Local search engine optimization (Local SEO) has changed dramatically over the last few years. It used to be that you could put the name of your town, city, or county in your metadata and you’d be all set. Now, however, Google prefers websites with local-specific content on them, especially if they’re in the same town or region as your business’s physical location. If you want to reap the benefits of local SEO—better search results, more web traffic, and more customers coming through your door—you need to include these five tips in your local SEO strategy.

Keyword Research

The first step in any good local SEO campaign is keyword research. You need to find out what potential customers in your area are searching for when they’re looking for businesses like yours. The best way to do this is to use a tool like Google AdWords Keyword Planner. It will give you an idea of the keywords people are using and how many searches each one gets per month.

You can also get some ideas by reading reviews on sites like Yelp, reading articles about the service you offer, or just asking people who come into your store.

The next step is to create content that answers those questions. That might be blog posts, videos, infographics or social media posts that all help educate people about whatever you offer them – from their options to the benefits of choosing your business over others nearby.

Website Setup

First, you need to make sure your website is set up correctly for local SEO. This means adding your location to your website, including your address, phone number, and business hours. You should also add local content, such as blog posts about local events or news stories. It’s also important to optimize images that contain text on them with search engine optimization best practices.

To help people find your website in a Google search, it’s important to use keywords related to the topic of your site in the URL (web address).

Including keywords throughout the text of a page can be helpful too – just don’t overdo it or go overboard with key phrases. When creating links between pages on your site, try not to repeat keywords over and over again in links.

It’s not necessary for every page on your site to have its own individual keyword focus; many pages can link back and forth without repeating too many words. Linking all pages together will help Google understand what they are all about when it indexes them.

City Listings

One of the most important aspects of local SEO is making sure your business is listed in all the relevant online directories. This not only helps customers find you, but also tells search engines that your business is local.

To get started, create a list of all the online directories you can find and make sure your business is listed in each one. If you’re not sure where to start, Google local directories for your city or state.

User Reviews

1. I’m not very tech-savvy, but this guide was easy to follow and really helped me understand what I need to do to optimize my site for local search.
2. I’ve been trying to figure out local SEO for weeks and this post finally cleared things up for me.
3. This is a great guide for anyone who wants to improve their local SEO. The examples and advice are spot on and the whole thing is laid out in an easy-to-follow format.
4. I found it really helpful that they included links to outside sources where you can learn more about the subject if you want more information or aren’t quite sure what some of the terminology means yet. 
5. The guide covers everything from adding your address to Google My Business so that people can find your business online when they’re looking for local businesses, to using keywords strategically in your content so that Google knows you’re targeting people in your area rather than just everyone else around the world. 
6. The only thing I would change about this blog post is how often it updates – last updated two years ago!

Content Marketing

As a small business, you may be wondering how to get your website to rank higher in local search results. Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take to improve your local SEO. The first step is to fill out the Google My Business page and make sure that it has all of the information relevant to your business. You will also want to upload an attractive profile photo of yourself or your team and write up a short description about what you do and why people should hire you.

Next, add descriptive meta tags that include keywords about what you do so that when people are searching for services like yours they will find them on your site before someone else’s site pops up on their screen. Remember that it is always better to over-describe than under-describe, so be sure not to shy away from telling potential customers everything they need to know about the work you do with words and pictures.

Mobile Web Design

SEO is important for any business with an online presence, but it’s especially important for businesses that rely on local customers. After all, if potential customers can’t find your business when they search for it online, they’re not going to be able to visit you in person. So how do you optimize your site for local search? Read on!

One of the first things to do is make sure that the information about your location and contact information are easy to find. Add a map and directions to the homepage of your website and make sure these links are easy to access from other pages as well.

PPC

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a great way to drive traffic to your website and generate leads. But if you want to be successful with PPC, you need to understand how it works and how to optimize your campaigns for maximum results. Here’s a quick guide to getting started with PPC.

Google My Business

One of the most important parts of local SEO is claiming and optimizing your Google My Business listing. This is the listing that appears when someone searches for your business on Google Maps or via the local pack results. Here you can claim a page, add photos, respond to reviews, and keep an eye on what people are saying about you. Make sure you have all your contact information listed so customers can easily reach out with questions or comments.

Backlinks and Citations

One important way to improve your local SEO is by building backlinks and citations. This means getting your website mentioned on other websites and in online directories. When you do this, make sure to include your city and state in the text so that Google knows your location. You can also add a map to your website so that potential customers can easily find you. 

Another way to optimize your site for local search is by including relevant keywords on your website. These are keywords people might use when searching for businesses like yours in your area. For example, if you have an auto repair shop in Sacramento, California then it would be helpful to include words like car, automotive, car repair, and auto body on your website.