Ten ideas to get started with local search engine optimization in 2023

Local SEO is a must for businesses that operate on a regional, rather than a national, level. Unlike national SEO, which focuses on ranking for searches across the nation, local SEO concentrates on appearing on SERPs in a specific area.

This strategy involves marketing your brand, products, and services to local leads and customers. Optimizing your local SEO leads to more website traffic, leads, and conversions, as it is more relevant to your local base.

It is a great way to level the playing field against larger national brands that have more resources to spend. Rather than relying on broad keywords and brand recognition, local SEO focuses on specific tasks to help you gain an advantage.

By optimizing for local SEO, you can provide a value proposition that national brands can’t match, and ultimately drive more traffic, leads, and conversions.

Local SEO is essential for businesses, but 58% of companies don’t optimize for local search according to ReviewTrackers’ study. Here are the top 10 ways to make your local SEO successful and drive more traffic to your business:

With the right local SEO tactics, you can ensure that your business is getting the most out of its online presence.

1. Create a Google Account and create or claim your Google Business Profile account?

Optimizing your Google listing (also known as your Business Profile) is a powerful way to improve your ranking in Google Maps and gain visibility in local Google Search results.

To access your Business Profile for optimization, you will need a Google My Business account. Once you have provided all the required information in the dashboard, it will be added to your Business Profile, which can be seen in Google Search local results, the Google Search Knowledge Panel, and Google Maps.

It’s a great way to get your business on the map. Here’s how to do it:

1. Visit google.com/business and click “Get Started”.
2. 2. Sign in with your Google account or create a new one.
3. 3. Add your business information, including its name, address, and phone number.
4. 4. Customize your profile, including adding photos and other details.
5. 5. Verify your business by following the steps provided.
6. Creating a Google My Business account is a great way to get your business noticed. With just a few steps, you will be on your way to having an online presence that will help your business grow.

By optimizing your Google listing, you can get the most out of your online presence and make sure your business is seen by customers.

Get the most out of your Google Business Profile with these 4 steps

1. Create a Google My Business account and verify that you own the business.

2. Make sure all the information on your profile is accurate and up-to-date. Include your logo, hours of operation, payment methods accepted, and the products or services you offer. Plus, don’t forget to add plenty of images!
3. Ask your customers to review your business online. Respond to reviews in a sincere and genuine way.
4. Utilize the Google My Business dashboard to post to your profile. Announce new products, events, and special offers.

2. Want to keep your customers happy? Invite them to give regular reviews!

Ongoing customer feed back will ensure a better customer experience and keep them coming back for more. Encouraging customers to leave reviews for your business can boost your local presence and attract more customers.

According to BrightLocal’s 2022 Consumer Review Survey, the most effective way to request reviews is through email. Other methods, such as phone calls, text messages, and social media, were found to be less effective, with less than 5% of consumers saying they prefer these methods.

Here are a few tips to get customers writing glowing reviews:

1. After a sale is complete, ask customers in person to leave a review.
2. Send a post-purchase email or text asking customers who have had a positive experience to leave a review.
3. Respond professionally to existing reviews, thanking reviewers and addressing any complaints.

Note: Google allows requesting reviews while Yelp discourages it.

3. Optimize for Voice Search

Voice search technology is rapidly growing and, as such, local SEO must be optimized for spoken queries. This means you’ll need to consider the more conversational, long-tail keywords people use when speaking, as opposed to typing their searches.

How to optimise for voice search

1. Use natural language and long-tail keywords: Voice search requires a different approach when it comes to content creation. People tend to use more conversational language and longer phrases when speaking than when typing. This means using words and phrases that are more likely to come up in a conversational search query.
2. Answer questions directly: Voice search users often ask questions, so it’s essential to have content that answers a question directly. Try to anticipate the types of questions your audience might ask and provide clear and concise answers.
3. Optimize for local searches: Voice search users often search for local information, such as “near me” or “where is the nearest.” Ensure that your website and business listings have accurate and up-to-date location information.
4. Use structured data: Structured data helps search engines understand your content better, which can increase the likelihood of your content appearing in voice search results. Make sure to include structured data for your business, such as your business hours, phone number, and address.
5. Focus on page speed: Page speed is crucial for all SEO efforts, but it’s especially important for voice search. Voice search users want fast results, so make sure your website loads quickly on both desktop and mobile devices.

4. Creating content based on local news stories or events can be a great way to engage your audience.

Creating content that is local and speaks to the issues and concerns of your local customers is an excellent way to grab their attention and make an impact. Whether it’s a blog post, an article, or a social media post, crafting content that is specifically related to your local area shows that you understand the needs and interests of your community.

For instance, here are some ideas where you can feature hyperlocal content around news events or changes – if you own a restaurant in a suburban area, you could create content about the best farmers’ markets in the area where you source your ingredients. Or, if you have a business in a city centre, you could write about the great local attractions and activities that are nearby. You could also create content that focuses on an issue that is important to your local community, such as sustainability or access to healthcare.

No matter what content you create, it is important to ensure that it is engaging and informative. Make sure that the content is well-structured and easy to understand. Use relevant examples and stories to illustrate your point and engage your readers. Try to include visuals, such as photos or videos, to make your content more interesting and appealing.

Local content ideas that directly addresses local issues.

1. Write blog posts that cover local news stories, activities, or events.
2. Create videos that showcase your business’s support for local charities or causes.
3. Develop location-specific web pages on your website that feature high-quality local content if you serve different parts of a region.

5. Mobile-ize Your Site

As the use of mobile devices continues to grow, it’s becoming increasingly crucial to optimize your website for mobile users. Studies have shown that mobile visits to websites are on the rise, with a 2018 Stone Temple study indicating an increase from 57% in 2016 to 63% in 2017, while desktop visits decreased from 43% to just 37%. Furthermore, a 2017 Acquisio study discovered that 75% of mobile searches with local intent resulted in in-store visits within 24 hours.

The main thing is to Ensure that your website design adjusts to different screen sizes automatically, providing a smooth and enjoyable user experience for visitors on any device.

Besides a responsive design, Here are three tips to optimise for mobile.

1. Prioritize site speed: Mobile users expect fast load times, so optimize your website’s images, use a content delivery network, and minimize code to speed up your site.
2. Optimize for local search: Include your location information, such as your address and phone number, in your website’s metadata and content to improve your visibility in local search results
3. Use bigger fonts and relational font sizes: Increasing the size of your font can make your content easier to read on smaller screens. It’s essential to choose a font size that is large enough to be legible without having to zoom in.
4. Place images strategically: Placing relevant images can break up large blocks of text, making your content more digestible and engaging for users. However, it’s important to ensure that the images used are high-quality, relevant, and optimized for mobile devices.

6. Local Keywords to Boost Your Small Business

it’s crucial to focus on local keywords that are relevant to your target audience. By using Google’s Keyword Planner tool, you can filter keyword searches by location and get an idea of the most popular search terms in your region. This will help you create a list of locally relevant keywords to target on your website.

Once you have your list of keywords, be sure to include them in your website’s meta content, copy, and URLs. This will signal to search engines that your content is relevant to local users, and improve your visibility in local search results.

Mentioning local landmarks and attractions in your website’s content, you can make your business more attractive to potential customers who are searching for local information. Additionally, it can help to build your credibility as a local business and increase your chances of appearing in local search results.

For instance, if you own a restaurant in Brisbane, you could include references to the Story Bridge or South Bank on your website. This can help to establish your business as a local authority and improve your rankings in local search results.

Here are three tips for including region-specific landmarks and hotspots in your local SEO strategy:

1. Research popular landmarks and attractions in your local area and incorporate them into your website’s content.
2. Use local keywords in your content to signal to search engines that your business is relevant to local customers.
3. Create engaging and informative content that highlights the best things to see and do in your local area, and make sure to include mentions of local landmarks and hotspots in your content.

7. Put Your Business on the Map with a Location-Specific “About Us” Page

A location-specific “About Us” page can also be an effective way to improve your local SEO. This page should provide information about your business, its history, and its connection to the local community. Including references to local landmarks or events can help to establish your business as a local authority and improve your rankings in local search results.

Here are three tips for using location pages or a location-specific “About Us” page to boost your local SEO:

1. Create dedicated location pages for each of your business’s locations, and include detailed information about the address, phone number, hours of operation, and any special offers or promotions specific to that location.
2. Include local keywords in your location pages and “About Us” page to signal to search engines that your business is relevant to local customers.
3. Mention the Important Business information that customers will want to know like Name, address, and phone number, plus opening hours, directions and where to park, and any special location specific promotions or events you might be involved with. Add a google map too but take care when you have multiple locations, because you need to create unique content for each page.

8. Get Discovered with Online Business Directories

One of the most important things small business owners can do to improve their online presence is to create consistent, high-quality directory listings

Online directories like Google My Business, Yelp, and Yellow Pages are powerful tools for promoting your business and increasing your visibility in local search results. Not only will getting your business name, address, and phone number into these directories help visibility, but it’ll also boost your local SEO.

When you list your business on these directories, you increase your chances of being discovered by potential customers who are searching for businesses like yours in your local area. This is because these directories often appear at the top of search results for local queries, and they provide potential customers with essential information like your address, phone number, hours of operation, and customer reviews.

Here are three tips for using online business directories to improve your local SEO:

1. Create a listing on popular online directories like Google My Business, Yelp, and Yellow Pages.
2. Ensure your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all directories.
3. Optimize your listing by adding photos, descriptions, and other relevant information to make it more attractive to potential customers. This can help you stand out from the competition and improve your chances of being discovered by local customers.
4. Write five short introductions and three or four generalized sentences about your services, and another three or four sentences about a unique value or quality your business brings. Jumble them up, and you’ll have multiple combinations to use on different directories, keeping the content fresh and new for each one.
5. To make the process of creating consistent directory listings easier, consider creating a spreadsheet with all your business information, such as your name, address, phone number, and website URL. Use this spreadsheet to create your directory listings, and make sure that the name, address, and phone number are precisely the same everywhere. This will help to ensure that your business is consistently represented across all directories, making it easier for potential customers to find you.

9. How High-Quality Backlinks Can Take Your Business to the Next Level

Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your site, and they play a crucial role in determining your website’s search engine rankings. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more likely you are to rank higher in search results.

To get high-quality backlinks, consider creating valuable, shareable content that other websites will want to link to. This could include informative blog posts, infographics, or other resources that are relevant to your industry or local area. You can also reach out to other websites and offer to guest post or contribute to their content in exchange for a link back to your site.

Another effective strategy for building high-quality backlinks is to leverage local directories and community resources. Look for opportunities to get listed on local business directories, chambers of commerce websites, or other community resources that are relevant to your industry. This can help you build a strong online presence and improve your visibility in local search results.

Here are some tips on getting high-quality backlinks:

1. When creating content for your website, keep future “link partners” in mind. This means creating valuable, informative, and shareable content that other websites will want to link to. By focusing on creating content that others will want to share, you increase your chances of building high-quality backlinks that can boost your Brisbane business’s online presence.
2. Reach out to other websites and offer to contribute guest posts or other content in exchange for a link back to your site.
3. Leverage local directories and community resources to build high-quality backlinks and improve your visibility in local search results. By following these tips, you can improve your website’s search engine rankings, attract more traffic to your site, and grow your Brisbane business.

10. Dedicate a pages to Each Product or Service

Creating a dedicated webpage for each product or service you offer is an effective way to improve your online presence and stand out from the competition. These pages provide potential customers with detailed information about your offerings and can help you target specific keywords and phrases in search results.

1. If you don’t have too many services, Niche down or create packaged service pages to create more specific service pages. For example, if you offer window washing services, consider creating separate pages for “2-story home window washing” single story window washing or package your services together – if you offer Lawn mowing services, consider creating separate pages for Lawn Mowing and “Lawn mowing and gardening”
2. Be sure to include high-quality images and detailed descriptions of your product or service. Use relevant keywords and phrases in your copy, meta descriptions, and URLs to improve your search engine rankings and attract more traffic to your site.
3. Use lists and bullet points to break up your content and make it more readable. Use these lists to highlight the key features and benefits of your product or service and explain how they can help potential customers solve their problems or meet their needs.
4. It’s also important to ensure that your content is unique on each page and be helpful and informative, providing potential customers with the information they need to make an informed decision about whether to purchase your product or service.
5. Use relevant keywords and phrases in your copy, meta descriptions, and URLs to improve your search engine rankings. FAQ;s are a great way to add a few more semantic and long tail keywords to your copy if you are having trouble fitting them in to the flow of your content.

Don’t Get Left Behind – Local SEO is More Important Than Ever

Local SEO is becoming increasingly important as more and more customers turn to the internet to find local businesses. With Google constantly introducing new features on its SERPs for local searches, it’s essential to stay on top of local SEO to ensure that your business can take advantage of these lucrative opportunities.

If you don’t have the time or expertise to make these adjustments, it may be worth considering a small business SEO service provider. These providers can help you improve your online presence, boost your search engine rankings, and attract more customers to your business.

Businesses that don’t take advantage of these opportunities risk getting left behind. By implementing these ten actionable items and considering a small business SEO service provider, you can ensure that your business has a solid foundation for local searches and is prepared for future changes in SEO.