How to Scale Your Local SEO Efforts
September 23, 2022
Local SEO is one of the most important parts of an online strategy when you’re targeting a local audience. About 97% of online users have searched for a local business, and 46% of all Google searches are aimed at finding local businesses. If your site does not rank in those local results, you’re missing traffic. Scaling local SEO makes those efforts efficient enough for small teams and budgets to sustain.
The tips below, drawn from David McLaughlin, focus on building a long-lasting online presence and reputation that grows with your business.
What is local SEO and why does it matter?
Local SEO is the work of making your business visible in search results for people looking for services in your area. It matters because nearly half of all Google searches are local, and local listings pull in customers who are ready to buy. For hotel owners and other location-based businesses, showing up in those results is critical.
Keep your business name, address, and phone number consistent
Adding your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) to a Google My Business page is a strong way to boost local rankings. Google’s search algorithm reads these elements and matches them to relevant searches. The same NAP should appear the same way across every site and listing your business appears on.
Do local keyword research
Local SEO starts with keyword research focused on your area and your services. Pair the right keywords with citations and reviews to raise local visibility and bring in relevant web traffic.
Build citations and reviews
Citations (mentions of your business on other sites) and customer reviews both feed the signals search engines use to rank local businesses. The more consistent and plentiful they are, the easier it is for local customers to find you.
Plan for scale from the start
Local optimization takes time, effort, and money, and many small businesses don’t have the budget or internal resources to keep it going. Scalability is the key: make the process repeatable so a small team can run it without losing quality.
Watch the full breakdown from David McLaughlin above for more on scaling local SEO and reputation management.
FAQ
What percentage of Google searches are local?
About 46% of all Google searches are geared toward finding local businesses.
What is NAP in local SEO?
NAP stands for a business’s name, address, and phone number. It should be added to a Google My Business page and kept consistent across every website and listing.
Why is scalability important for local SEO?
Many small businesses lack the budget or staff to invest heavily in local SEO, so making the process repeatable and efficient is what keeps results coming over time.
Related coverage