Running any business, entrepreneurs need two things to promote their brand online. These are standard SEO and the so-called local SEO. Both of these methods relate to increasing the visibility of a website in a web search engine. However, the latter targets mainly local customers so that they would be more willing to buy your products and services. But how to do that? Many people are convinced that creating a website and adding some posts from time to time will be enough to promulgate their business. Unfortunately, that’s not the whole truth. To reach the local audience, you continuously need to update your website’s content and inform them about all changes on an ongoing basis.
These days, also some simple local SEO tools can be quite helpful in improving the quality of your website. You don’t need to be an IT guy to know and incorporate them into Internet marketing. You can take advantage of some tools available online. Many websites, for example, Rankitor offers you help with starting the project and keeping it automatically on top.
Join Google My Business
Except for these accessibility aids, you can also take some steps by yourself. Every business person must have heard of Google My Business, where they can add their business so that it would be visible on Google Maps. It’s extremely important since customers usually tend to search for the location of the facility they want to visit.
That’s why the account on this site should be straightforward and eye-pleasing to catch potential clients’ attention. You should provide them with accurate and up-to-date information about your products or services, logo, opening hours, payment methods, and add possibly as many pictures as you can.
Encourage Customers to Leave Reviews
Both on Google My Business and your official website, you should encourage customers to leave reviews, ideally only these positive. Of course, you won’t avoid dissatisfied clients since you can’t meet and please everyone’s needs. But, in most cases, comments are favourable, so you have nothing to lose.
How to convince people to leave their tack online? You can either ask them personally after making the purchase or send a post-purchase email or text them with such a request. If some reviews appear on your page, it’s time for your move, namely responding to them and rendering word of thanks.
Promote Your Brand Through Telling About Local News and Events
If you aim at targeting the local audience, talking about local news and events will be an excellent idea. No matter whether you run a blog where you write posts, or you upload videos about local news stories, activities, and events, all ways of advertising are acceptable. Supporting local charities will also look good in the eyes of potential clients. They will be more willing to appreciate your actions and engage your services.
Adjust Your Website for Mobile
In the age of mobile phones, your website should also meet their requirements. Thus, it’s highly advisable if it loads very fast, ideally less than three seconds, it’s easy to read and has many relevant images. Why? Because according to studies, mobile searches are significantly overtaking desktop searches, which drives the local sale.
Use Local Keywords
To become more appealing for local customers and ease them the search of companies, entrepreneurs try to use local keywords. These are the terms related to their region and particular landmarks and attractions, found in the vicinity. If you lack any ideas, you can take advantage of Google’s Keyword Planner, which will prompt you some of the locally relevant words.
Provide the Info About Your Location
Having a couple of establishments, you should inform about it on your website so that clients could easily find your business in the neighbourhood. If you have only one location, your page should contain the section “About Us” with all required information, like opening hours, name, address, and phone number of the owner, as well as parking availability and Google Maps. All of this will facilitate your clients’ approach.
Rely on Online Business Directories and Backlinks
Eventually, the effective SEO method is adding your venture to online business directories, like Yelp, Foursquare, or MapQuest, and many others where people can easily find the full description of your business and link to your website.
Moreover, through cooperating with other companies, which use some backlinks on their sites that will redirect them to your official page, you can rapidly spread your target audience. Even if people don’t need your services, they will find out about the existence of your company, which makes you grow in the local market.
Overall, you can improve your local SEO in many different ways. No matter what method you choose, you’ll be undoubtedly satisfied with the final result and the crowds knocking on the door.
