Local SEO for Small Businesses: Everything You Need to Know

local seo for small business

Do you own a small business and want to establish a name in your community? Are your services the next big thing on the local market?

If so, it’s important that you know how Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can boost your company’s reputation. This process involves bringing more attention to your company’s website through recognition in search engine results.

Local SEO takes this process to another level by concentrating on potential customers in your neighborhood. It is important to design and market your site so that the right people find it at the right time.

With our digital marketing services, you can make it easy for people to find your products. All you need is the right phrasing and details, and people will flock to your business to satisfy their needs.

Here is everything you need to know about local SEO for small business.

1. Establishing a Brand

The easiest way your company will stand out in Google local searches is if it offers something that competitors are missing. That’s why you need to have a clear vision of what you have to offer.

This step requires plenty of research, especially in what similar companies are doing. Knowing what other players in your game are providing will make it easier to figure out what you can offer that they don’t have available.

Once you have that settled, you’ll need to include your standout products in whatever posts you release online. The more you do this, the better chances you have of people see if your items work for them.

Knowing the common purposes for which people use your type of products will also help you have an identity with SEO. You can come up with new features to mention in posts that can satisfy these needs in ways that weren’t available before.

All you need is the right person, or people, to come across your post. After educating themselves on your product and trying it out for themselves, they can recommend it to others, and the searches go up from there.

2. Using Google Services

While Google can bring plenty of attention to your business on its own, you still need to make the most out of its tools. As far as SEO for local business goes, there are several options that can get your company on its feet.

There’s Google My Business, which lists the address for your office, hours of operation, and contact information for questions people may have about your services. Including your site’s URL adds an extra way to boost viewership.

Updating this data on a regular basis is the key to keeping current customers and finding new ones. You can do this with photos of your products or building, as well as news releases involving your company.

Google Maps Embed API helps people identify your business’s location in a fun way. This program can create an interactive map or street view panorama on your site.

These services ensure that customers spend as little time as possible finding your company and learning about it. The quicker they can do so, the easier it will be to determine if your products are right for them.

3. On-Page Optimization with Local SEO for Small Business

Your business needs to achieve high local search engine rankings if it is to ever get off the ground. That’s where using the right phrasing comes into play.

The title tags of each page of your site should consider very specific words that help it stand out from other pages, as well as other content on the same page. This makes it easy for viewers to know what you’re talking about, as well as give them something new to read on a regular basis.

Meta descriptions help add details to help people exactly what you’re offering in case the titles are too brief. Viewers can use this information as an opportunity to educate themselves on your type of products so that they can make better purchasing decisions.

Having different content also keeps viewers engaged in your site. One page can include informational articles, while another can include product descriptions, and the next can provide contact information from your staff in case people have questions.

Make sure to add a local aspect to your pages. The more they relate to what goes on in your area, the easier it will be for customers to relate to your content and consider your offerings.

4. Link Building

Providing a steady amount of content for readers comes from more than just what’s on your site. Link building comes in handy for using pages from other sites to gain new customers.

First, you must avoid including too many external links on your pages. This can distract readers from your site, as well as possibly get them more interested in what’s on other sites.

Whatever links you do include must relate to your topics and products as much as possible. If not, customers may get confused and decide to go somewhere else that has a clearer focus on what they offer.

Links to reputable names also make a difference in people’s confidence in your services. If they see links to big names in the field or mentions of you in popular news sources, then they can see that you’re making an impact in the business.

It also helps to link to other pages on your site. This can come in handy in case they’re having trouble navigating to certain spots on the site, which increases the chances of them finding an offering they’re willing to pay for.

5. Including Reviews

As much as your content may offer informative data, potential customers still like to go off other people’s opinions when considering purchases. That’s why we advise including reviews of your services on your site.

Having one page dedicated to reviews and testimonials can help people make a quicker decision regarding doing business with you. They will also see that you’re confident enough in your products that you’ll make reviews this easy to access.

Separating reviews based on topics can give readers a good idea of the value people find in your services. Topics could include the quality of products, the response time of customer service, and the potential uses of products.

Don’t be afraid to post reviews that include small downsides and recommendations. Other customers may not have these issues with these situations, and if you make adjustments quick enough, the same people may post a new, more positive review.

There’s also the chance of a new customer recognizing a positive review posted from a friend or relative. This can give them more confidence in your services because someone they know personally is benefiting from them, and that person can educate them on how your offerings work if they’re a novice.

6. Social Media

A major part of knowing the answer to the question “What is local SEO?” is figuring out different avenues to get your company attention. That’s where social media comes in.

The digital world has made it easier for people to connect with each other, whether they’re on opposite sides of the world or just a few blocks away from each other. Companies who are new to social media need to jump on the bandwagon right away if they want to make money right away.

Local companies can especially benefit from creating profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, and similar sites. This also comes in handy if a portion of their customer base includes younger age groups who tend to use social media more often than older generations.

You can include news about your services or changes to your establishment in posts on these sites. Having links to your social media profiles on your contact page can make it easier for loyal and new customers to find these pages.

Other forms of social media content that help with local SEO include photos and videos. Having a visual element to your online presence gives people a better idea of who you are and what you provide, with examples including photos of new products or videos of people in the neighborhood using them.

7. Going Mobile

Making your website easy to access on a variety of devices can boost viewership at a quicker pace. In this day and age, going mobile will make a huge difference in your success with marketing.

Having customers access your site on their smartphones, tablets, and similar devices that are easy to carry around means that they can do so throughout the day. They can check out your items while waiting for a dentist appointment or on the bus ride to school or work.

It’s important to design each page to be easy to read on a small screen. Customers should have an easy time scrolling up and down, as the easier they can navigate the site, the more likely they’ll stay on it.

You can also give customers an option to receive automatic text messages when a change is made to the site. Including contact information in the texts can make it easy for them to get a hold of you, which can make them feel comfortable talking to you, especially if your office is just around the corner.

Customers should also be able to access forums and email newsletters on their phones. This can give them a chance to voice suggestions that may make a positive difference in your business.

Our Take

Using local SEO for small business goes a long way in creating a name for yourself. It involves using today’s technology to create a bond that people get from face-to-face interactions.

Using the right words, connections, and social media services will help bring in both customers who are big fans of your type of offerings and people who are just starting to get interested in it. Taking advantage of these factors will give your company a reputation that comes with a reliable service.

Check out more of our online services today so that you can use the digital world to enjoy financial success.