Do you want to attract local customers into your store or to call in for your services? Do you want to attract more clients from your neighborhood and the nearby areas? Do you want to improve your reputation within your area of the Lower Mainland?
If this is the case, you must improve your local SEO.
This article will show you how.
What is Local SEO?
While normal SEO focuses on optimizing a website for certain keywords in each industry or location, local SEO focuses solely on local searches. “Lawyer in Surrey,” “doctors in Vancouver,” “plumbers in Langley,” “Vancouver SEO,” and so on are common instances.
It also operates in the same way as “regular” search: you type in a term and get results. But, Local SEO, is distinguished by the fact that it considers local ranking indicators such as “where” the user is seeking, online reviews, and Google Maps, and presents all the results in the Map-Pack of results at the top of page. Like this!
As a result, the techniques to optimize a page for local SEO are slightly different, including localized keywords, NAP citations, and Google My Business optimization.
But, before we go there, it’s crucial to understand why Local SEO is so critical in 2022.
What Is the Importance of Local SEO?
These numbers prove it all
According to HubSpot, local searches account for up to 46% of all Google searches.
“72 percent of shoppers who conduct a local search visit a retailer within 5 miles of their current location,” according to Wordstream.
“61 percent of mobile searchers are more likely to contact a local business if they have a mobile-friendly site,” according to Bright Local.
According to the Think With Google 2019 Research Review, mobile queries for “where to buy” + “near me” have increased by over 200 percent in the last two years.
But why have these figures risen in recent years? The answer is easy, The use of mobile phones and tablets is way up!
With the internet at their fingertips, Users now look for specific products and services near their current location. Because traveltime is such an important decision variable, obtaining services close by is critical for day-to-day things. That is why local SEO is so effective.
Having said that, many industries and businesses benefit more from Local SEO than others. Restaurants, doctors, plumbing and electrical services, domestic services, and retail stores are all examples. These are “on-the-spot” and “go” requirements that require immediate attention. If you run a broader business that wants customers everywhere (say across the whole province, or the world) then you’re better of sticking the regular organic SEO.
How To Improve Your Local SEO
1. Optimize Google My Business.
Google My Business is the pinnacle and best part of Google’s offerings to small business owners. It gives both your consumers and Google important information. It is, more importantly, the beginning of your Local SEO campaign.
Make a profile and make sure all of the information is correct and up to date. You should be as specific as possible so that Google recognizes you as a reputable company. Include information such as operating hours, address, and location. All of this helps with your NAP (name, address, and phone number) citations on the internet.
Make sure your bio contains relevant local keywords, and that all of your posts contain similar long-tail keywords. This will help you gain authority for both your GMB profile and your website.
2. Include GMB posts in your social media marketing strategy.
Posting on Google My Business should be included in your social media marketing strategy, just as posting on Facebook and Twitter does.
Google values social media content more than ever before, and seeing it happen on their own platform will undoubtedly enhance your authority. Share the exact posts as you would on social media and respond to customers’ interactions and reviews.
3. Build Local Citations & Directories
Local directories and industrial specialist sites can assist you in narrowing your link building and spreading your Local SEO. Tripadvisor, Bright Local, Yelp, the Better Business Bureau, and other sites can help you improve your online reputation.
A few suggestions:
The consistency of NAP data is critical. Everything must match your GMB profile exactly. Make it simple for people and search engines to locate you.
Maintain a professional demeanour and prevent inconsistencies at all costs.
Remove any duplicate listings you uncover, as this could harm your online reputation and lead to accusations of link building fraud.
4. Add Location Pages To Your Website
If you serve Greater Vancouver, building pages with specific areas can help you target a specific audience within that region.
Look at Plumber Vancouver and Plumber Abbotsford, for example.
Both provide the same service, but their content is completely different and designed for SEO in their respective cities.
Make sure each location page has your name, address, phone number, store hours, unique store descriptions, and any other pertinent information. Avoiding duplicate material on these location pages is also critical.
5. Optimize the URL, title tags, headers, meta descriptions, and content.
A conventional SEO strategy that also must be incorporated with Local SEO.
Make sure to use high-volume local keywords in the URL, title, header, meta description, and body of your website (or specific pages on your website).
If you want to learn more about Local SEO and how it can help your business grow, get in touch with us by clicking the contact or phone buttons above!
