How To Do Local SEO for Small Businesses

There’s more to your SEO journey than keywords and content. 

Do you ever wonder why specific searches lead to lesser-known brands and websites? Location, proximity, and other local SEO terms are vital to online business, and these searches are where they come into play.

If you’re a small business aiming to attract local customers, mastering the art of local SEO is crucial. Unlike traditional SEO, local SEO focuses on improving your online presence. This strategy attracts people who want local products and businesses. 

Imagine you’re a Brooklyn bakery owner or a Seattle yoga studio operator. You want to be found by people in your neighborhood. This guide explains the essentials of local SEO and breaks down the strategies you need to stand out in your community.

Let’s define local SEO

Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) optimizes a business’s online presence. The end goal is to increase engagement and interest from people’s relevant searches. It builds on Google’s already established requirements, E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), and improves with local-specific tweaks and strategies. 

The primary purpose of a local SEO journey is to improve a business’s visibility in local search results. For example, if you own a coffee shop in Boston, local SEO allows your business to be seen. When someone nearby searches for “coffee shop near me” or “best coffee in Boston,” you can be part of the available search results.

Local SEO will improve your SEO journey. It also enables you to compete against larger national chains that might otherwise dominate the search results.

How is local SEO different from other SEO?

Local SEO is like the neighborhood champion of your SEO world. While traditional SEO aims to boost your website’s visibility across national and international scale, local SEO narrows the focus to local searches. 

A Google study found that 46% of all searches have local intent. This means that people looking for something nearby perform nearly half of Google’s queries. Local SEO helps ensure your business appears in those search results, whether through Google Maps or localized search results.

Why is local SEO important for small businesses?

Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is one of the SEO terms that every SEO person should know. It’s like the secret sauce that can take your small business from a hidden gem to a local favorite. 

If you’re wondering why local SEO is a game-changer, let’s explore why it’s essential for the following:

Increase foot traffic

Someone from your community typed “coffee shop near me” on their phone. Once you optimize your business for local SEO, you’re more likely to generate more leads to your sites. 

If your site has all the appropriate local keywords, you have a higher chance of being visited. By making your business easy to find online, you’re essentially rolling out a red carpet for new customers to walk through your door. And those new customers mean more sales since 78% of mobile local searches turn into sales.

High ROI

Unlike broad marketing, local SEO focuses on potential customers. These are people who search for services in your area. 

Local SEO isn’t just effective; it’s incredibly efficient. Because it’s ultra-specific, it has a higher chance of increasing your return on investment. That means for every dollar you spend, you’re likely to see significant returns. It’s no surprise that 80% of local SEO campaigns lead to conversion. 

Grow your business

Optimizing for local searches does more than just increase foot traffic. It supercharges your online visibility. This visibility can bring sales, repeat buyers, and loyal followers. Think of local SEO as a way to put your business on the local map, literally and figuratively. Showing up in local searches and Google Maps can introduce your business brand and make it recognizable to people who might not have found you otherwise. 

Stay relevant

In the digital age, staying connected with your local community means being visible online. Your potential customers are out there searching for your business name. Local SEO helps you stay in front of these searchers, keeping your business relevant and top-of-mind.

Capitalize on “near me” searches.

This trend highlights a massive opportunity: people are on the go, using their phones to find nearby services. By optimizing your business for these searches, you’re tapping into a growing market of ready-to-act customers looking for something local—and fast.

This boost in local search from mobile is nothing short of phenomenal. Searches with the phrase “near me” have skyrocketed by over 500% in recent years.

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How to optimize for local SEO

Optimizing for local SEO might seem daunting. But it’s all about making your online presence as welcoming and accessible as your storefront. Let’s understand it using some actionable steps, so locals see you first when they search online.

Optimize technical SEO

Technical SEO is the ultimate foundation of your website in local search results. It’s about arranging your site so that Google can easily crawl and index all its old and new information. Here’s how you can optimize it:

• Mobile-friendliness: Make sure your UX is mobile-friendly. Mobile searches are increasingly more common. 
• Site speed: Ensure your website loads quickly. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to test and improve load times.
• Secure your site: Use HTTPS to ensure your website is secure. Security not only builds trust with visitors but is also a ranking factor for Google. 
• Clean URL structure: Use clean, descriptive URLs that include relevant keywords.
• XML sitemap: Create and submit an XML sitemap. Your sitemap helps search engines understand your site’s structure and index it correctly, improving your technical SEO campaign. 

Schema markup

Schema markup is like giving search engines a roadmap to your website’s content. It is considered microdata, where search engines can look at your page information and enhance your visibility in search results.

• Importance of schema markup: Schema markup can improve the results of your search engine results pages (SERPs). It leads to snippets that include star ratings, images, and other engaging elements.
• How to create schema markup: Use tools such as Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper to establish a schema markup for your sites. Once you’ve made the markup, add it to the HTML of your webpage.

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Mobile-first website

Creating a mobile-first website isn’t just a trend; it’s a necessity. With over 60% of searches now conducted on mobile devices, Google has shifted to mobile-first indexing. It now uses predominantly the mobile version of the content for indexing and ranking.

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1. Mobile-first matters: According to recent statistics, 78% of local mobile searches result in offline purchases. Ensuring your site is mobile-friendly can dramatically increase your chances of converting these searches into sales.

2. Steps to a mobile-first website:

• Responsive design: Create responsive visuals that adjust to various screen sizes. Tools like Bootstrap can help create a responsive layout.
• Mobile testing: Regularly check how your website responds on various mobile devices. Feel free to use tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to ensure usability.
• Optimize images and content: Compress images to reduce load times. Also, make sure your content is easily readable on smaller screens. Use larger fonts and touch-friendly buttons.

Optimize on-page SEO

On-page SEO is like setting the stage for your business’s online presence. It’s about fine-tuning the elements on your website. Doing this helps ensure that people and search engines can easily understand and navigate your content.

 Here’s how you can optimize on-page SEO for your small business:

Optimizing titles, meta descriptions, and headers:

• Titles: Craft compelling and keyword-rich titles for each page. Ensure each title is unique and accurately reflects the page’s content. Aim for around 50-60 characters to avoid truncation in search results.

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• Meta descriptions: Write concise and enticing meta descriptions. These should be around 150-160 characters and include relevant keywords. A good meta description can increase click-through rates by summarizing the page content clearly.

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• Headers (H1, H2, H3): Use headers to structure your content. H1 tags are used for the titles. The H2 and H3 tags are for sections and subsections.

Importance of these elements:

• SEO impact: Titles, meta descriptions, and headers are critical in SEO. They aid search engines in understanding your content, which can land you on top search engine spots. 

• User experience: These elements also improve users’ experiences by making your content more accessible and easier to maneuver, inviting visitors to stay longer on your site.

Structured data

Structured data helps provide context about your website’s content. Think of it as giving your content a more detailed and specific description that search engines can easily interpret.

Concept and importance:

• Structured data helps search engines understand the differences in your content. It leads to better search visibility and more informative rich snippets in search results.
• For local businesses, structured data can highlight important information, such as business hours, location, and customer reviews. 

How to incorporate structured data:

• Website code: Use schema.org markup to add structured data to your HTML. Some tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper can simplify this process.

• On-page formatting: Implement structured data within your content to highlight key details. Structured data can include marking up product listings, services, and events.

Create content for the local target audience.

Creating content designed and crafted specifically for your local audience is the best way to attract and retain local customers. Here’s how to do it effectively:

Importance of localized content: Local content such as blogs, video content, and images helps you connect with your community. The result? A loyal audience base with a personal connection to your business. It also improves your local SEO, making it easier for nearby customers to find your business when they search online.

Strategies for creating local content: Focus on local industry news and events. Write about local events, news, and trends related to your industry. Doing this positions you as a community-oriented business and helps attract local visitors to your site.

Provide local testimonials and case studies. Share stories and testimonials from local customers. This social proof boosts credibility and trust within your community.

Steps to create relevant local content:

• Research local keywords. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to find keywords that local customers are searching for.
• Engage with the community. Attend local events, sponsor community activities, and write about these experiences on your blog or social media.
• Collaborate with local influencers. Partner with local influencers and businesses to create community-involvement content.
• Highlight local culture and stories. Create content reflecting the local culture, such as features on landmarks, traditions, and heroes.

Optimize off-page SEO

On-page SEO focuses on optimizing the elements within your website. On the other hand, off-page SEO is about building your site’s reputation and authority.

It’s like networking for your business online, such as guest post campaigns. Here’s how you can master off-page SEO:

Importance of off-Page SEO

Off-page SEO is another factor affecting your website’s credibility and authority. Building a robust off-page presence tells search engines to trust your sites as valuable resources. Once search engines establish trust, expect your search rankings to improve and more organic traffic to visit your site.

Off-Page SEO Strategies

• Building high-quality backlinks: Acquiring backlinks from reputable websites is the leading off-page campaign that boosts ranking. These backlinks are like votes of confidence from other site owners, informing search engines that you are a credible and authoritative site.
• Social media engagement: Active participation on social media platforms can level up your online presence and drive traffic to your website. Sharing valuable content, interacting with followers, and participating in community discussions can also improve SEO.

• Online directory listings: Make sure your physical store is part of famous online directories. For instance, learn to participate on Yelp, Google My Business, and Bing Places. These listings help you get better visibility and credibility in local searches.

Optimize online citations

Online citations are simply the mention of your basic information, such as the business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP), on various websites, and they play a crucial role in local SEO. Here’s how to optimize them:

Importance of consistent and accurate information: Consider consistency when creating citations. Maintain consistent and accurate information across all platforms. Try map data aggregators like Apple Maps, Yelp, Bing, Google, and Waze. It lets search engines and customers easily discover and rust your business.

However, inconsistent information confuses search engines and potential customers. 

Managing citations: Check for Discrepancies. Regularly audit your citations to ensure all information is accurate and up-to-date. Use tools like Moz Local or Yext to manage and monitor your listings.

Also, don’t forget to remove duplicate listings. Duplicate listings can dilute your SEO efforts and confuse search engines. Ensure you remove any duplicates to maintain a clear and consistent online presence.

Build authority backlinks

Building authority backlinks is a cornerstone of off-page SEO. These links are from high-quality, reputable websites that point back to your site. Here’s how to get them and why they matter:

Strategies to build authority backlinks:

• Guest blogging. Write informative and valuable guest posts for other reputable websites in your industry. These guest posts build backlinks and position you as an authority in your field.
• Create shareable content. Develop high-quality content that others want to link to. Create infographics, research studies, and comprehensive guides.
• Engage in outreach. Reach out to industry influencers, bloggers, and websites to promote your content and request backlinks. Personalized outreach can be effective in securing high-quality links.

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Benefits of Authority Backlinks:

• Improves website authority. Authority backlinks strengthen your website’s trustworthiness and credibility. It tells Google that your site is a reliable source.
• Boosts Google ranking. Quality backlinks are a significant ranking factor for Google. You can improve your site’s position in search results by obtaining links from authoritative sites. This drives more organic traffic to your site.

Ensure your NAP is correct everywhere

Ensuring the consistency of  Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) details across all online presence is vital for local SEO. Here’s how to ensure your NAP is accurate and consistent:

1. Audit your listings. Start by checking all the places where your business information appears online. Scan your website, business name, social media profiles, online directories, and local listings. Identify any discrepancies or outdated information.
2. Update inaccurate information. Correct any inconsistencies you find. Make sure that your business name, address, and global phone number are identical across all platforms.

3. Utilize local SEO tools. Use SEO tools like Moz Local or Semrush to scan for and monitor your business listings. These tools help identify inconsistencies and provide updated suggestions. They can buy you time and help make sure your information is correct.

4. Regular updates and verification. Periodically check and update your business information. This way, you avoid misinformation or outdated listings. Also, regularly verify your business information on major platforms such as Bing Places, Yelp, and Google My Business.

Local map pack

The Local Map Pack is a crucial feature of Google search results, displaying the top local businesses related to a user’s search query. Here’s why it’s important and how to optimize for it:

The Local Map Pack appears at the top of Google search results, providing high visibility for local businesses. It includes essential business information like address, phone number, reviews, and operating hours. This part of the search results helps make it easy for people to engage with your business directly from the search results.

Focus on local content creation to optimize your presence in the Local Map Pack. Create content for local audiences, including: 

• Craft local news 
• Local blog posts
• Other community activities 

Make sure your NAP information is accurate across different platforms. Provide detailed and accurate information to optimize your Google My Business profile. Remember to add photos and encourage customer reviews.

Source: Screenshot provided by the author

Google My Business

Google My Business (GMB) is an incredible online tool for local search optimization. It helps businesses with their online presence on Google. Also, it ensures that all content and pages meet Google’s requirements for local search. Here’s how to optimize it:

• Create and verify your page. Start by creating a Google My Business page. Design and place your logo design well. Brand it with the right fonts, and verify your business information.
• Complete your profile: Provide complete and accurate information about your business. Don’t forget your business name, address, phone number, website, and hours of operation.
• Use Google Posts: Utilize Google Posts to share updates, offers, and events. Making the most of Google Posts keeps your profile active and engaging.
• Encourage customer reviews: Ask satisfied customers to leave positive reviews. Respond to reviews to show that you value customer feedback.

Optimizing your Google My Business profile can significantly increase your visibility. It’s the tool to help your business appear in the Local Map Pack and the sidebar space in Google’s local search results. This not only enhances your online presence but also improves the customer experience.

Online reviews

Online customer reviews play a significant role in local SEO and customer perception. Here’s how to manage them effectively:

1. Encourage Positive Reviews: Actively ask happy customers to leave positive reviews. Positive reviews help build your business’s online reputation.
2. Address Negative Reviews: Do not remove negative reviews. Instead, use them to resolve customer issues and show that you care about their experiences.
3. Respond to Reviews: Regularly respond to both positive and negative reviews. Responding professionally demonstrates that you value customer feedback and are committed to improving your services.

Consistent and accurate NAP information in review platforms is crucial to avoid confusion and build trust. Regularly asking for reviews and responding to them may make an active and engaging online presence.

Best tools to boost your local SEO

Using the right SEO tools can significantly impact your local SEO efforts. Here are three top tools to help you assess, monitor, and optimize your local SEO:

Linkody

Linkody is a powerful backlink monitoring tool that helps you track and analyze your backlink profile. By monitoring your backlinks, you can identify and disavow harmful links. You can also gain insights into your competitors’ backlink strategies. 

Lastly, it helps improve your overall link-building efforts. Linkody’s detailed reports and easy-to-use interface are excellent for a healthy backlink profile. Understanding your backlink profile is essential for the success of your local SEO campaign. Linkody offers different pricing plans starting from $14.90 per month.

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Moz Local

Moz Local helps manage your business listings across various platforms. Talk about consistency and accuracy. It scans for discrepancies in your NAP information and provides suggestions for corrections. 

This tool saves time by automating the process of managing and updating business listings. It also improves your local SEO by ensuring your information is accurate and consistent. Moz Local offers different pricing plans starting from $129 per year.

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SEMrush

SEMrush provides comprehensive SEO tools. Consider this tool for local SEO audits, keyword tracking, and backlink analysis. It helps identify local search trends and optimize your content for the appropriate local keywords. SEMrush offers in-depth insights into your local SEO performance. It’s also helpful to stay ahead of regional competitors by identifying opportunities for improvement. SEMrush tiers start at $119.95 per month, with a wide diversity of options according to your needs.

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BrightLocal

BrightLocal specializes in local SEO. You can also trust them to manage citations, monitor reviews, and track local search rankings. It provides detailed reports on your local SEO performance. It simplifies the process of managing local citations and reviews. And lastly, it offers actionable insights to improve your local SEO strategy. BrightLocal plans start at $29 per month, with additional features available in higher-tier plans.

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Other SEO best practices 

Consider these additional best practices for optimal local SEO:

• Engage on social media: Actively engage with your local audience on social media platforms to level up your online presence and increase traffic to your site. Use advertising platforms like Facebook advertising, and others. 

• Optimize for voice search: With the growing use of smart speakers, the goal is to create voice-optimized content. You can achieve this by using natural language and long-tail keywords.

• Leverage local partnerships: Partner with local businesses for cross-promotional opportunities that can drive traffic and enhance your local authority.

Conclusion

Optimizing for local SEO involves a multi-faceted approach that includes on-page and off-page SEO strategies, ensuring accurate and consistent NAP information, managing online reviews, and leveraging powerful SEO tools. 

By following these steps, your small business can enhance its online presence, attract more local customers, and stay ahead of the competition. Set up your local SEO and get more local eyes on your business!