Best Practices for Local SEO Marketing

Local SEO marketing helps businesses rank in the map and organic results that appear when customers search for services in their area. Studies cited in this guide show that 80% of local searches lead to actual sales, and the top three local results capture most of that engagement through reviews, contact details, and star ratings. The practices below cover keyword research, review generation, mobile optimization, and structured data so your site shows up where nearby buyers are looking.

Why positive reviews matter for local rankings

Positive reviews are important for local businesses. Online reviews by satisfied customers are a huge source of valuable customer feedback. Providing a positive experience for your customers will give them a higher likelihood of making a purchase. Positive reviews will increase your company’s visibility on search engines, which can boost your sales and lead generation. If your business has a high number of positive reviews, they can appear above your competitors. Be careful: Google does not publish reviews of every business, but it is possible to earn them with consistent service.

Aim for the top three local results

While local SEO will increase your rankings when customers search for businesses in the areas you serve, the ultimate goal of local SEO is to land your website in the top three local results. These top three results contain reviews, contact information, and ratings for a number of businesses. Appearing in these results will significantly increase your rate of engagement and traffic volume. It is also important to make your site mobile-friendly so visitors can act on those listings from any device.

Start with keyword research

Another essential step for local SEO is keyword research. Researching the right keywords is essential before optimizing your site and implementing any ranking techniques. With keyword research, you’ll understand your customers better and develop better landing pages. Keyword research can also help you understand your target audience and identify related markets. By understanding their search behaviors, you can refocus your products and attract your ideal customers. If you’re not doing keyword research, you’re missing out on the most effective ways to boost your local search rankings.

Using Google Keyword Planner and Google Trends, you can analyze your competitors’ keywords and find out which keywords people are using for local searches. Local SEO can be as simple as writing great blog posts that answer local queries. Writing for your audience and not for the search engines is equally important. Keep in mind that search engines prefer content that is written for human beings, not for robots. Write articles that offer value and help potential customers solve their problems.

Compete in a smaller, local pool

While it may be difficult to make a huge impact on the search engine rankings for a national company, local SEO is a great way to increase your visibility. Your competitors will have fewer competitors than you do, so you’ll have a higher chance of being found on the top of local search results. If you’re a local business, you might even be able to cross-promote with a nearby business and increase the potential for referrals.

Local SEO in action: hotels and restaurants

As an example, local SEO is used by hotels. Hotel owners want their hotel to show up at the top of local search results. Those numbers alone make local SEO so important to hotel owners. To optimize your hotel’s page and increase local visibility, ensure that it shows up on maps listings in search engines.

By implementing SEO best practices, you can get your restaurant to appear on local searches for breakfast or lunch. Local SEO helps your website rank high in Google searches as it promotes your restaurant to tourists. A local website will also be found on local searches for nearby restaurants, which is an added bonus.

Add structured data markup

Another way to boost local SEO is to use structured data markup. Structured data markup helps Google index your website by relaying vital information about your business. It is useful for both local businesses and organizations, and can also be used for product and service listings. Using the Google Structured Data Testing Tool, you can analyze your web page’s code and incorporate structured data markup to boost your local SEO. The meta title, meta description, and meta keywords can all help improve your local SEO.

FAQ

What is the main goal of local SEO marketing?

The main goal of local SEO marketing is to land your website in the top three local search results for the areas you serve, since those results contain reviews, contact information, and ratings that drive most engagement and traffic.

Why are positive reviews important for local SEO?

Positive reviews from satisfied customers give valuable feedback, increase your visibility on search engines, and can push your business above competitors in local results.

Which tools help with local keyword research and markup?

Google Keyword Planner and Google Trends help you analyze competitors and find local search terms, while the Google Structured Data Testing Tool helps you add structured data markup along with meta titles, descriptions, and keywords to boost local SEO.

Related coverage

• Local SEO Marketing Boosts Your Search Ranking
• Local SEO Marketing – How to Optimize Your Website for Local Search