With An Easy Guide to Local SEO, you will learn the essential ideas of local search engine optimization. It is a highly effective strategy that all professional web developers use to enhance their websites.

This guide covers the definition of local SEO, how it works, and how it is different from global SEO. It explains who should be using local SEO and how it benefits them. Many valuable local SEO strategies will be described. Lastly, An Easy Guide to Local SEO stresses that websites must avoid SEO penalties. It discusses what causes penalties to occur and how to recover from them.

This guide emphasizes that local SEO is vital for small businesses that use their website to secure loyal clients. Local SEO is essential for brand awareness and excellent conversion rates. Ultimately, An Easy Guide to Local SEO will help web developers and business owners gain traction with nearby customers.

What is Search Engine Optimization?

Search engine optimization (SEO) enhances a web page’s visibility on search engine result pages by employing various techniques. Sites that follow SEO practices tend to earn a high page ranking and appear on the front page of search results. They will be simple for users to find.

Local SEO algorithms were produced around 2004. In particular, local search engine optimization caters to a specific geographic location. This involves using methods to position a website at the top of the search results for a particular local area.

Local SEO Word Cloud, image by The Pinnacle List

How Search Engines and Local SEO Work

When something is looked up on the internet, a search engine is used. A search engine is a program that enables people to find information on the World Wide Web. Currently, Google is the most popular search engine worldwide.

Search engines use a process where robots (web crawlers) scan sites to gather their information. The search engine uses that data to conclude which websites match the user’s search. Sites related to their search are given high page ranks and show up first on the results page.

Web developers will improve their websites according to the factors that web crawlers look for. Local SEO leverages this process to enhance a website’s local page ranking. This guide will delve deeper into local SEO strategies in later sections.

Global DIgital Marketing VS. Local SEO

It’s essential to understand the distinctionsemployed by businesses serving multiple between global SEO and local SEO. These techniques target different audiences, and they will define a website’s competition.

Global SEO (or international SEO) refers to optimizing a site for multiple countries. Global SEO techniques are used by businesses that serve several nations to attract customers worldwide.

On the other hand, local SEO will make a website easy to find for local searches. Local searches occur when the user includes the name of an area or when their GPS location is used. Local SEO is utilized by companies seeking to attract local clients. In comparison to global SEO, local SEO is often less costly.

Who Needs Local SEO?

Companies with a physical building, serving a specific location, or sending employees to their customers should utilize local SEO. It drives more traffic towards their website and store. Moreover, local SEO helps gain loyal customers. Small businesses are advised to take advantage of local SEO strategies, as this will help more people discover their business online.

To highlight the importance of local SEO for companies, consumers conduct local searches every day. The number of mobile Google searches that include “where to buy” and “near me” has increased by over 200% between 2018 and 2019. Additionally, the number of Google queries with the phrase “support local businesses” has risen 20,000% during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Benefits of Local SEO

Utilizing local SEO strategies will help convince search engines that a website is relevant to a user’s search. In other words, a website optimized by local SEO will reach the top of the local search results page. More users will visit the site. The brand that owns the website will benefit from local SEO in ways that secure their success.

Gain Customers and Make Sales

Being at the top of the local results page is critical. Only the first five links have a click-through rate larger than 10%. This means that websites appearing after the fifth position are being ignored by potential customers. Local SEO will help websites reach the top quickly.

Businesses that use local SEO also see a growth in sales. In 2016, 28% of mobile searches with a location lead to a purchase.

Furthermore, recall that consumers actively want to support local businesses. After visiting the website once, they are likely to remember the brand and return to make another purchase.

Increase Credibility

People often assume that Google provides trustworthy links on the front page of its search results. This is generally true since search engines examine the webpage’s content to check for credibility. Consumers will believe that the top sites on the results page are reliable and offer quality products.

Challenge Business Competitors

Local SEO gives brands a competitive edge by providing them with a stronger online presence, increased sales, and greater credibility. This is especially useful for small businesses. It increases the company’s market share and continuously promotes the brand.

Spend Less on Advertisements

The recognition earned through local SEO rivals that of other marketing strategies. For instance, paid search ads are less likely to guide potential consumers to a website. In 2019, only 15% of website traffic is from paid search ads, while 53% is from organic visits. Businesses get more leads through local SEO, and they may purchase fewer ad spots.

Improving a Site’s Local SEO

Local SEO techniques can be essential for small businesses to flourish. But business owners must be thoughtful about how their site is developed. Many SEO experts agree that content, links, contact information, reviews, and online business tools impact their website’s page rank.

Local SEO Techniques, infographic by Megumi Invencion

Keywords

Keywords are essential terms and phrases that indicate what a webpage is about. A webpage’s content should include the keywords numerous times. Web crawlers can then recommend that page when a user searches with the same terms. In 2017, keyword research improved the number of visitors to one blog by 80%.

To increase its effectiveness, keyword research will reveal what terms should be used to improve the site’s ranking. It can demonstrate the effectiveness of specific keywords in attracting visitors. Trending keywords that consumers are using may be found through keyword research.

Link Building

Link building is getting other web pages to hyperlink to your website. Web crawlers believe that a website is reliable if multiple trustworthy sources hyperlink it. The site would have a higher page rank.

Website owners claim that having good links is one of the most critical factors for local search ranking. One survey indicates that link signals account for 31% of a site’s rankingl. Link signals account for 31% of a site’s ranking.

The primary way a brand can start link building is by requesting that external websites link to their pages. This means asking journalists or bloggers to reference their website where appropriate, or sponsoring events for advertising purposes.

A web developer can also do internal link building. This is when one page contains a link to a different page from the same website. It guarantees that web crawlers find all the pages on your site.

Citations/NAP

A citation is writing the contact information of a business on the webpage. Usually, it discloses the business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP).

Search engines can use this information to determine if the business is near the customer. It also proves that the company is genuine.

Citations help brands get discovered by customers who can reach them. Companies can improve their citations by maintaining consistency across multiple web pages and including business photos. Their industry category should also be mentioned.

Online Reviews

Reviews are beneficial for both customers and businesses. It is the second most influential factor that controls a business’s position in Google’s local pack. One study suggests that the number of reviews affects a website’s ranking and position on Google Maps results.

Therefore, brands should ask their clients for an online review. Responding to comments will increase visibility and demonstrate to customers that their opinions are valued.

Google My Business

Google My Business (GMB) is arguably the primary factor that brands should utilize. GMB signals are the most significant component that decides a company’s position in the local pack. One survey shows that local SEO professionals think that companies must have a GMB listing.

Clients also demonstrate that GMB information is essential. One report states that 64% of customers use GMB to find contact information, and 50% of consumers use GMB to get directions.

To get the most out of GMB, business owners should complete their company profile with accurate information. They should provide a list of their products, their NAP, and industry type. Their GMB listing will be optimized if they create GMB posts. The brand would interact with clients, gain visitors, and raise its page rank.

Case Study

Analyzing how other businesses are using local SEO strategies is a great way to discover new tactics. For this case study, say a user types “Seattle City Marketing” into Google. The search engine returns a local pack and organic results. This case study will focus on the Seattle Marketing business.

In the local pack, there are three marketing businesses from Seattle. The first company in the local pack is Top City Marketing, likely because it has high-quality signals. This indicates to search engines that their brand is trustworthy, allowing them to appear in the local pack.

SEO Penalties

Search engines aim to provide their users with high-quality information. If a search engine or human reviewer thinks that a webpage does not meet its standards, SEO penalties will be imposed. Google penalties are often caused by hidden text and spam on a website. Penalties are also triggered by sites that give different content to search engines than to humans.

Penalties are detrimental to businesses because they lower their website’s ranking. Users will be unable to locate their site, and the brand will lose revenue.

The only way to remove penalties is by editing the website to meet the search engine’s standards. This might be rewriting text, removing third-party scripts, or disowning links from other sites that direct to your page. If a human is assigned the penalty, the website owner must also submit a Reconsideration Request.

Takeaway on Local SEO

Overall, local SEO helps small businesses get discovered and provides continuous growth for more prominent brands. Local SEO methods, such as using keywords or creating a GMB profile, will make your site appear first on the results page. Additionally, there are other methods for attracting local customers, such as social media and paid advertising.  Local SEO is a powerful tool that all website owners should utilize.