How Local Businesses Can Boost Online Visibility Through SEO

The internet has transformed how consumers find and purchase goods and services. While online shopping gets a lot of headlines, brick-and-mortar businesses still account for around 85% of retail sales.

Being visible in local searches is a serious competitive advantage in a world where consumers use their phones to find what they need. 

Our guide on local SEO is a must-read if you want to drive more foot traffic, generate leads, and boost sales.

Optimize Your Google Business Profile

A Google Business Profile (GBP) helps you manage your presence on Google Search and Google Maps. 

How to claim your Google Business Profile 

To claim your GBP, go to www.business.google.com/add and find your business.

OR

Use Google Search or Google Maps to find your businesses and hit <Claim this business>.

From there, you can request access, fill out the necessary details, and verify your listing.

Use photos and updates

Photos of your goods, services, and premises help drive engagement and click-throughs. So, use high-quality images to let potential customers know what your business is about.

GBP also offers Google Posts, which are great for sharing promos, events, and news. This kind of content can keep customers interested in your brand while also boosting SEO.

Encourage and manage customer reviews.

Reviews are essential for establishing trust and credibility. Bright Local reports that 98% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses. So, encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews for your business. 

What’s more, ensure that you respond to both positive and negative reviews. It ensures that potential customers know you value your customers and take pride in your service.

If you optimize these core areas, you’ll boost your organic search visibility.

Ensure NAP Consistency Across All Platforms

Name, address, and phone number consistency ensures that important contact details are the same across any platforms where your business is listed, such as your website, social media profiles, online directories, and review sites. 

NAP consistency is essential for three key reasons:

• Search engines like Google can verify your business details.
• The process boosts local rankings.
• It ensures your customers have accurate data for your business.

Perform an NAP audit

While an NAP audit sounds imposing, it’s fairly straightforward, and the benefits are huge. 

Here’s how you can do it.

Check your business details on:

• Big platforms like Meta, Yelp, Bing Places, etc.
• Check your social media profiles and your website.
• Review your details on industry-specific directories.

If you want to go deeper, consider using tools like Yext, Moz Local, or Vendasta NAP Checker to ensure your details are accurate.

Finally, if you find anything out of place, fix it immediately. Duplicate or inaccurate listings can hurt your SEO because ranking signals are split between the different entries when search engines are indexing your business.

Best practices for auditing and correcting NAP info

• Use consistent formatting, especially for business name abbreviations, phone numbers, and addresses.
• Include your NAP information in plain text on your website and socials.
• Implement local schema markup on your website so search engines interpret your NAP information correctly.

Local Keyword Research and On-Page SEO

If you want to connect with local prospects, you need to do keyword search and on-page SEO.

Here’s how.

Conduct Local Keyword Research

Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMRush to identify popular local keywords and search terms. 

Look for keywords with:

• Good volume.
• Keyword difficulty scores of less than 49%.
• Local intent, such as “shoe store San Diego”.

Optimize Your Website’s On-Page SEO for Local Search

When you’ve found good keywords, you can: 

• Incorporate them into your website and GBP. 
• Add your location to your content.
• Optimize for “near me” searches by including keywords like “wedding planner near me” or whatever is relevant.

Create Localized Content

One of the best ways to connect with people in your geographic region is through creating helpful localized content. Google values localized content and rewards businesses who post this kind of work. 

Some solid content ideas here include:

• Local case studies and customer stories.
• Blogs and posts about local events, news, or attractions.
• Guides and resources about your area, e.g., Best places to eat in San Diego.

Finally, consider localizing your landing pages to the different areas your business serves. 

Focus on Mobile Optimization

Mobile optimization is crucial because:

1. Google uses the mobile version of your site for indexing.
2. Most local searches are performed on smartphones.
3. Mobile users want content they can read on the go.

Here are some tips to help drive mobile optimization.

• Ensure your website looks good on different screen sizes.
• Improve page speed to drive a better customer experience.
• Make your site easy to navigate and include large, tappable buttons.
• Include clickable call buttons so mobile users can call you easily.

Leverage Local Backlinks

Backlinks are one of the most influential SEO signals. They tell Google that your business is legitimate, relevant, and authoritative. However, getting these precious links takes a bit of work. Here are some solid methods you can use:

• Sponsor local events and request a backlink from their site.
• Connect with local bloggers and news sites with stories or press releases about your business.
• Get involved in local chambers of commerce or community groups that list members.

But remember, it’s best to focus on quality and not quantity. Avoid scammy blackhat SEO tactics because Google often penalizes businesses that try to game the system.

Utilize Social Media for Local Engagement

Social media is a great way to boost your brand awareness and engagement. An active account will ensure your visibility and can even boost trust and authority. 

Some tips for social media digital marketing include:

• Share local news and events.
• Post photos of your business with location-based tags.
• Share customer testimonials and reviews.
• Run localized promotions.
• Engage with the local community with helpful and valuable content.

Conclusion

Organic SEO takes time. However, it can produce great results. The keys to Local SEO are:

• Google Business Profile Optimization.
• NAP consistency.
• Local keyword-focused SEO.
• Localized content and backlinks.
• A social media presence that focuses on your service areas.

If you want to improve your Local SEO but you don’t know where to start, reach out today. We can evaluate your Local SEO practices in the San Diego area with a personalized service consultation. From there, we can collaborate on a personalized strategy to help you outwork the competition and get your business in front of interested local customers.