Local Business SEO: A Winning Blueprint

Fighting Through Your Local Competition In Business

Competition is unavoidable. Inciting rivalry and encouraging businesses to enter markets and target new audiences. Although threatening to some, business competition has led to the corporate world we see today.

No longer just in physical stores, competition in business has become unavoidable online with the rise of e-commerce websites, social media, PPC and SEO (search engine optimisation) creating a new era of rivalry between companies striving for people’s attention and marketing their products.

From globally recognised corporations & nationwide franchises to local restaurants & corner shops, the race for online exposure is happening. In this beginner’s guide, we’ll unveil the winning blueprint for local business SEO, helping you enhance visibility and attract potential customers in your community.

What Is Local Business SEO?

Now more than ever, local businesses need a robust online presence to thrive. Local business SEO, often referred to as local SEO, is the key to ensuring your business gets noticed by local customers searching online.

Local business optimisation is the process of improving your online presence to attract more local customers. As search engines evolve, catering to local search intent has become crucial for small businesses. When your potential customers search for products or services in their vicinity, they should find your business at the top of the search results.

Google Business Profile Setup

Claiming Your Digital Real Estate

Holding 95% of the mobile and 83% of the desktop search engine market share, Google dominates the online landscape with 70,000 searches being made every second.

Claiming and optimising your Google Business Profile listing is a must. Capturing the attention of local residents and visitors through ‘near me’ searches, you can showcase your business name, products & services,  address, phone number, business hours and high-quality photos to showcase your business.

Google Business Profiles are a key place to source reviews and receive customer feedback to quickly and easily showcase your company.

Local Business SEO: A Winning Blueprint

Fighting Through Your Local Competition In Business

Competition is unavoidable. Inciting rivalry and encouraging businesses to enter markets and target new audiences. Although threatening to some, business competition has led to the corporate world we see today.

No longer just in physical stores, competition in business has become unavoidable online with the rise of e-commerce websites, social media, PPC and SEO (search engine optimisation) creating a new era of rivalry between companies striving for people’s attention and marketing their products.

From globally recognised corporations & nationwide franchises to local restaurants & corner shops, the race for online exposure is happening. In this beginner’s guide, we’ll unveil the winning blueprint for local business SEO, helping you enhance visibility and attract potential customers in your community.

What Is Local Business SEO?

Now more than ever, local businesses need a robust online presence to thrive. Local business SEO, often referred to as local SEO, is the key to ensuring your business gets noticed by local customers searching online.

Local business optimisation is the process of improving your online presence to attract more local customers. As search engines evolve, catering to local search intent has become crucial for small businesses. When your potential customers search for products or services in their vicinity, they should find your business at the top of the search results.

Google Business Profile Setup

Claiming Your Digital Real Estate

Holding 95% of the mobile and 83% of the desktop search engine market share, Google dominates the online landscape with 70,000 searches being made every second.

Claiming and optimising your Google Business Profile listing is a must. Capturing the attention of local residents and visitors through ‘near me’ searches, you can showcase your business name, products & services,  address, phone number, business hours and high-quality photos to showcase your business.

Google Business Profiles are a key place to source reviews and receive customer feedback to quickly and easily showcase your company.

Keyword Research for Local Businesses

Finding the Right Keywords for Your Location

Effective keyword research serves as the backbone for the success of any comprehensive SEO strategy. Specifically tailored for local businesses, the inclusion of location-based keywords becomes a critical aspect of this foundational process. Here’s our in-depth exploration of why and how you should leverage these keywords:

In the realm of local business SEO, precision matters. Identifying and implementing location-based keywords allows you to finely tune your content to match the specific geographic area you serve. This not only aligns your online presence with your local audience but also enhances the relevance of your website in local search results.

Based in Crewe, Cheshire our content optimisation team are experts in an array of industries in the local market. Optimising on-page and blog content for businesses throughout Staffordshire, Cheshire and Shropshire. If you’re looking for a marketing agency to help with your local search optimisation, call us at 01270 252 106, or visit our offices in Cheshire for a face-to-face consultation.

Google Keyword Planner is your powerful ally when it comes to beating your competition and finding the right keywords.

This tool provides valuable insights into the search volume, competition, and relevance of specific keywords. For local businesses, it aids in pinpointing terms and phrases that resonate with your community. Leverage the data obtained from Google Keyword Planner to refine your keyword strategy.

While Google Keyword Planner is a staple, exploring other SEO tools can provide a more comprehensive understanding of potential keywords.

Tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Moz can offer diverse perspectives and uncover hidden opportunities. Diversifying your toolkit enhances your ability to capture a broader range of relevant keywords and gauge wider insights into your competition and online market space.

As with any physical market, targeting industry trends and incorporating relevant keywords that reflect the current landscape will help you target the questions and inquiries potential customers are searching for.

Monitor changes in customer behaviour, preferences, and emerging local market demands. Adapting your keyword strategy in tandem with these shifts ensures that your content remains both timely and reflective of local dynamics.

Once you’ve identified the target keywords, the next crucial step is seamlessly integrating them into your website content. Craft engaging and informative pieces that naturally incorporate these keywords. Avoid overloading your content, as the emphasis should be on providing value to your audience while aligning with search engine algorithms.

Even when you have all your primary pages optimised, begin diversifying your keyword options with short-tail and long-tail keywords throughout blog content. With well-written and topic researched blog content that answers questions and serves as a landing page for new customers to find your website.

Beyond the content, optimise your meta tags, including meta titles and descriptions, with your selected keywords. These elements serve as primary summaries visible in search results, actively influencing click-through rates. Crafting compelling meta tags that include relevant location-based keywords can significantly boost the visibility of your pages in local searches.

By meticulously conducting keyword research and incorporating these terms thoughtfully into your content and meta tags, your local business establishes a solid foundation for enhanced visibility and relevance in the digital landscape. This strategic approach ensures that your online presence aligns seamlessly with the search behaviours of your local audience, driving organic traffic and potential customer engagement.

On-Page SEO Tactics

Optimising Your Website for Local Visibility

Enhance your website’s on-page SEO by including location-specific information on your landing pages. This includes your business address, service areas, and local contact details. Craft engaging and informative content that resonates with your local audience. Utilise header tags, meta descriptions, and alt tags for images to optimise your pages for search engines.

It is an industry-wide and algorithmic standard to structure your content using header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to create a hierarchy and improve readability. Incorporate your location-specific keywords into these headers to reinforce the relevance of your content to local searches. This practice aids both users and search engines in understanding the key topics and sections on your landing pages.

NAP Citations and Local Directories

Building Consistent Business Citations

NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number. Consistent NAP citations across various online directories and local listings signal trustworthiness to search engines. Ensure that your business information is accurate and up-to-date on platforms like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and other relevant local directories. This helps search engines verify the legitimacy of your business.

Local Link Building Strategies

Earn Domain Authority in Your Community

Building a strong backlink profile is essential for SEO success. Focus on local link building by partnering with other businesses in your area, sponsoring local events, or collaborating with community organisations. Local backlinks from reputable sources signal to search engines that your business is a trusted authority in your community.

As an expert in your product, service and market including blogs as part of your website, is a helpful tool to grow your domain authority. With the goal of gaining organic page views over time, others will begin to look to your website as an authoritative voice in the industry and link back to your articles as they reference your writing.

Is SEO Worth It For Local Businesses?

Our answer would always be yes, local business SEO is a dynamic and ongoing process that requires dedication and consistent effort. By implementing the winning blueprint outlined, you’ll be well on your way to improving your local online presence, attracting more customers, and ultimately growing your business.

Fight through your local business competition and expand your company both online and offline with local business SEO. Want to take the next steps for your website’s optimisation, talk to us at 01270 252 106.

On-Page SEO Tactics

Optimising Your Website for Local Visibility

Enhance your website’s on-page SEO by including location-specific information on your landing pages. This includes your business address, service areas, and local contact details. Craft engaging and informative content that resonates with your local audience. Utilise header tags, meta descriptions, and alt tags for images to optimise your pages for search engines.

It is an industry-wide and algorithmic standard to structure your content using header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to create a hierarchy and improve readability. Incorporate your location-specific keywords into these headers to reinforce the relevance of your content to local searches. This practice aids both users and search engines in understanding the key topics and sections on your landing pages.

NAP Citations and Local Directories

Building Consistent Business Citations

NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number. Consistent NAP citations across various online directories and local listings signal trustworthiness to search engines. Ensure that your business information is accurate and up-to-date on platforms like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and other relevant local directories. This helps search engines verify the legitimacy of your business.

Local Link Building Strategies

Earn Domain Authority in Your Community

Building a strong backlink profile is essential for SEO success. Focus on local link building by partnering with other businesses in your area, sponsoring local events, or collaborating with community organisations. Local backlinks from reputable sources signal to search engines that your business is a trusted authority in your community.

As an expert in your product, service and market including blogs as part of your website, is a helpful tool to grow your domain authority. With the goal of gaining organic page views over time, others will begin to look to your website as an authoritative voice in the industry and link back to your articles as they reference your writing.

Is SEO Worth It For Local Businesses?

Our answer would always be yes, local business SEO is a dynamic and ongoing process that requires dedication and consistent effort. By implementing the winning blueprint outlined, you’ll be well on your way to improving your local online presence, attracting more customers, and ultimately growing your business.

Fight through your local business competition and expand your company both online and offline with local business SEO. Want to take the next steps for your website’s optimisation, talk to us at 01270 252 106.