Start off 2017 with a solid local SEO strategy to get more customers. If you do not know how to do local SEO, this guide will help you. I take you through the 7, in my opinion, most important tactics you MUST do get your local search engine optimization correct.
Here are the 7 local search optimization tactics we will cover. Click to jump to each section.
- Use Local Keywords
- Write Blog Posts
- Take Photos and Videos of Your Business
- Ask for Reviews and Testimonials
- Get Listed in Directories
- Choose your NAP
- Leverage Social Media
1. Use Local Keywords
Use keywords in your website that target the location you serve. For example, if you are a dentist, you should choose the following keyword phrases:
- Dentist in [location]
- Best dentist in [location]
- Implant dentist [location]
- Affordable dentist [location]
To flesh these out a little more, I’ve added additional context so that they can be used on your website:
- Dentist in Los Angeles
- One of the best dentists in Los Angeles according to Yelp
- Implant dentist in Los Angeles
- Affordable dentist in Los Angeles
Use these keywords across your website. If you can, write a page worth of content that targets the keyword in depth. The key here is to create content that is truly helpful to your readers. Sprinkle the rest of your target keywords on the other pages of your site. This will help your readers know that you are a dentist that serves the Los Angles area. This will also give signals to Google that you are a dentist in Los Angeles and they should rank you for these keywords.
Make your website a helpful resource about your niche! Create blog content that talk about everything dentist related. This can be topics about, “How to prepare for your dentist visit;” “Ways to prevent cavities;” “Nearby restaurants for lunch after you visit us;” “why we started our dental practice;” “top customer reviews;” etc. Writing about these topics will help you become an authority figure about teeth and the area you service. As you gain more traffic and build your reputation online, you can expand to nearby cities.
2. Write blog posts on your most profitable services
As a dentist, for example, you probably know which dental procedures are the most profitable for your practice. Tell your readers what you offer by writing blog articles on them. Focus on the profitable and/or most popular ones. Is it teeth whitening, braces, root canals? Focus all your content around them by creating, not only articles, but graphics, images, infographics, and video. This content will not only allow you to promote your services, but also educates your readers. As you know, lack of understanding always leads to mistrust for dentists. So educate them so they are more willing to follow your recommendations.
3. Take photos and videos of your business
People love to know what they are getting into. Before deciding to enter a business, people want to know how well the place is set up. Are they features in your business that is unique to you and that people would like to see? How about the exterior? People hate getting lost. So have pictures of your exterior, such as the entrance door and signage so people know exactly where to go. The more transparency you give, the more trust you get. So start taking pictures today! An iPhone is sufficient and anyone can take pictures for you.
4. Ask for reviews and testimonials
Trust is an important thing. People do not like getting lied to or deceived. To fix this, start posting your reviews and testimonials on your website. Don’t have reviews? Get them by asking your customers for reviews. Once you get between 5 to 10 reviews, start adding them to your website and social media accounts.
Internet Marketing Consultant, @KittelK, said reviews was his #1 local SEO tip:
@LeadTagger Reviews, Reviews, Reviews!
— Kraig (@KittelK) January 31, 2017
5. Get listed in directories
Getting listed in Google is one thing, but when you want to reach your local audience, you must get listed in local directories. Directories such as Google My Business, Yelp, Yellow Pages, and Angie’s List are just a few. There are so many that it will take a lot of time to get each one updated. I suggest you use tools, such as Bright Local or White Spark, which allows you to more quickly and easily update all the local directories that are most important to your industry.
6. Choose Your Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP)
Having a consistent name, address, and phone number will help prevent any confusion from Google misinterpreting your business as either duplicate or separate businesses. Be very specific. Make sure your NAP is the same everywhere. If you use ST., instead of STREET, then only use ST., etc.
7. Incorporate Social Media
When you want to be seen online, you cannot forget social media. According to Mintel.com, over 70% of people refer to social media before making a purchase. You need to be on all the popular ones. Those are Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Post regularly on these profiles and be sure to add a link to them on your website. Use your profiles to link to blog posts n your website and post user testimonials. This type of content will build trust and make you an authority figure in your neighborhood.
In Conclusion
I hope this local seo guide helps you with your own online marketing. If you do all of these 7 tactics, I am confident you will start getting more customers to your business in a short while. Doing this is not difficult, but it takes a lot of time and effort. It takes, at minimum, a couple of hours each day to do this right.
Please reach out to us if you are interested in using our local seo services or have any questions!
