Improve Local Search Rankings Without Hiring An Expert
I hear they're all the rage these days.
Local SEOs, that is.
Not everyone has the resources and money to hire one, yet it is crucial when building or buying websites. In this post, we put together seven things you can do in your spare time to improve your local SEO without hiring a professional.
-
Utilize GMB
It will help if you start optimizing your business listing on Google My Business (GMB) to make sure it's ready. Google My Business lets you edit your business' location, address, hours of operation, and photos. You can also add a link to your website from the “Contact Us” section on GMB and any other social media accounts you have (like Facebook).
-
Go For Social Media
Next up, post some engaging content to Facebook groups for local businesses. This will help people get a sense of your products or services and create a buzz around your brand.
Also, social media is free, and you might find people interested in what your company is selling. Thus, it may be a good idea to grow your audience through it. If possible, you may also include links to relevant content within the body of your posts. This will help drive traffic back to you and make it easier for customers or potential leads.
-
Attend to Negative Reviews Immediately
It may not be directly related to SEO, but handling negative reviews assists the effectiveness of SEO. Your site may be easily searchable, but with poorly handled reviews, they might be affected, too.
Also, negative reviews are inevitable, but your business could suffer if you wait too long to do something about it. Thus, responding immediately to reviews won't only help bolster the reputation of your company. It will also allow people to consider using your services.
So remember, make sure you respond to reviews promptly – negative feedback can seriously hurt business!
-
Work on those CopyWriting Chops
For the best local SEO results, learn how to write an excellent copy to convert users into leads and rank well on search engines. If you're a beginner, you may start with reading copywriting tips that can be found on the internet.
Other beginner writing tips include:
- Use short sentences
- Simplify your words
- Be brief and to the point
-
Include a Local Map
To help boost local SEO, you should also optimize your website so users can find where you are located with ease.
But how can this be done exactly?
First of all, you should upload a local map to your website. This is recommended if your business has an office or store that's open to the public. You may also include it on your contact page. This way, when people visit your website, they can easily find where your business is located.
Also, include the map in many blog posts and pages related to local attractions, activities, or services you offer. For example, a lawyer should consist of their office location on all of their practice area pages. Hence, people know that they are the most accessible within their locality.
-
Get Your Pages Indexed
Lastly, make sure that Google indexes all of the pages on your site. This will allow people who don't know about you yet find what they're looking for and contact you.
To start with this tip, you may want to make sure that your home page is set up correctly and includes all of the services you offer. Next, you may add an XML Sitemap to Google Search Console, so they know about every single post on your site. From there, you may want to index your blog posts separately.
-
Do Simple SEO Strategies
Here are some you may follow.
- Include keywords in the title and meta description of each post so that search engines can know what you're talking about.
- Add relevant links back to other sites on your homepage. This will help people looking for information or services like yours, and it also strengthens your credibility.
- Include a “blog” link on your site's homepage. This tip will help people find these pages if they're looking for information or services like yours.
Implement these tips, and you might be on your way to the top soon!
