5 Local SEO Tips To Attract Customers
Optimize Website For Mobile Use
We have all heard that Google prefers to return those sites in the search results that offer the best experience to the user. Making your site mobile-friendly and improving your overall site speed are some of the best ways to improve your site experience for users and rank higher for searches.
Directories & Review Sites
Buyers research and learn about almost every product before purchasing. 90% of consumers read online reviews before they reach out to the business directly. It is not about the back-link – it is about traffic and trust.
In addition to some of the mostpopular web directories below, also look at directories within your industry, whether it be real estate, design, home care, or accounting.
| Bing Places | Google My Business | Yahoo |
| AboutUs | Alignable | Better Business Bureau |
| BrownBook | Chamber of Commerce | eLocal |
| FourSquare | HotFrog | Local.Com |
| MerchantCircle | SuperPages | Yellow Pages |
Location-Specific Content
Your content strategy should also focus on location-specific content. By this we mean to attract customers within your area to your website, create content that’s more locally focused as well as focused on your industry and products/services.
For example, content about local events and happenings or things to do near your store.
Know The Right Keywords
A Google Consumer Insights report indicates a more than 900 percent jump in “near me” searches. This is due in part to both the huge jump in mobile use we are seeing year after year and the increase in smart devices such as Alexa and Google Home.
By knowing the keywords that your target market uses to search for what you offer, you can optimize your content with that in mind. Some example queries are:
Alexa, what restaurants are near me?
Okay Google, find a tire store near me.
Okay Google, find ATMs near me.
Alexa, is Starbuck near me open now?
Add Schema.org Mark On Your Websites
Sometimes we forget that search engines are just machines. Incredibly smart machines with the ability to learn and adapt… but just machines. And they love it when you confirm information… particularly if it is in their language.
Add Schema Structured Markup on your “About” or “Home” page at a minimum. Wondering how to add this to your WordPress website? Head over to the WordPress Plugin Repository and search. Schema is a plugin we would recommend.
Now You Know!
Implement these 5 items to see improved Local SEO results!
Struggling with these or have questions on how to take your Local SEO to the next level, contact the professionals at 4 Chicks!