Optimising your local SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is vital for small businesses. Local SEO is where you target customers who are likely to come and visit your store or business location. By correctly targeting the correct people who are in the vicinity of your business, it will encourage them to come and visit. Studies suggest that once someone has searched for a local business, they are likely to go and visit the business within 24 hours, so it is vital to get your business out there. Here we discuss a few ways in which you can improve your local SEO to get you seen by more people, but more importantly, the correct people. By using some of the same methods of standard SEO such as creating engaging and informative content, you can become more visible, however for local SEO there are a few more factors you should consider:
1. Claim your business listing
Claiming your My Google Business page is a great way to start. This will mean when people search for a business similar to yours, you can appear in the business listings and this will provide potential customers with important information such as your opening hours, your address and contact details. Try and use local keywords in your listing as well. Google is not the only listing you can claim. Look at Bing Local, Yelp and other industry specific business directories to make your business more visible. Also add all of this useful information onto your social media networks as well. You can make your listing stand out with images and reviews. This could make the difference of a customer picking your company over a competitor.
2. Keyword Research
Just as with all SEO and many forms of digital marketing, keyword research is extremely important. Having an understanding of what words and phrases customers are using when searching online lets you know what you should be including in your content. Start with some competitor analysis as this is a great way to get some inspiration to start you off. Use tools such as Google’s Keyword Planner to help with this exercise. You can then use the keywords you want to focus on in your targeting list in Google Adwords and ensure they are included in your website copy to help with organic results as well. A great way to add keywords in a website is by writing informative and helpful blog articles for your target customers.
3. Think mobile first
Many people are using their mobile phones above any other device they own so it makes sense to always ensure mobile is at the top of your mind when carrying out any form of digital marketing. It is especially important for local SEO as people will be looking for businesses on their phone on the go, so if they are near your business, they are likely to visit. You need to ensure that when customers are searching, all the information you want to get across is easy to read on mobile and that it’s all easy to find. Although your website needs to look good across all devices including tablets and desktop, mobile should always be the priority as so many people rely on them.
4. Reviews are extremely useful
It is a good idea to ask your customers for reviews. As long as you don’t force your customers, or ask them in a rude or forceful way, a lot of customers will be happy to provide you with one. This is especially important for certain sectors such as dining or hotels. Having reviews on Google or Trip Advisor and other review sites will help you appear higher up on the search results page. Also, reviews hold a lot of power. If customers see several good reviews, they will be more tempted to visit your business. But make sure you keep an eye on reviews. Good reviews can do amazing things for both your brand visibility and your reputation, but bad reviews can sometimes be damaging. By addressing reviews, whether they are good or bad, in a quick and professional manner will show you have high levels of customer service.
5. Be Social
Social media isn’t going anywhere soon, so it is important for your business to be visible on social media as it will be where your audience is. Social media marketing as a whole is relatively cheap form of marketing and can have an extremely high impact. The main thing to consider is which social platform is right for your business? Each social media platform is different, and you need to cater your content for this. It also depends on which social media platforms you believe your ideal customers to be on. If you are a restaurant for example, then Instagram is a great platform for you as your products are extremely visual, which will translate on Instagram well as this is a very image led platform. Social media is also a great place to push offers which can entice people to visit your business. Once you have people at your business, try and get them to share that they were there or used your product or service as this will help increase your reach.
6. Make sure you measure
As with all elements of marketing, you need to make sure you measure the results consistently so you can adapt your strategy and see the results. The Google My Business dashboard can provide you with some information such as how many times your listing has been viewed, how many times it has been searched and how many times your map has been looked at. These are all great indications that customers are interested in visiting your business or contacting you.
7. Make sure all details are correct
When filling out your business listings, always ensure your business information is correct. Keep your phone number, website, email address, business address and opening hours consistently up to date to avoid any customer confusion as this could lead to frustration. Also ensure all your information is consistent. Make sure your present your address in the same way each time with no abbreviations, as again this shows a great eye for detail and professionalism.
8. Get blogging
Creating a blog on your website is a great way to regularly update your website, include local keywords and provide your potential customers with useful or entertaining content all at once. Not only is blogging great for SEO, it can benefit the customer by providing information each time they visit your website. If you can keep them engaged, they will be more invested in your business. You can use these blogs on your social channels as well!
If you need help with your local SEO strategy then Team DBS can help. We can look at your current website, and ensure your site is fully optimized for local SEO traffic. We can also help with your social media presence as well. If you would like more information or a no obligation quote then please do not hesitate to contact us.