Do you want to reach more members of your local community? Check out three tips for boosting your local SEO!
You probably don't need us to tell you that Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is important for your directory website. Unfortunately, a general approach doesn't always work. You might need to use the power of local SEO as well. Still, getting this strategy right can be tough.
Fortunately, it's not impossible. With the help of a few clever tips, boosting your local SEO can be a quick and easy process.
In this article, we'll cover a few reasons why you might want to focus on your website's local SEO. Then, we'll go over three important tips to set you up for success. Let's get started!
What is local SEO?
If you're wondering, “what is local SEO?”, you're not alone. Most SEO practices focus on getting higher search rankings in general. In contrast, local SEO helps you narrow your efforts down to a location-specific area.
This more refined audience offers a few advantages. For one thing, you don't have to spend time appealing to out-of-range customers. You can direct your efforts toward locals instead.
Local SEO is also key for competition. Whether you run a single location or a large directory for the city's chamber of commerce, you're unlikely to be the only company in your field. Laser-focused SEO can help you stand out from other businesses.
Finally, your customer base is probably limited if you're a local business. This is because not all communities are constantly growing. Local SEO can be crucial to reaching and keeping customers from such a small pool.
Your local SEO guide for 2022
Here are a few local SEO strategy tips to keep in mind if you're looking to help your local business directory shine.
1. Conduct in-depth research
Before you get started, it's important to know your goals. You should consider researching your keywords. There are three main categories for local SEO: industry keywords, localized keywords, and modifiers.
The first stage is simple. You just need to do keyword research like you would for any SEO plan. Try to find a high-volume, low-competition keyword. Google Keyword Planner is a smart tool for this.
Next, you'll want to make that keyword relevant to your audience. Start by deciding how big that group will be. Are you trying to reach a small city or an entire country? Whichever option you choose, add the name of your community to the industry keyword.
Finally, you might want to include a modifier. This is a term such as “best”, “how to”, or “where is”. Users often add these words to their searches. So, using these phrases from the start can help you reach readers faster.
You should have a localized keyword that shows up in relevant searches when you're done. For example, this is what you get if you search for “best Columbus pizza”:
The search doesn't show large companies but several local places. As such, this type of keyword can help you target a specific audience. Running searches of your chosen term may also help you understand your competition.
2. Optimize all parts of your content
Including your keyword is an important part of SEO. You probably already place it in areas such as your meta description, tags, and titles with an SEO plugin.
However, this strategy isn't just about the technical side. Your content topics should probably be geared toward local SEO, too.
For example, let's say you run a coffee shop. You might want to write a blog post about coffee in general. However, this probably won't appeal to your local audience. As such, there aren't many opportunities to include your keywords.
That's why we recommend picking topics that better suit local SEO. You can view the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals as an example. National issues probably aren't going to reach this organization's community. More location-specific ones, however, might have a better chance:
If you're low on ideas, don't worry! Not all of your content has to focus on local SEO. Just be sure to include some local posts to make the most of your efforts.
3. Boost your engagment levels
Audience interaction is almost always positive. Not only can it help boost your SEO, but it can also raise your profile in the community. As such, we highly recommend taking steps to engage your users.
You can start by asking for reviews on a mobile-friendly site. This feedback will also help give your site a more personal touch as real customers vouch for your quality.
Sine Qua Non Salon provides an example of this by showing different reviews for each neighborhood location:
You might also want to keep an eye on these reviews and respond to them. Even if it's just a quick thank-you, a reply can make your customers feel appreciated. They might then be more likely to return.
Another easy tactic is using a call to action (CTA) frequently. CTAs are simple questions or instructions that focus on a single goal, such as leaving a comment. Adding one to your content can start a conversation.
Finally, try to remember these tips for your social media pages, too. A lot of visitors use these platforms to find new places to visit. Boosting engagement on your posts can raise your chances of showing up in users' feeds.
Conclusion
Getting in touch with your local audience isn't always easy. Higher search rankings can be crucial to making connections. Fortunately, you can use local SEO to help your small business reach more community members.
In this article, we gave you three tips to improve your local SEO strategy:
- Do research before you begin.
- Optimize your content for local readers.
- Increase your audience engagement rates.
If you're looking to reach more visitors with a directory, we have the answer. Check out how Business Directory Plugin can help you succeed today!
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