Whether you are the owner of a small café around the corner or a semi-giant logistics solution provider with services spanning multiple provinces, chances are that your next customer is looking for you online. Right this very moment.
Isn’t that simple? Well, not really!
You need a strong local SEO strategy in place so interested audiences can find you online easily. Let’s dissect this to see how aspiring businesses can vastly improve their online visibility.
What is local SEO?
Local SEO, or local search engine optimization, is optimizing the search for your product or service on a local scale. The local scale can refer to the market nearby, your city, your entire province, or multiple provinces put together. This is essentially decided by the reach of your business.
Where should local SEO apply?
While Google may be the world’s most popular search engine, it is essential to identify and incorporate all the top search engines in your local SEO strategy. Here are the top four that you must consider:
- Yahoo
- Bing
- Amazon
Your company should aim to appear in two major areas of Google search results:
> Google Map Pack:
It appears at the top of Google Search Results for local searches. It shows the top regional businesses along with the map.
> Organic Search:
Regular search results that appear below the Google Map Pack results These are in the form of blue links.
Why is local SEO Strategy important?
When you start gaining the benefits of local SEO, you can stay ahead of your competitors day after day. This means when your customer searches for “the best cup of coffee near me” or “the best black coffee near me,” your cafe around the corner emerges as one of the top search results.
Optimized local SEO is a crucial success factor for growing businesses, as they are trying to gather a strong and loyal customer base. The first set of customers can be roped in via a well-designed online presence. The business can then turn this group of customers into advocates by collecting online testimonials and making the business’s online presence even stronger.
“SEO is a long haul that starts to pay for itself when it gets fully developed, unlike PPC marketing that requires funds every month.” Sai S, Founder, Clickworthy
A great local SEO company can place your organization in front of targeted local users, making it easy for them to identify you, understand your offerings, and become familiar with your services and products. This will give them the confidence to try your brand, and if everything goes well, they may recommend it to friends and family.
Some hard statistics from Google will drive the point home.
- Near-me searches account for approximately 25% of all mobile searches.
- More than 75% of users who search for nearby options visit the business on the same day.
- 30% of near-me searches convert to sales.
How to do local SEO?
Before you partner with a local SEO marketing company to improve your online lead generation, it is essential that you familiarize yourself with some key factors surrounding this marketing practice. We strongly recommend this so you have an overview of possible local SEO services. It will also give you a strong starting point for negotiating with a service provider who can help you find the best local SEO services in Canada.
Here is a list of nine tips that will be handy and help you earn new customers for your small and medium businesses:
1. Google Business Profile (earlier called Google My Business)
Your business’s online journey begins with a business profile on Google. It’s basically the information about your company that comes up when someone searches for keywords related to your product or service. It usually shows up under a distinct panel on the right side of the Google search results page. It identifies the basics, like the address, phone number, operating hours, and some more. This lends credibility to online users looking for your service. Aside from that, it also has the review section, which is a key part of making the site more credible.
Setting up a Google Business Profile is quite simple, not to mention essential. You just need to look up “Google Business Profile” or “Google My Business” online and fill in the required details of your business. Google’s authorities wish to establish authenticity by sending a physical postcard via mail that carries a pin. You need to enter the PIN that verifies your business’s profile and lets you live on Google Business.
2. Keyword Research
You know your business best, and so you must also know the keywords that your services are searched for. However, the online world is full of surprises, and it is best to be sure about the keywords that you identify for your local SEO strategy.
If you are struggling to zero in on all the relevant keywords, there are many online tools that will do the job. We have listed a few here that we depend on for our business, including
- SEM Rush
- Ubersuggest
- Google’s Keyword Planner
- Keywords Everywhere
- Moz
Imagine you are running a local café. Your customers may be searching online for something along the lines of Coffee Near me, Coffee Date Places, Best Black Coffee Near me.
3. Google Reviews can assist you in increasing your local SEO rankings.
A key part of your Google Business Profile, the reviews section can easily be a deal-maker or a deal-breaker. Growing businesses must always encourage their customers to leave reviews on their Google Business profiles. A very easy way to do so would be to set up a QR code poster at points of sale (POS) or check-out counters. This QR code will direct customers to the review section. It will make sure that the customer is as involved as possible while he or she is still working with the business.
The goal should be to collect a large number of positive reviews. A direct advantage of search is the relevancy of the results. This means your business will rank higher on search result pages if you have more reviews than your competitors. More reviews help Google recognize your business’s viability, leading to high online visibility.
4. Competitive keywords for local SEO
Creating your online marketing strategy for lead generation is just one part of the equation. A significant part of planning your online marketing piece should include getting a thorough understanding of the competitive landscape. We have outlined certain goals that can help you get started.
- Identify relevant keywords and conduct a competitor analysis for each of them.
- Understand which keywords attract decent traffic but are not optimized for your competitors. Target these specifically.
- Create short-, mid-, and long-term goals.
- Never lose focus on your local SEO strategy. A great piece of content can barely gather any attention or readership if the right keywords are not included.
5. Listing businesses in the appropriate locations
To keep your business’s online presence relevant, it is important to list it in various sought-after directories on the web. These directories differ based on regions, so it is necessary to list them according to local popularity. For instance, businesses in the USA usually get themselves listed on the following citation sites:
- Apple Maps
- Bing
- Yelp
- Yahoo
- Foursquare
- Mapquest
- Yellowpages
- Cylex
There are also a lot of other free directories, but the ones above have a lot of domain authority and can guarantee the online visibility you want.
6. Off-Page SEO Activity
This is the technique for earning backlinks from external websites. It’s a valuable method that will ensure ranking on the first page of search results. In simple terms, off-page SEO techniques help indicate what others think of the content on your business site. A common way of achieving this is if local community forums have you listed on their sites. This shows Google that the content on your website is useful for users, which raises your SEO ranking in your area.
Keep in mind that this strategy is for your local territory, and you must optimize it accordingly. So local listings and local guest content are a great place to begin with.
7. Local SEO content
While the length of the content is a no-brainer (a minimum of 1500 words’ article to cover the entire subject matter), the type makes an impact as well. Content like images and videos also needs to be optimized so the user’s experience with the content on your site is an enjoyable one.
Here are 5 ways to optimize images for search engines:
- Use medium-resolution images, preferably 1024 by 680 pixels. Such scaled-down images help the web pages load easily.
- Use the right format, like PNG or JPG. Typically, JPGs are smaller in terms of size and better suited for the web.
- Name the files with descriptive keywords that are relevant for your business. Separate the two keywords with a hyphen. So a file name like “woman enjoying her coffee in a Toronto cafe” should do the trick.
- Always add alt tags. This is helpful when images fail to load. Search engines can read the alt tag text and rank the page accordingly.
- Mobile device-responsive images should be added.
Here are 5 ways to optimize videos for search engines:
- Include keywords in the title.
- Include keywords in meta descriptions.
- Transcribe your video so you can add all the relevant keywords in
- Distribute the video content via different channels.
- Use unique titles for different distribution sites. This is to avoid keyword cannibalization.
Source : Pexels
8. Page load speed
Google is looking for the best user experience, so all elements of a business’s online site should be aimed at that. Naturally, the speed with which the website of your business loads is a clear indicator of the user’s experience. Naturally, the speed with which the website of your business loads is a clear indicator of the user’s experience. The quicker your website loads, the easier it becomes for the user to absorb the information on the site and arrive at his decision. Any website that takes more than 2-3 seconds to load should be fixed. A website that goes well beyond these is sure to have high bounce rates.
Here are 3 content management systems that will help you design your sites easily and in an SEO-friendly manner.
- WordPress (Best)
- Hubspot Website Builder (not the best)
- Ghost (not the best)
A slow loading speed can hurt a business’s local SEO strategy, so it needs to be fixed as soon as possible in the online marketing plan.
9. Seek inspiration from your surroundings.
Relying on content that relates to a local issue to grab the attention of users in your vicinity is a tried and tested method of gaining online visibility. You can try the below ideas to get going:
- Write a blog on pet care and local pet-friendly eateries. You can add a quick mention of your local cafe business.
- A vlog on an upcoming charity event that your business may support
- Collaborate with local influencers to create relevant content.
When should you invest in local SEO?
Whether you are a brick-and-mortar store, a cloud kitchen, or an online service solution agency, it is essential that you invest time and effort into your local SEO strategy from the very first day of your operations. If you are ready to sell, then you should be ready to accept online interest and provide the required service.
In fact, if time permits, you can keep your strategy ready well in advance and start applying these practices when you open doors.
However, many small businesses may have limited time and resources that they can depend on. Due to this time and resource crunch, it is essential to plan and devise the right timeline for yourself. It’s also a great idea to hire an expert who can hold your hand as you set up your online marketing goals.
How much does local SEO cost?
Now that you have covered the what and why parts of this plan and have familiarized yourself with various components of local SEO or local SEO strategy, it’s time to put your strategy into action. As a small business owner, you may be tempted to take things into your hands and learn on the go. While this is a great plan and provides you with ample opportunities to learn, it is always a better idea to hire an expert.
While an award-winning local SEO agency may charge you a premium rate, ranging anywhere between $2000 and $3000 per month, there are alternative local SEO companies who can help optimally with an emerging business’ needs. A small or midsized local SEO company can charge you somewhere around $500 to $600 monthly. You can book an appointment with any local SEO service provider in your area to get a clear cost estimate for this.
Another option is to work with a local SEO consultant. Achieving top rankings on the local SEO checklist requires a lot of hard work, and assistance from a dedicated professional will make the right impact.
As your business grows, you’re sure to face a number of operational and functional problems.
A strong local SEO company or a local SEO consultant by your side will ensure that you get the best local SEO packages. This allows you more time to focus on the business operations.
Frequently asked questions for a local SEO company
Q: Is regular SEO different from local SEO? If yes, then how?
A: Yes, there is a distinction between traditional SEO and local SEO. The former focuses on improving your business’s online visibility on a national or global scale, while the latter, i.e., local SEO strategy, helps you connect with searchers in your regional territory. However, many strategies used for traditional SEO and local SEO are common.
Q: Is local SEO important for optimizing your online site?
Various local SEO activities, like link building, increase your online visibility. This makes your business easily discoverable by new customers in your local area.
Q: Can I do local SEO by myself?
A: With some research and lots of practice, anyone can learn how to do SEO for their business. But for the best and quickest results, think about onboarding an expert.
Q: What is the impact of local SEO?
A: Local SEO directly boosts your business’s online visibility. It brings more foot traffic to your physical stores and a higher number of clicks on your online sites. Attracting more targeted traffic improves your chances of conversion.
Q: Is local SEO paid?
A: No. Google doesn’t charge for SEO. Many support tools are available for free.
You may need to make monetary investments for paid versions and expertise.
Recap with an infographic about the 9 ways to do Local SEO
See this infographic on Pinterest
Get the best local SEO company to work for you.
Time is money, and every minute spent without local SEO means lost customers and business opportunities. Contact Clickworthy, the local SEO experts near you, today to understand how you can kick off your online marketing plan and get the most out of your local SEO strategy.
Take out 15 minutes from your day to get on a web call with us. This is your chance to learn how local SEO experts can help your small business get more online leads.
