Local search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing a business website for specific keywords so it draws qualified traffic from nearby searchers and lifts revenue. The work covers keyword targeting, local listings, backlinks, and map visibility, and it applies to nearly any type of site.
How are local search results generated?
Local search engines deliver results based on the searcher’s location. If a person looks up a pizza shop in your town and your website shows up, that placement came from your location surfacing in a Google Local Search. A business using local SEO tactics can appear in more than one city, more than one state, or even more than one country when reaching a global audience.
Why do most local sites never reach page one?
To land in Google’s local results, you need to raise your odds of matching the keywords people actually type. If the first three listings on page one all use the same exact phrases, those terms are heavily contested and your chances of breaking in are low. Proven strategies and steady work are required to improve those odds.
What should go in your website description?
When running local SEO, include every service, product, and service area in the description text of your site. A pizza shop owner, for example, should describe the pizza itself along with the food prep area. Adding these details improves visibility in search results for the selected keywords and helps someone searching for a pizza shop find the site.
How do you build backlinks from relevant sites?
Another way to reach the first page of Google with local search engine optimization strategies is to build backlinks to your website. The more quality links pointing at your site, the better your chance of ranking on page one for a target keyword. Reach out to other websites and offer to exchange links in return for some traffic. Only work with sites that have relevant content and a strong search ranking. Linking to a site with terrible content can hurt your own ranking.
How can Google Maps help?
Google Maps is another way to optimize a website. It lets you drop your site’s URL into the map so that when people search for products or services in a given area, your site shows up as an icon. Studying where your site appears on the map points to steps that can lift its ranking. Local SEO tactics with Google Maps also include calling businesses inside your service area and asking what they do to promote their brand.
Why make direct calls to small businesses nearby?
Direct calls to small businesses are a solid local strategy. When someone runs a local search and enters your business address, they will most likely click through to your website. A well-designed site loaded with relevant keywords can expect an increase in rankings from this traffic. The tactic will not push a site to the top searches on Google, but it can move it up into mid-level searches and build enough credibility to justify a higher ranking.
How do you get more out of the Google Toolbar?
The Google Toolbar is also useful for local SEO. It includes a toolbar and menu for entering local search results, and its toolbar button accepts queries in the format “city name/area code,” which is the same as searching through “Google Map local.” To optimize for a given result, enter the keyword or phrase in the right field. The Google Toolbar also lists popular pages for each type of search.
FAQ
What is local search engine optimization?
Local SEO is the process of optimizing a business website for specific keywords so it draws qualified traffic from nearby searchers. The work is ongoing and includes keyword targeting, local listings, backlinks, and map visibility.
How do local search results get generated?
Local search engines return results based on the searcher’s location. A business can appear in more than one city, state, or country depending on the local SEO tactics it uses.
What are the core local SEO strategies covered here?
The strategies include writing keyword-rich descriptions of services and service areas, building backlinks from relevant and well-ranked sites, integrating the site into Google Maps, calling nearby small businesses, and using the Google Toolbar with “city name/area code” queries.