Have you ever Googled something like “coffee shops near me,” “best local family dentist,” or “carpet cleaner in Raleigh”? If you have, then you’ve been taking advantage of Local SEO. It’s one of the most effective ways to improve foot traffic at your store or office; it’s also one of the most difficult to get right.
But don’t sweat it; we’re here for you.
What is Local SEO?
“Local SEO” is exactly what the name suggests: search engine optimization (SEO) for local businesses.
Where general SEO is geared towards improving overall search rankings (i.e. queries like “tennis shoes,” “Nike,” or “cool ways to tie laces”), Local SEO makes it easier for people to find things nearby, such as:
- Addresses and directions
- Price comparisons
- Store hours
- Phone numbers
- Customer reviews
- Service areas
Essentially, Local SEO means your business is relevant and transparent enough to appear in local search queries.
How can Local SEO improve my business?
Simply put, Local SEO helps you bring more people to your shop or office.
The more you show up in local searches, the more people are going to notice your business, visit, and leave a good review–thus, ensuring more local search results. It’s a hard cycle to kickstart, but it’s easy to maintain once it gets going.
But Local SEO isn’t just about doing well on search engines. It’s a way to improve your business’s reputation via word-of-mouth, quality content, intuitive design, and consistent branding. Showing up on Google is merely a side-effect of doing great work.
How can I improve my local search rankings?
The most obvious way to improve your local rankings is by writing high-quality content with local intent. Making pages and posts that target local keywords is a great place to start; from there, you can create search-worthy titles, tags, and meta-descriptions. But don’t just slap keywords together. Google’s web crawling tools have gotten really good at ousting spam. Take your time; put some thought into your work.
An easier way to improve your rankings is by securing your Google My Business account. Completing your profile will push your business to the top results on Search and Maps. It allows people to look up directions, see your hours, and call your store directly without having to visit your website. It also allows users to save your business for later viewing or share it via message or social media. It’s an extremely powerful tool, if used correctly.
But these are only a couple ways you can improve your local search visibility. In truth, Local SEO has over a dozen moving parts, and sometimes it’s better to hire an expert.
That’s where we come in. Partner with Whiteboard Creations today to improve your website, increase customer reviews, and rise to the top of the search results.
Ready to reel in more foot traffic with Local SEO?