5 Local SEO Tips for Your Small Business

With so many people searching online for products and services, it’s a mistake to underestimate the importance of online marketing channels. When half of all Google searches are now local, that makes SEO something you can’t ignore as a local business. You need a way to stand out on the front page and attract customers who want to buy locally.

However, if you want to grow your local website, you need to prove to Google that you’re worth ranking. Use the local SEO tips below to improve your SEO strategy.

1. Sign Up for Google My Business

Even though Google has gotten good at learning about websites, it won’t categorize your website as a local business without proof. That means you won’t automatically appear on Google Maps and get traffic from local searchers.

You’ll need to sign up for Google My Business to take advantage of map listings. Once you sign up, Google will send a postcard to your business address with a PIN code. Once you enter your code, you can enter your business information and show up on the map results.

2. Use Local Keywords

Word keywords on wooden blocks

It’s common for local businesses to create web pages with general terms. Think of the following:

  • Chiropractor
  • Accident attorney
  • Construction company
  • Painting contractors

While these terms may describe your business, they don’t tell a searcher your company’s location. On top of that, general terms are much more competitive than local ones.

Add keywords in your content that talk about your company’s location. Doing this will help you rank higher for people searching locally.

3. Create Citations

A citation for a local business is a listing on a business listing website. This includes sites like Yelp, Glassdoor, Yellowpages, and much more. These sites help prove to Google that your business is real and worth ranking higher.

Of course, you also need to make sure that your business information matches on these different pages. If your data is different, how can Google trust your business information?

In some cases, these sites will automatically populate with wrong information. Check regularly to make sure that all the information is correct.

4. Create Topical Relevance

Woman typing on laptop keyboard

Google wants to rank authorities on the front page. That’s why they prefer websites with powerful backlinks. It’s a sign that people trust a site.

However, not every company has the resources to acquire those links. They have to prove to Google that they’re trusted by building topical authority.

You can do this by covering topics from every part of your industry. Once you have a base of content, link your pages together where it makes sense to show Google that your business is an industry expert.

5. Outsource to a Professional

Even though there is a lot of data about SEO, it’s hard to know how to do it right without experience. There are countless ranking factors, and doing things wrong can mean zero rankings.

Working with a professional SEO company like Digital Hitmen will ensure your site gets the SEO help it needs. Your SEO provider will optimize your content, get local citations, and work to improve your rankings in any way they can.

Put These Local SEO Tips in Place Today

SEO takes time to work, so you can’t afford to waste time figuring out what to do. The above local SEO tips are a great way to improve your search engine optimization work. Use them today to see their impact on improving your search results.

Of course, SEO isn’t the only way you can drive traffic to your business website. Learn more digital marketing tips by heading back to the blog.

Share