What is Local SEO? And Why Does it Matter to Your Business?
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO, or local search engine optimization, is the process of optimizing a website and its content to increase visibility in local search results on Google (this is especially important for brick-and-mortar businesses). For example, when someone searches for a particular business, product, or service on Google and adds location-specific keywords such as “restaurants near me” or “best real estate agencies in Sydney,” you want to try and make your business rank as highly as possible in the search results.
Local SEO is essential to businesses because it helps them reach potential customers and clients searching for local products or services online. By appearing higher in local search results, your business can increase visibility and get more traffic to your website or physical location.
How Can My Business Improve its Local SEO?
You can work on your local SEO to improve your ranking in search engines in numerous ways.
Here are 5 quick local SEO tips that can boost your ranking on search engines and help your business, services, or products get found by people in your local area.
1. Optimise Your Google Business Profile Listing
Formerly known as Google My Business, a Google Business Profile is a free tool that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including search and maps. To optimise your Google Business Profile listing, ensure your business information is accurate and up-to-date, including your business name, address, phone number, hours of operation, and website URL.
In addition, you can add photos, offers, and updates regularly to Google Business Profile to keep your listing fresh. Finally, ensure you actively ask clients and customers to leave a review and respond when they do so.
2. Use Location-based Keywords in Your Website’s On-page SEO
To increase the visibility of your website in local search results, use location-based keywords in your website copy, title and meta descriptions, images, page headers, etc. A quick example is, if you’re a dentist in Gosford, you might use keywords like “Gosford dental clinic” or “dental services in Gosford” in your website copy.
A website copywriter like me can help you rewrite and optmise the copy on your website to increase your chances of ranking higher in a local search.
3. Get Listed in Local Directories
Getting listed in reputable local online directories can help improve your local SEO. Just make sure your business information (name, address and phone number – NAP) is accurate and consistent across all directories and social media platforms. This NAP consistency is considered one of Google’s search ranking factors when it comes to local SEO.
Google checks your details across the internet and likes to see that everything matches across directories, social and websites. So, keep everything up-to-date whenever something like your phone number or physical address changes.
4. Create Local Content on Your Website
Content like blog posts or videos on your website can help you rank higher in local search results. Create content around topics relevant to your business and local area, such as upcoming events involving your business, sharing local news stories, or sharing a case study based on your work with a local client.
Also, posting new content on your website – such as a blog post – gives you new opportunities to incorporate keywords related to your business and local area in your web copy.
5. Build Local Backlinks
Getting backlinks from other businesses’ websites in your area can help improve your local SEO. A backlink is a link from one website to another. Backlinks are important for SEO because they can help increase the visibility and credibility of a website. The more high-quality backlinks a website has, the more likely it is to rank higher in search engine results pages.
Reach out to other local companies and ask if they would be willing to include a link to your website on their website. Some ways you can get this valuable backlink include:
- providing a guest blog post
- appearing on a local podcast
- teaming up with another local business to host an event (and put this information on both of your websites with that vital backlink included).
By implementing these local SEO tips, you can improve your business’s visibility in local search results and attract more clients and customers from your area.
How Can A Website Copywriter Help With Your Website’s SEO?
How can a website copywriter help you improve your website’s local SEO? By working with you on your on-page SEO copy. I write SEO-friendly website copy that helps your ideal local clients and customers find you in a Google search – leading to more enquiries and more sales.
I include SEO strategies, local industry research, and keyword research in all my web copywriting. Check out my website copywriting packages for more information. I’m a SEO copywriter based on the Central Coast, NSW, and I work with Central Coast businesses as well as business owners in Newcastle, Sydney, and all across Australia.
