Every business, large or small, wants to be found on Google. It’s a fact that the more people you can get to your website from organic search results, the better off you will be in terms of marketing and generating revenue. In this article, we’ll explore how local SEO differs from other forms of SEO and what strategies are most effective for attracting local clients.
First and foremost, what is local SEO? Local SEO is the process of optimizing a website for Google so that it appears as a top result for queries specific to a geographical area. For example, if you are an electrician in Toronto, you would want your website to appear as the top result when people search for “electricians in Toronto” or “electricians near me.”
The difference between local SEO and other forms of SEO is that it requires a very specific strategy for each geographic area. It’s not enough to simply optimize your website content with local keywords; you must target the actual locations where potential customers are most likely searching, within reasonable proximity to your business location. This means including relevant city and town names in your website content, as well as using Google’s My Business to list your business address and other pertinent information. You can also use local citations (links from other websites) to boost your ranking.
One of the benefits of local SEO is that it can be more cost-effective than traditional marketing methods like newspaper ads or billboards. In fact, recent studies have shown that businesses who invest in local SEO can see a return on investment of up to 400%. And because local SEO is so specific, you’re not wasting your time and money marketing to people who aren’t even interested in what you have to offer.
Now that we’ve answered the question “What is local SEO?” let’s take a look at some tips for attracting local clients.
Tip #01: Optimize your website content for local keywords.
As we mentioned earlier, simply including city and town names in your website content isn’t enough – you must target the actual locations where people are searching. Use Google AdWords’ Keyword Planner to research which keywords are being used most often by people in your area. Then, make sure to include those keywords throughout your website content, including in the title tags, meta descriptions, and H tags.
Tip #02: Claim and optimize your Google My Business listing.
Google My Business is a free tool that allows businesses to create a listing for their business on Google. It’s important to claim and optimize your listing, as this is one of the most important factors that Google uses to rank websites in local search results. In addition to including your business address and other pertinent information, be sure to upload a high-quality logo and photos of your business location.
Tip #03: Get listed on popular local directories.
In addition to claiming your Google My Business listing, you should also submit a request form for each of the major online business directories in your area. These include Yelp and SuperPages (Canada), as well as FourSquare and Yellow Pages (US).
Tip #04: Create local blog content.
Another great way to attract local clients is by creating content that’s specific to your area. This could be a blog post about the best restaurants in town, or an article about the latest news in your industry. Not only will this help you rank higher in Google search results, but it will also help you build trust and credibility with potential clients.
Tip #05: Use local keywords in your paid search campaigns.
If you’re running paid search campaigns, be sure to use local keywords so that your ads will appear when people are searching for businesses in your area. You can use the same keyword research techniques we mentioned earlier to determine which keywords to target.
Tip #06: Target mobile users.
Since more and more people are using their smartphones to search for local businesses, it’s important to make sure your website is optimized for mobile devices. This means using a responsive design that will automatically adjust to the screen size of the device being used, as well as including easy-to-use click-to-call buttons and GPS directions.
Tip #07: Use local social media platforms.
In addition to using traditional social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, be sure to use local social media sites that are specific to your area. This could include things like a community forum, or a website where people can post reviews of local businesses.
Tip #08: Engage in local social media marketing.
In addition to creating local content, you should also engage in local social media marketing. This involves actively participating in discussions and answering questions on sites like Twitter and LinkedIn. Not only will this help you build relationships with potential clients, but it will also help you gain insights into what people in your area are interested in.
Tip #09: Attend local events and networking meetings.
Another great way to connect with potential local clients is by attending local events and networking meetings. This gives you the opportunity to meet people face-to-face and learn more about their business. Plus, it’s a great way to build relationships that could lead to future business opportunities.
Tip #010: Use local search engine optimization techniques.
In order to rank higher in local search results, you’ll need to use some specific SEO techniques. This includes things like adding your city and state name to your website title tags and meta descriptions, as well as including local keywords in your website content. You can find more information about local SEO here.
Tip #011: Monitor your online reputation.
Finally, it’s important to monitor your online reputation and make sure that you’re responding to any reviews or comments that are posted online. This will help you build trust and credibility with potential clients, while also helping you identify any problems that need to be addressed.
If you’re looking for ways to attract more local SEO clients, be sure to follow these tips! They’ll help you improve your website traffic and leads from potential clients. For more information on how to get started with local SEO, contact us today.
