Anyone with a website has probably at least heard of SEO. What about optimizing locally, though? Especially for local small businesses, mastering the art of local online marketing can prove significant in terms of driving customers to your location. While general search engine optimization can be understood and implemented with just a basic working knowledge, local online marketing requires a deeper level of understanding. Not to worry, though. You don’t have to be a tech guru to grasp the key strategies to uplevel your business with local search engine marketing. Here are five tips to help you master Local Online Marketing 101.
1. Complete Local Listings Pages
Yelp, Foursquare, Facebook, UrbanSpoon, Tripadvisor…you name it, get your business information on it. The more info you provide, the higher you’ll be ranked by the search engines. So don’t stop at the traditional “NAP” Name, Address, Phone Number. Include your hours of operation, your pricing, ratings, and accepted forms of payment.
2. NAP Consistency + Accuracy
Providing inaccurate business information (NAP Name, Address, and Phone Number) can negatively impact your local search engine ranking. To avoid this, check that all your business information is up to date and spelled correctly across all platforms. One variation from accuracy on any page could cause the search engine to mark your business location as incomplete and decrease your ranking.
3. Build a Google My Business Page
Google has a tool that helps with local search engine optimization. It’s called Google My Business and be aware going in that, just like the local search pages, you’re going to have to give a lot of information to make this worth your while. Be sure to include NAP, a unique description, high resolution photos, and genuine local reviews.
4. Local Reviews
Speaking of local reviews, they are one of the things that search engines look for when optimizing local business pages. The direct impact reviews have on your local ranking means you want to go out and get some but not just any. Search engines judge reviews based on their quality and their volume.
5. Optimized Website
Make sure you have a website that follows general SEO guidelines mobile responsive, keyword focused, customized hyperlinks, and a great user experience. These factors will only serve to boost your business and help your local customers find you with ease.
