Most of the time, local SEO efforts include creating and maintaining a Google Business Profile, running local ads, and directory optimization. While all of those efforts are effective at making local businesses come up in search results, they’re just a small part of the effort that entails successful local SEO efforts. One of the bigger elements of local SEO is content, including content marketing, optimizing a company’s business website for local search terms, and sharing content on other local business blogs.
Optimizing Web Content
The first step in optimizing local SEO is to improve a company’s web pages to include any of the local terms that potential customers are using in order to look up similar products or businesses. This effort requires companies to first conduct keyword research in order to identify the right terms and keywords for the local market. There are plenty of tools available online that help companies discover geo-specific keywords. Those are the queries that people in the area are using to look up industry-related topics or questions, and many of them also show the search volume and competition for those terms too.
Optimizing Web Pages
Once a company has identified all of the keywords it should be using to target consumers, it’s time for it to optimize its web pages and content according to those search terms. To do that, it’s best to follow the on-page SEO best practices, which include writing a concise meta description, using headings throughout the pages, including the target keyword in the URL and title tag of the web page, adding internal links and images, and creating valuable content.
Local Content
The company’s website isn’t the only place where local content from the business can be shared. Many businesses can also benefit from creating a blog that will attract local consumers who are interested in a company’s products or services. In a blog, companies can write about local trends, events, business updates, and more. This will help companies draw the attention of local consumers. It’s also beneficial for companies to create guides and listicles that can reach consumers.
Guest Blogging
Finally, with guest blogging, companies can drive both traffic and external links to their own business websites, which benefits local SEO efforts. If there are any guest posting opportunities from other local businesses, companies can collaborate and use each others’ existing blog reader base to their mutual advantage. This sharing of readers will drive a lot more traffic to both businesses. For instance, both of the businesses that have blogs could guest post on each others’ blogs, and discuss local activities or events that interest their audiences.