How to do local SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. We know and are familiarized with this concept. So, if we add the word local to SEO, it will turn into local SEO, that has become a powerful took, especially for small business who want to increase their ranks and get more customers and clients. Then, if you want to start optimizing your website for local search results, how to do local SEO?
What is local SEO?
Local SEO is the strategy that will help your business be more visible in a local search. By applying it, you will optimize your online presence and attract more clients. What is important about local SEO is the public target.
When people look on the internet to find a certain product or service, they will tend to find one that is near them, a local business. This means that it is closer to them, and more accessible and faster to reach it.
That is the reason why local SEO is important. You want to be the first business that someone will find on the online searches, so they will contact you. Local SEO can do that, and you need to implement it to get more clients and sales.
Localized content
One thing you need to do to apply local SEO to your webpage is to start writing content that you know will appeal to this specific market. Prior to that, you need to realize who is your public target and start researching them. If you can identify which keywords they use the most, you can start creating content that you know they will read. It is useless to write about things no one will look for. So, always know your audience and what they are interested in.
Google my Business
This is a free service that Google provides you and will help you to implement local SEO on your webpage. With this, you can get information about your business and how it appears on the searches. It is important to have a profile here because it can offer your business more visibility and your clients might be able to find you easily.
You will be able to make your business more familiarized with the internet space. And besides that, if someone is looking for a certain product or business in Chicago, you will appear on the searches, since you are located there.
Reviews
Another important factor for your business is the kind of reviews it receives. Most people trust more in what previous clients have said about a certain company than the company itself. That is because they can offer true reviews about the product or service they received. And based on that, they will choose your business or not. For that, you need to always offer them the best of your services and have a nice customer support.
Right contact information
One of the things you want to do when trying for a better local SEO is for people to find you easy. Likewise, any Chicago SEO expert will recommend you to also make your website easy to find by search engines as well.
How to do this? Well, you need to set up your NAP. This acronym stands for Name, Address and Phone number (with the area code). Include this information as a text on your site. Perhaps you think you have already covered it by including your NAP withing an image.
It is a mistake. Images cannot be crawled from search engines like a regular text included in your website. So, keep in mind that. One of the best places to place your NAP is in the footer or header of the site.
Online directories and citations
In our Chicago SEO Services we advise you to keep a close eye in any kind of data that can help you place your webpage into the internet and other pages. If done right, it will provide a large amount of map data for Google, Yelp, Apple and more. All this information needs to be clear and consistent. So, always check that the citations are clear. Why so? Because any discrepancies like misspellings, abbreviations or wrong phone numbers may be bad for your company. When Google cannot pick which information is right, it may not end up showing your business in any search results.
Location pages
In case you have more than one brick and mortar location, you should create location pages. These pages will help provide your readers a name, address, phone number, store hours, parking/transit information, promotions and reviews from customers.
For a local user to find you, your address and number needs to be clear and correct. Otherwise, you might be losing some clients, only because they cannot find you as easily as they want. And nowadays, people are always looking for immediate things.
Likewise, if you have a single location business, you can also choose to create a locally descriptive About Us page. There you can place all the necessary information about where anyone can find your services or product. Also, it will be a good idea if you add a Google Map to your website. With a map of your respective location, you will make your page easier to find for your customers, and your chances will increase with the local SEO.
Mobile-friendly website
According to a Think With Google research, the “near me” searches have increased about 250% in the recent years. So, believe us when we say that local search and mobile search work hand in hand. Most people tend to look for information in their cellphones because it is easy and faster. Instead of having to turn on a computer or laptop (which can take some time), the cellphone is the fastest way they can think of.
While on their cellphones, they usually look for reviews, directions and contact information about the product or services they want and need. Then, it is as well logical for you to make them easy. If your website is not mobile-friendly and runs too slow, people will simply hit the return bottom and look for another one. Make it easy for them, and adapt your webpage for it.
Ask for help
It is always good to ask for help if you are still not sure about how to apply this local SEO to your business. For that, you need to look for the best local SEO company in Chicago because it is your business that we are talking about.
If they are the best, you can trust that they will do the best to improve your business’ rank and visibility. A local SEO company Chicago has trained people that will answer any question you have about this topic.
Do you want your website to grow? Hire some SEO Services in Chicago today! Call us and get a Free Website Audit.
