Local SEO is not new in terms of Google business. It’s been in use for a long time by desktop users. However, with an overly increasing use of mobile internet, local SEO has become essentially crucial for the success of businesses with local products or services. If you have a business with a physical location then local SEO can help you improve your online visibility. 

For instance, search Google for any important keyword that is related to your business. A map pack will appear comprising a map with three listings to show the available products or services related to your business in that area. It means that you can also use local SEO tools and guides to rank your business or simply hire a local SEO expert to appear in local organic search results.

How Does Local SEO Impact the Google Index and Your Business?

Google analyzed the behaviors of users, figuring out a smarter solution for local organic search results. Google understands that when searching for certain types of businesses, users seek the results from their nearest areas. For example, when a user types for a certain restaurant for lunch while sitting in his office, Google shows results of restaurants near his office, even without that person typing his city name or near me. 

However, when the same person types the same keyword while in his home, Google will show the restaurants nearest to his location. This is because Google’s local search algorithm comprises a proximity factor in which it takes your location when you search for a local keyword.

When a person types a search phrase, Google checks the pattern of various related websites. Different factors including relevance, website signals, and ranking factors determine how appropriately fitting your website is to show in the list of sites that match that person’s search. 

However, Google isn’t doing a live search through the entire internet. Instead when someone types something into the search bar, he discovers the stored copy of all sites that Google has found. This copy is rendered as Google Index. 

In Google Index, small programs called spiders crawl through the web, starting from a single page, following the links on that page, and then looking at the content on the next page. Each spider follows and repeats this same process. 

These spiders constantly crawl at a breakneck pace to check out new websites to provide more accurate and up-to-date results. When a spider crawls the web content, it is stored in Google servers resulting in building up an index.

You can either hire a local SEO expert or use local SEO software, guides, and tools to rank your business for local search results. If you are doing it yourself, the given guidelines will help you achieve your goals.

By Optimizing Your Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile Optimization or GBP means that you have to claim for your business profile on Google. Search for your business on Google Maps and go for the “Claim This Business” option. Google will need your business name, address, location, postcard, website URL, and phone number. 

You can use primary and secondary categories to represent your business, products, or services. Then add high-quality product or business images, special service hours, and encourage reviews by your customers. 

By Doing Local Keyword Research

Begin with creating a spreadsheet to save, organize, and analyze your local keywords. Divide your sheet into different sections including monthly searches, CPC, Keyword difficulty, relevance, and trends. 

Create a list of keywords most relevant to your location-based business and analyze all the terms or phrases customers may use while searching for businesses like yours. Come up with location-specific terms like landmarks, streets, neighborhoods, zip codes, etc. Also, record any generic short phrase that identifies your business. You’ll see that now you have a wider range of highly relevant keywords that are specifically used during local searches. 

By Creating Locally Relevant Content

While promoting your business keep it as natural as possible. Write blogs about local news and create posts on social media accounts. Use your local keywords in this content and promote these posts to boost engagement. 

Get yourself involved in the local community and join the local events. Support these events with interviews, updates, and photographs while using keyword-rich content. This strategy will help you get more local backlinks, improve visibility, and boost your business. Having an established business means a long line of satisfied costumes that share the positive impacts of your business in their lives. 

Target this audience and make a list of case studies with a description of these customers and a testimonial of their reliance. These case studies will resonate locally showing your expertise and success.

By Conducting Local Link Building

Improving the link profile is the priority for any local business looking to improve its online visibility. Although online business directories don’t provide the strongest local links, they are crucial to getting links quickly. 

Large directories including Yelp and Yahoo make it easy for you to add a listing but they don’t provide this support for local listing sites. You can do this by emailing the directory owner about your business, website, name, address, and phone number. Some sites also charge for business listing so go for a suitable yet affordable one.

Also, reach out to the local media and the sites from your area that have a larger audience. Newspapers and magazines with industry-related publications and local radio stations provide an appropriate opportunity.

By Managing Your Online Reviews

The higher overall ratings and reviews will help you generate more business. Monitor what people say about your business and manage a systematic method to track and listen to their feedback. 

Respond to your customer reviews, including the negative ones to build up the consumer’s trust in your brand. Respond quickly and professionally. Try to respond 20 percent positive and 100 percent negative reviews. Unhappy customers also return to the same business when their issues are quickly responded to and efficiently resolved.

Conclusion

It is important to focus on local SEO practices to improve your visibility in local searches. Implementing the above-explained strategies while using different local SEO software and tools will ultimately improve your business growth.