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How to Develop a Local SEO Strategy That Works in Your Area

How to Develop a Local SEO Strategy That Works in Your Area

Are you trying to target local customers to buy your products or services? Here’s how to develop a local SEO strategy that targets people in your area.

72% of Google users visited a store within 8 kilometres of where they performed their search.

On top of this, around 46% of the population is looking for local information when they start their search.

You already know SEO is essential for business growth and marketing, but how do you know if you are targeting the right area?

Users are begging for local insight. Zoning in on a strong local SEO strategy could actually help relevant consumers find you than a broad approach.

So, how do you build a strategy that will work in your area? 

Follow along with us as we breakdown the key ingredients in your local SEO practice and how you can benefit from using this method in your area. 

What Is Local SEO? 

Many of the same SEO factors are considered when zoning in on your local SEO practices. The difference lies in how you target your customers. When building a brand in your community, bring in more relevant traffic by targeting a specific geographical location. Your location.

This means instead of competing with every company on the internet who shares the same niche, you focus marketing efforts on appearing when customers in your area are searching for a local business. 

The great news here is that often, your local market will be less competitive and easier to crack relevant rankings in. The more space you can take up in a specific area, the more Google will want to deliver you to local customers. 

How Do I Start?

As amazing as it would be to jump in headfirst with a formula for success, the reality of SEO is that it’s incredibly specific and tailor-made for each business. Before you employ a list of local SEO tips and tricks, take a step back and have a look at where you are now.

What area should you be focusing your efforts on? How far is your local reach, and where do you set your limits? Deciding exactly where you will be targeting is the first step in becoming a relevant presence.

Get Your Search On

Come up with a list of keywords that are relevant to your business. Think about what kinds of phrases and questions people might be typing in that you could answer. 

Use these keywords and pair them up with your targeted location. For example, if you are located in Brisbane and run a massage therapy business, you might choose keywords like ‘sports massage’ or ‘relaxation massage’ and pair this with your target location. This would make your keyword target ‘Brisbane sports massage’. 

Google the keywords that you have built and take notice of your competition for this search. Are you fitting in with the results that are popping up and are they relevant to what your consumer will be looking for? 

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and refer to the list of related searches that Google suggests. Take these into account and note the competition and relevance for the ones that suit you. 

These are the terms you want to include cleary on your website. Google will filter results that feature answers to a query, so you must prove that you are relevant to these searches by publishing these words.

Work these into your content, such as blog posts, meta descriptions, and page titles. You may even want to consider having a specific page for each service you offer. Don’t assume Google will pull the relevant offer out of your service list. 

Don’t forget to include your location throughout your content and list your address in the footer of your website, so it appears on each page.

Become User Friendly

Optimize your website so that users enjoy the experience. It should be easy to navigate with relevant menus and linked content. 

Improve your website’s speed and performance by eliminating unused files and compressing your images. This is where it may be beneficial to hire a website auditing tool or use a caching service.

Technical coding and research can be complicated and time-consuming, but the performance of your website does impact your SEO rank. Don’t get lazy in this area because it’s more complex. 

Remember that a large number of searches are taking place on a mobile device, so be sure your website is easy to navigate for mobiles as well. 

Once you have a website that is user friendly, start focusing on keeping your visitors there for longer. 

Try increasing the length of your blogs and lead customers through your website with great internal links. Perhaps even consider posting in a few parts to build interest and lead traffic to related posts.

Round Out Your Approach

Have a look at your Google My Business listing and make sure it’s fully complete. Your location, website, and even photos or virtual tours with specific tags should be included. These factors will tie together and up your visibility.

Visit any directories you are listed in and make sure your information is consistent and complete.

Take this same initiative with your social media pages. Add in descriptions and consistent profile photos across the board. Make an effort to post often and tag your location, and of course, engage with every comment on all platforms to increase your reach. 

Google loves reviews. They validate your business and contribute to your reputation. Ask your customers to leave reviews on your google page or Facebook and respond to each review. 

Take your approach to a community level by building partnerships with other local businesses. Recommend each other’s services and build backlinks between your connections.

Participate in local events or fundraisers and gain links from local publications. You could even consider sponsoring a local event or team to increase your reputable linking. 

Measure and Grow

Take note of where you are in your rankings when you start and measure your returns. This is where you will see what efforts are working and what needs adjustments. 

If you notice a drop in your rank that doesn’t match your level of effort, this could be a sign of a penalty or spammy tactic that Google is punishing you for. Having a close eye on this page will help you quickly address these hiccups and adjust your approach.

Time to Build

Follow these key steps when building your local SEO strategy and watch your small business thrive.

We can’t wait to see how you narrow in on your community and discover a whole new world of local customers.

Still have questions or want a hand putting together your plan? Get in touch with us today and get started reaping the benefits of your new marketing masterpiece.

Jane Cluff

Jane Cluff

Senior digital strategist

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