Every business owner does their best to put his or her business on the local map. Local exposure and brand visibility are very often key to success. Nowadays, accomplishing this goal is impossible without having an online presence. But, is that really enough? Unfortunately, the answer is NO. Having an online presence doesn’t bring anything to the table if your website doesn’t generate enough traffic. If you feel like there should be more eyeballs pinpointed towards your business, you must work on your SEO. To be more specific on your local SEO. So, let’s see how you can help your local SEO while at the same time helping your business. But first, we should be certain we fully understand the concept of local SEO.
What is local SEO?
Local SEO is in the same neighborhood as organic search engine optimization. The concept is the same, while the focus might be slightly different. In this case, you would concentrate on improving local search engine optimization. Those with experience in this arena are aware of how big of a challenge this might be. Since 76% of local searches end up visiting local businesses in some capacity, it is very clear that is well worth the effort. In other words, you want to be found by potential clients or customers instead of them finding your competitors.
How to help your local SEO and improve your visibility
The great news is that you don’t have to change your digital marketing strategy from the core to help your local SEO. There are simple and effective tricks that you can use, which will make a world of difference. Consequently, you will increase the traffic to your website and improve the overall standing of your business. Still, wondering how you can get it done? Let’s see…
Use guest posts to your advantage
There are many interesting blog types that you can have on your website in hopes of having more local visibility. Your website’s blog will surely attract new and additional followers to your brand. But, don’t stop there. Writing content for your website is not the only thing on the menu. Writing content as guest posts can earn you valuable backlinks to your web pages. It is a simple and very effective way of inviting potential clients to see what your business can offer. Also, keep in mind that content on local websites will be much more effective for your SEO rankings than anywhere else.
Relevant and local keywords are a must
If you know anything about SEO, you surely are aware of how important keywords are. There are the bread and the butter of any optimization process. That is why no matter what type of content you might be writing, you must carefully choose keywords that you will input into your content. In addition, you must use them wisely and tactfully. Punching in a keyword here or there will not have the effect that you might be looking for. If this sounds too difficult, don’t worry. There are plenty of tools that can help you make the right choice when looking for the perfect keywords.
Write local content
Now that you know the importance of a keyword when trying to boost your local SEO, we should move on to the next important thing when writing content. Since you want to help your local SEO, you should focus your writing on local happenings, events, issues, etc. Also, use local backlinks to your advantage to score some extra views. For instance, if there is something local about to happen and it has some connections to your business, make sure you have related content on your website. This will make it easier for interested parties to get in touch with you through your website.
Don’t forget to take advantage of social media
There are countless social media platforms that you can use to your advantage to improve your online presence and visibility. The number of people using social medial quite literally increases by the minute. So, engage your followers. Joining local groups is always an excellent tactic. Ask the group owner if you can post content on their page. Of course, make sure it is worth their while and that the content that you are offering to post is relevant to the joined group. With just a few smart moves, your social media accounts can get countless new local followers.
Be a part of local activities
Promoting your brand locally doesn’t only happen online. Being offline and present in certain instances can in fact still promote your online visibility. Get involved in your community. Go to local events, drives, charity functions, etc. Many organizations will be willing to post some content on their web pages relevant to your business. Especially, if you offer some kind of sponsorship. Not to mention such events are almost always covered by local publications.
If you can’t do it on your own there are other options
We shared with you some simple and effective ideas on how to help your local SEO. Still, some content writing and other activities that you must do aren’t so easy to manage. Don’t let this discourage you from working on your local visibility and your overall brand image. There are plenty of professional companies that can help you achieve your goal. If you are trying to avoid such an investment, we have to tell you from the start not to. These services are indeed expensive. Yet, there is no better way to organically improve your local online presence. So, be patient and implement some drastic changes into your digital marketing strategy. The rewards can be massive!