrated with other marketing efforts for maximum impact. But local SEO remains an integral component of online marketing strategies and investments should be made in it to reap its full benefits.
As e-commerce expands, brick-and-mortar stores must adapt or risk being left behind by competitors. If you’re not already leveraging local SEO, now’s the time to start! To gain more knowledge, contact an enterprise specialist like Rio SEO; they offer services for managing Google Business Profile, other local listings, citation building, review management as well as blog hosting that share local content with their audience.
