Critical Local SEO Updates To Ensure Your Website Isn’t Lost In The Crowd

Local SEO helps businesses improve their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant local searches, which can lead to more website traffic, more leads, and more sales. It’s a need-to-have in the digital landscape.

When your website is well-optimized, you’re able to achieve higher visibility in search results when someone is looking for products or services in a specific location (such as “restaurants near me”). It’s a crucial step in marketing any business – but is especially important for those that rely on local customers or foot traffic.

 

Key Local SEO Updates for Businesses

In recent years, Google has implemented significant updates to its algorithm, impacting local SEO practices. These updates have underscored how important it is for businesses to optimize their online presence to cater to local searches.

Here are some of the updates Google has been prioritizing:

1. Google My Business: Google My Business is a free tool that allows businesses to create a listing visible in Google Search and Maps. It plays a crucial role in local search rankings as Google utilizes and prioritizes information from this listing. Ensuring your Google My Business listing is complete, accurate, and frequently updated is vital.
2. Citations: Citations are mentions of your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites. They assist Google in verifying your NAP information and understanding your business’s location. It is important to have citations on reputable websites, including local business directories, review platforms, and social media profiles.
3. Reviews: Reviews serve as valuable social proof, impacting local search rankings. Encouraging customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google My Business and Yelp can enhance your local SEO efforts.
4. Local Content: Creating content relevant to your business’s location, such as blog posts about local events or attractions, establishes your authority in the local area. Local content helps boost your local search rankings and demonstrates your connection to the community.
5. Mobile-Friendliness: Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in local search results. Optimizing your website for mobile devices through responsive design or a dedicated mobile version is crucial for local SEO.

 

How Can You Update Your Local SEO?

These updates provide a glimpse into the substantial changes witnessed in local SEO. By following these recommendations, businesses can boost their local search rankings and attract a broader local customer base. Additionally, there are a few supplementary strategies that can be implemented to enhance local SEO efforts further:

• Utilize location-specific keywords: Incorporate location-specific keywords into your website optimization, such as “restaurants in San Francisco” or “plumbers in New York City.”
• Develop local landing pages: Create dedicated landing pages tailored to local customers on your website. Include information about your business’s location, operating hours, and contact details on these pages.
• Run local PPC campaigns: Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can effectively target local customers actively searching for products or services. Implementing local PPC campaigns ensures your ads appear prominently in relevant local searches.

 

Next Steps: Updating and Implementing Local SEO

By implementing these strategies, businesses can strengthen their local SEO efforts and attract more local customers. Using these tools to update local SEO is key to ensuring your business remains competitive in the digital marketplace.

If you’re needing assistance with updating your local SEO, or understanding the impact of SEO in general, reach out to us today – we would be happy to discuss how to get this started and the tools and strategies you need to succeed.

Tags: search engine marketing, search engine optimization, seo