If your business doesn’t show up on Page One or in the first handful of local results, you’re missing your opportunity for optimized SEO and Local Search placement. SEO (search engine optimization), including top listings during a Local Search, are critical to increasing the probability that your business will be clicked on and considered in the buying process.
The five major areas that you should address to increase your chances of winning in the SEO and local search game are:
- Make your web pages local friendly by adding local content
- Build out your local search profiles
- Get proactive in the ratings and review game
- Get listed, cited and mentioned
- Spread the local social love
Do it now, before your competitors do!
Although SEO and local search has become more important than ever, it’s not totally all about local search. You’ll want to pay attention to what your competitors are doing and what they’re using for keywords that are successful for them. Keyword research is a complex subject in itself but well worth while.
Social media now plays a big part in SEO and local search and is not to be overlooked. Do it yourself or have a web developer enhance the back end of your website, such as adding title tags, meta descriptions, key words and header titles.
Of course, nothing beats good relevant educational content. It’s been said, that many prospects are more than 50% sold when they call your company as a result of the education they received from your website.
The best content is that which is relevant and educational for your audience; Whitepapers, FAQ’s, Tips, Videos and an Active Blog. Also, good quality inbound links from other sites that are relevant and related known as back links shows strong authority to the search engines.
