Local SEO Checklist

What steps must be taken to effectively optimize your website for local search? Local SEO shares numerous similarities with traditional SEO, let us examine them thoroughly.

Keyword Selection

In order to begin an SEO strategy, it is crucial to determine the most suitable keywords for your business to focus on. A keyword refers to a specific term or phrase that online users input to search for information related to a particular subject, item, service, or company. Subsequently, search engines utilize this keyword to locate the most relevant web pages and arrange the results in order of their compatibility with the keyword.

Coming up with a list of good keyword terms for local businesses is much simpler compared to general SEO. The key factors to consider are location relevance and industry topic relevance. For example, let's say you are a divorce attorney in the Hollywood, CA area. It is crucial for your business to be easily found when people search online for Hollywood divorce lawyers. By optimizing your webpages and other online platforms for this specific keyword term, you increase the likelihood of appearing higher in search results. While it is possible to target multiple keywords on your website, it is advisable to start with a few. Trying to focus on too many different keyword phrases initially will spread yourself too thin and make it more difficult to achieve desired outcomes.

In order to create a compilation of keywords, begin by brainstorming a collection of words and phrases that you believe your intended audience would utilize when searching for businesses similar to yours. Utilize this list as a foundation for conducting additional research to determine the most optimal keyword terms. Consider the geographical regions in which your business operates, as well as how individuals would describe the offerings of your business. Identify any distinct products or services that could potentially serve as search terms for consumers. Additionally, analyze the problems that your business resolves for consumers and investigate the keywords employed by your competitors in their search engine optimization strategies.

It is crucial to avoid being overly general or vague when choosing keywords. The key is to carefully select a combination of keyword variations that will effectively reach the desired target audience. The intent of the user has become a significant factor in search rankings. Hence, it is important to consider what the user is truly seeking when they type in a specific phrase. For example, a plumber might opt for the keyword "leaking faucet." However, this may not be an ideal term to target as someone could be seeking information on fixing a leaking faucet themselves rather than hiring a plumber, if someone puts a city and/or state after a keyword term, they’re likely looking to do business.

It is important to consider that searchers are increasingly narrowing down their searches based on location. Therefore, it is crucial to optimize your keyword phrases to focus on specific areas as much as possible. For example, if your business is situated in a suburban region of a large city, it is advisable to use keywords related to that particular suburban town instead of attempting to target the entire city. Additionally, if applicable to your business, do not hesitate to narrow down your targeting even further by focusing on specific neighborhoods.

In addition to the free Google AdWords Planner tool, there are other keyword tools available (some paid, some free) that can be used to check the number of searches and competition levels for each term. It is important to note that this tool provides data based on the presence of advertisers for the selected keywords, so it does not provide exact figures and should not be the sole determining factor for keyword selection. Another valuable resource for selecting keywords is Google's suggested search terms, which are additional phrases that Google suggests as a user types in a particular keyword. Google also provides additional suggested terms at the bottom of the search results pages.

If your website is equipped with Google Analytics, it serves as an additional valuable tool to examine the keyword terms that are currently generating traffic.

On-Site SEO

After identifying the keywords, the subsequent step involves engaging in on-site optimization. This refers to the actions you can take on your website to enhance your ranking for local searches. It is important to incorporate keywords, including geographical information, in strategic areas such as the title tag, meta tags, alt image tags, and even in the URL if possible. Additionally, it is crucial to generate fresh and relevant content that includes local keywords. However, it is important to avoid keyword spamming and instead integrate them naturally into your content. Moreover, ensure that your name, address, and telephone number are embedded in the HTML code of every page. Localization should also be included in blog posts and other content. It is important to create a geo sitemap and KML file (keyhole markup language) to enable your site to appear on Google Earth and Google Maps. 

Local marketing often neglects an important aspect - reciprocating local support. To truly gain local support, it is crucial to engage in various activities. Write captivating blog posts about topics that are relevant to the local community. Enhance your website by incorporating social media sharing buttons. Additionally, showcase your company's history and deep connection to the local area on your About Us page. Get involved in local events and don't forget to share your experiences through blog posts. It's time to get excited about boosting your local presence!

Off-Site SEO

Off-page optimization, an integral part of SEO, encompasses elements beyond your website. These encompass reputable backlinks from authoritative websites, content on video-sharing platforms like YouTube, and content on social media. To effectively contribute to local SEO, these aspects must incorporate location-specific information and relevant keyword terms. Off-site optimization also encompasses various other essential aspects that will be elaborated upon in the subsequent sections.

Local Directory Listings

An additional crucial aspect of local SEO involves ensuring your company is included in local directories. Register for Google My Business, which has replaced Google Local, and ensure that you provide all the necessary information in your profile. This includes your company name, complete address and phone number, appropriate product and service categories, photographs, videos, an optimized description, and encouraging customer reviews. Additionally, it is important to sign up or claim your business on other directories such as Yahoo Local, Bing Local, Yelp, and Angie's List. It is also recommended to maintain a presence on location-specific social media platforms like FourSquare, Citysearch, and Mojopages. Lastly, don't forget to seek out industry-specific directories as well.

Citations

Maintaining consistency is crucial in local SEO, particularly when it comes to the company's name, address, and phone number (NAP citations). NAP citations are not links, but rather a representation of the primary business information. Building a substantial number of accurate NAP citations plays a significant role in boosting your business's ranking in local search results. When gathering and tracking citations, it is important to consider the following points:

It is highly recommended to obtain as many citations for your business as possible. These citations can be obtained through various sources, such as directories mentioned above, including the Better Business Bureau, local chambers of commerce, Yellow Pages, local business directories, horizontal directories like Yelp, region-specific sites like www.Boston.com places, industry-specific directories, and non-structured listings found in local magazines or newspapers. It is crucial to maintain consistency when submitting your business information. Even minor discrepancies, such as using "Street" instead of "St." or having listings with or without a suite number, can have an impact on your search ranking. It is essential to identify and eliminate any duplicate listings and diligently correct any inaccuracies that may arise.

The objective is to ensure uniformity in all your NAP listings, as Google's algorithms cannot consolidate them otherwise. It is important to maintain consistency in the address of your business for local SEO to establish credibility and authenticity. Having multiple variations of your address hinders this goal. Therefore, it is recommended to keep a record of all your existing citations and update them promptly if you ever relocate in the future.

In order to maintain consistency and improve local SEO, it is crucial to eliminate any duplicate listings and citations. To achieve this, perform a Google search using your business name or phone number and take the following steps: update addresses if you have relocated, request the removal of any duplicate entries, and remain vigilant for any fraudulent listings. If you haven't prioritized monitoring online listings and citations, you might discover that you are listed on sites that require login credentials. If this is the case and you can't recall your password, be prepared to invest some extra effort in rectifying the listing. Although it may require time and effort, it is essential to address inaccuracies as they can negatively impact your local search ranking.

Thank you for reading this series. I hope you are finding it informative. will wrap it up in Local SEO Basics part 3