With the rise of online retail, consumers are turning to the internet as their go-to source for products and services, bypassing local businesses entirely. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t get your small business noticed on the web! By carefully optimizing your website to be both user-friendly and search engine friendly, you can ensure that your business shows up in all the right places when people are looking to buy things close to home. Here are six ways you can optimize your website for local SEO.
1) Claim your Google Business Profile listing
Whether you just got started or have been operating for years, it’s important to claim and optimize your Google Business Profile listing. Claiming your business on Google is easy! All you have to do is provide some basic information about your business and then verify that you own the organization by entering a verification code sent via text message.
Once verified, add as many photos of your space as possible, including accurate contact information, a website link, and more – this will help potential customers find you online!
A Google Business profile listing will also let people know where your business is located in the search results on their mobile devices.
2) Optimize your website for local keywords
Search engines have evolved and now rely more on a website’s location than its name. This is why it’s important to make sure your website is optimized for local keywords.
Here are some simple ways you can optimize your site:
1) Use the same keyword phrases in your domain name, title tags, and meta descriptions.
2) Include as much information as possible about your business in the About section of your site including a street address and phone number.
3) Ensure that each page on your website includes keywords that describe what the page is about so that visitors and search engines can find relevant information.
3) Add location pages to your website
Start by researching the competition and seeing what information is already in their profiles.
By examining the public details about them on Facebook or Google or in business listings, such as Yelp, the Yellow Pages, or Yahoo! Local and Before you know it, you’ll be adding your location page to your website.
First, determine whether you have a social media page or website. If you don’t, then create a profile for your company with important details about your physical location, like a street address, phone number, and hours of operation. Make sure that your contact information is up-to-date and as detailed as possible so that others can easily find you.
Include photos or visuals: In terms of organic search results, you want to have photos so that potential customers know what they’ll be seeing when they click through to your website (e.g., exterior shots that showcase your storefront).
4) Add a blog to your website
Being an active member of your community is great not only for you but also for your business. It can help you generate leads, find local vendors, or even help with networking. Plus, it’s a great way to boost your ranking in search engines.
Most businesses will find that adding a blogging section to their website is an effective way of reaching new customers. Not only does it showcase your business’ expertise and allow you to better tailor your products or services, but it also gives you the opportunity to get backlinks from other websites in your industry.
Having more links pointing to your site helps move you up on the list of results in Google’s organic rankings. For example, when someone searches for a plumber on Google and one blog post about how important hiring a professional plumber is coming up higher than another blog post about how to install pipe traps yourself, then Google sees that this blog post has been linked by more people (i.e., backlinks), so they rank it higher on the page.
The key to getting these links is to have relevant content so others are willing to share it across their social media pages or blogs themselves. You should have at least 3-4 articles ready for posting each week; that way, readers always have something fresh and exciting coming up on their feed.
Also Read - The Ultimate Guide to Local SEO for Law Firms
5) Optimize your website for mobile
Mobile search is essential. Did you know that 50% of all Google searches are now done on a mobile device? This is why it’s imperative to optimize your website for mobile search.
Here are six ways to do it:
- Use responsive design, which creates a website that automatically resizes to fit any screen size.
- Include a sitemap with information about your business and how to contact you.
- Make sure the pages of your site load quickly.
- Make sure your site is easy to navigate and user-friendly.
- Include images and videos in your content.
- Test how mobile-friendly your site is by using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test Tool.
If you follow the six steps, you’ll be on your way to being found and ranking online much faster and becoming a leader in your industry.
6) Monitor your online reviews
Today’s customer relies heavily on online reviews when deciding where to spend their money. If you’re a small business, it’s crucial that people can find your website and reviews. One of the best ways is through local SEO. This involves getting the name of your business listed in search engines and directories and optimizing your site so it ranks high in search results.
To make sure people are finding your site, monitor online reviews and respond promptly if there are any negative comments left about your business.
Is Your Small Business Showing Up Locally?
Remember, how customers perceive you online leads to how they receive you in person or at your brick-and-mortar location. Give them a reason to come back and give them a reason to share the experience they had with your business with their friends and family. Here at VIP Marketing our core values: Respect, Honesty, Confidence, Growth, Initiative and Accountability allow us to produce some of the best Digital marketing Campaigns in the industry. If you’re looking to go from good to Great Contact Us Now.