How To Get More Traffic With Local SEO
1. Research the Best Keywords
There are certain phrases and words that will provide you with a better local conversion. This means that content can translate into an online purchase, phone call to your store or a visit to your store. While you may think that keywords with the highest search volume matter more, it’s not the case with local SEO. You have to research the phrases that will draw attention to your brand from local consumers. Typically, you can use keyword analytic software to discover keywords that relate to your products or services and then attach a local such as “pizza restaurant in Kansas City” to include in your content.
2. Using Keywords Correctly
Once you have found a list of keywords, you should optimize your search with the selected search terms. Your meta description, title tag, images and header tags will all need to use these local SEO keywords to promote your goal. However, content should be written for the entertainment and education of your audience and not just bloated with keywords. A contact page with name, address, phone number and map is also important for bringing in local traffic.
3. Placing Your Page in Places
Whether you use Google+ Business or Bing Places for Business, it’s imperative that these pages are also optimized for your local audience. These listings will be at the top of any search results pages, and they show your specific store location on a map. To optimize your Places profiles, you should always have the profile completely filled and list the business address as well as contact details that are also shown on your business website.
4. Find Genuine and Helpful Reviews
Google and other search engines operate heavily on reviews and shared content. When someone likes your business or writes a review on your business, it should be included with your location on Google Maps. Reviews on directories like Yelp also factor into a customer’s buying decision. You should make it easy for your customers to share your products and services. Businesses may also encourage visitors to leave reviews on Google, Bing, Facebook and other directories. Reviews are a two-way street. If you start asking for reviews, you need to provide the best customer service experience so that the reviewers want to leave positive feedback.
5. Get Listed in Popular Directories
YellowPages.com and Local.com are just two of many popular directory sites that should include all of your business’ information as well as a link to your page. You don’t want to get listed on low quality directory sites, so always shoot for directory listings on popular local sites and nationally recognized directories. Business name, address and phone number should always be listed along with a business description, images and any specials to entice visitors to come to your site or visit in-store.
6. Align Yourself with Local Celebrities
High quality link-building is another essential asset to local SEO geniuses. To build high quality links, you need to focus on user-engaging content and stunning visual images of your business or products to entice customers to visit your page and store. Guest posting with locally owned blogs or partnering up with local causes, events and organizations can increase your visibility and start building a linking profile back to your site with well-known local sites. Social sharing through Facebook and Twitter that links to your site is also encouraged for local SEO strategies.
Local SEO can mean the difference between getting recognized and being forgotten. If you want to build better traffic in-store and online, you have to start thinking about your local customers and providing content that will really excite their interests.