Local SEO is SEO performed in order to make a website rank well for local searches. Local SEO is similar to traditional SEO, but it has some major differences. Local search marketing or Local SEO is an increasingly popular way of getting your website ranked higher in the results of major search engines for searches within your area. If you need help with your local Virginia SEO we high recommend Spark Factory because they have a proven track record of sucess.
Local search engine optimization ( Local SEO ) is very different from general web ranking strategies, because Google My Business listings are indexed separately from all other pages.
With Local Search Engine Optimization, the goal is usually to rank at top positions on Google SERPs so that users can easily find information about businesses they are looking for nearby. Ranking high with Local Optimization will help businesses in their local marketing efforts by enabling their websites to be visible in SERP.
A good starting point is to update your directories information and ensure that information is consistent across the major business directories. Your goal is to put yourself in a position where you can be found by customers looking for your services online! This requires efforts and consistency and an understanding of what local search optimization ( Local SEO ) means in this context.
The first step to improving your rank on Local SERPs, however, begins with making sure that all of your business information is consistent across the top directories. Consistency is key here; make sure that when someone types in “coffee shops near me,” your company name pops up as the top result. Thus, it’s important to register with all major search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo–and register correctly. Once you ‘ve established your online footprint, the next step is to create compelling content that will compel searchers to visit your page. Focus on creating engaging, creative pieces that will encourage users to share it.
Next, you’ll want to optimize your website for local search . Start by using specific keywords in your business name and address (take advantage of Google’s Keyword Tool ), identifying relevant local keywords and including them throughout all of your website content; this is best achieved through the use of high-quality blog posts and catch titles with strong calls-to-action (CTAs).
Finally, make sure you pay attention to social media! This is a huge opportunity–local social media engagement can skyrocket your growth significantly quicker than you would expect.
Once you have your directories and on page content taken care of, start focusing on high quality backlinks from reputable local sources. Google is constantly crawling (or “spidering”) the Internet for new content, and if they see something that looks like it’s useful or interesting to their users, they’ll put it higher in search results. This is called a link .
The more links you have coming into your site from other reputable sources, the more Google will trust that attention has been placed on your website by those who want its content to be found online.
An added benefit of link building locally is that the readers/customers of those local institutions will be directly exposed to your business and will learn about what you do from someone they already trust. This type of content marketing is incredibly potent because it delivers short term results while building long term authority and rankings.
By optimizing your website to rank higher in search results, you make it easier for people who are seeking your business to find you.
The more that you use local SEO best practices , the more likely Google will be to trust that attention has been placed on your site by those who want its content to be found online through their search engines.
These include things like citation building (the act of encouraging others, like your customers and clients, to link back to your website), writing original content, social media activity and outreach with other companies in your field or related fields. When done correctly, these can result in tangible benefits for both short term traffic as well as long term rankings .