Scaling Up Your SEO Local Efforts
January 8, 2022
Scaling Up Your SEO Local Efforts
Local SEO is one of the most time-consuming areas of SEO, especially for small and midsized businesses with limited staff and tight budgets. Scaling up your local SEO is vital to long-term success. Below, David McLaughlin shares tips and tools for scaling local SEO efforts, maintaining your online presence, and managing your reputation over time.
Why local SEO matters for small businesses
When people search for a local restaurant, they are more likely to buy food from a nearby restaurant than an international chain. Listing your site in local search engines makes it more likely that the user will pick a local business over a national chain. More than 60% of local restaurant users make their decisions on the spot. If you want to be found online by local consumers, your website needs to be responsive on every device, including mobile phones.
How do you optimize your website for local search?
Start with on-page SEO. This means optimizing every page of your site, excluding paid promotions and link building. On-page SEO improves your ranking in local search and establishes your site’s relevance to the targeted location.
Google collects reviews from consumer directories and social media. To improve your page ranking in local search, focus on sites that contain relevant reviews. Domain authority and link quantity are also important, so build a solid network of links to your site and make sure they point to your target location.
What on-site elements should you add for local SEO?
Meta titles and meta descriptions tell people what your site is about. Include the name of your location along with the specific products and services you offer. Add a local address and contact information so Google can find you more easily and visitors are more likely to walk into your store. Use keywords relevant to your location, and consider a geo-local domain. Sprout Social indexes can give you useful insights about your audience.
Create a local website with high visibility in local search. Adding schema gives search engines the structured information they need to rank your site, which improves the relevance of your homepage and helps visitors in your area find you. You can also promote local events and causes to get your business in front of the community.
How important is mobile-friendliness for local SEO?
Mobile-friendliness is a necessity. More than half of all online traffic comes from mobile devices, so your site needs a responsive design and full optimization for every platform your users rely on. Mobile-friendly sites have a higher chance of ranking higher in local searches.
What role does schema play in local SEO?
Schema is a type of structured data that describes your business to the search engines and improves the relevance of your homepage. Pair it with a locally themed blog and a local-oriented site, and you will give your business more exposure in the area. Use it regularly, and keep in mind that it takes time to see results.
FAQ
What is the first step to scaling local SEO?
Start with on-page SEO. Optimize every page of your website for relevant local keywords, excluding paid promotions and link building. This establishes your site’s relevance to the targeted location and improves your ranking in local search.
Why does mobile-friendliness matter for local search rankings?
More than half of all online traffic comes from mobile devices. A responsive design and full optimization across every platform gives your site a higher chance of ranking higher in local searches.
How does schema help local SEO?
Schema is structured data that describes your business to search engines. It improves the relevance of your homepage and, when paired with a locally themed blog and community involvement, gives your business more exposure in the local area.
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