What is Local SEO? A Complete Definition
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Local SEO helps businesses rank higher in local search results. Optimize your Google Business Profile and website to attract nearby customers. Essential for driving more foot traffic and sales.
Local SEO is crucial for businesses looking to drive more sales and traffic from their surrounding area. But what exactly is it and how does it work?
This definitive guide provides:
- A concise definition of local SEO
- Compelling reasons why local SEO matters
- A step-by-step process to implement an effective strategy
- Additional resources for optimizing for local search
By fully understanding local SEO best practices, your business can start attracting more local customers through search and earning more revenue.
A Concise Definition
Local SEO refers to optimizing your online presence and content to attract more local customers searching for products or services near them. The goal is to make your website and listings more visible in search engine results for geographically relevant searches.
For example, when someone searches for "plumber Denver" or "pizza restaurant Chicago", you want your business to show up prominently. Local SEO helps you achieve that.
Why Local SEO Matters
Here are some compelling reasons why optimizing for local searches is critical:
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Increased Exposure: Ranking higher for local keywords gives you exposure to high-intent buyers searching for businesses in your area.
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Improved Visibility: Optimizing helps you stand out and get discovered by potential customers in your city looking for your products or services.
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More Store Visits: Higher local rankings drive more foot traffic to your physical store or location.
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Higher Conversions: Local searches have above average conversion rates as searchers have immediate purchase intent.
Step-by-Step Process for Local SEO
Here is a step-by-step process to implement an effective local SEO strategy:
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Ensure your website is mobile-friendly
According to BrightLocal, 61% of mobile users are more likely to contact a local business if they have a mobile site. Use Google's Mobile-Friendly Test to check.
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Optimize your Google My Business listing
Fully complete your Google My Business listing with accurate business information, great photos, attributes, etc. This helps you rank prominently in local pack results.
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Do local keyword research
Use tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs to research what local keywords your competitors are ranking for. Target those queries.
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On-page optimization
Optimize your website content for your target local keywords. Include your business name, address, and phone number on site.
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Build local citations
Get listed on directories like Yelp, Foursquare, and niche citation sites related to your industry [Whitespark].
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Earn local links
Guest post on local blogs. Sponsor local events and organizations. Use a SEO tool to find link building opportunities.
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Track and monitor results
Use Google Analytics to track website traffic and conversions from local keywords. Monitor local pack and organic rankings regularly.
Additional Local SEO Resources
- Local SEO Guide - Moz's overview of local SEO ranking factors.
- Local SEO Checklist - Step-by-step local SEO tasks from SEMrush.
- How to Do Local SEO - Ahrefs' guide to optimizing for local search.
By fully understanding what local SEO is and following these best practices, your business can start attracting more local customers through search and earning more revenue.
Ilias is a SEO entrepreneur and marketing agency owner at MagicSpace SEO, helping small businesses grow with SEO. With a decade of experience as a CTO and marketer, he offers SEO consulting and SEO services to clients worldwide.
