Search engine algorithms can be confusing, and it feels like they’re changing daily. Fortunately, there are ways to get your local business at the top of the results page. There are various ranking factors for local SEO, like reviews and links, and understanding how to utilize them is extremely valuable.
At Succeeding Small, we help small, local businesses increase their online visibility and rankings. Let’s break down the top-ranking factors for local SEO and how your business can reap the benefits.
What Is Local SEO?
First things first, it’s vital to understand local SEO and how it can bring leads to your small business. Picture this: you’re craving a cheeseburger for lunch and want to find a burger joint near you. What do you do? You turn to your favorite search engine and type “cheeseburgers near me” or “cheeseburgers in Colorado Springs.” You’ll likely get many results, but the first few options will probably catch your eye.
Now imagine your business is the burger joint. When someone is looking for delicious food in your community, you want to be one of those restaurants that appear at the top of the search page. Optimizing your local SEO can put you there! Local SEO combines general SEO practices but tailors them to a specific geographical area. You get to target customers within your community who are most likely to frequent your business.
Local SEO Benefits
Local SEO can add visibility to your small business, among many other benefits, including:
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- Better conversion rates
- Increased local reviews
- Long-lasting rankings
- Less advertising costs
- Business growth
Local SEO helps your business stand out from the competitors in your area. The more SEO practices you implement, the better the odds of appearing at the top of webpage results. As a result, your business will look reputable to potential customers. Because local searches are more likely to lead to a purchase, it’s worth investing in a well-rounded SEO strategy for your business.
SEO Ranking Factors
So what SEO principles can help your local business rank high on search engines? Let’s break it down:
- Optimize your Google My Business (GMB) profile – When someone searches for your business on Google, they’ll see your GMB profile. This profile gives potential customers all the information they need to find and contact your business. It’s vital to fill out your GMB profile with as many details as possible.
- Get reviews – Let’s go back to our cheeseburger restaurant example. Would you choose a restaurant with almost all 5-star reviews or one with mostly 3-star reviews? What if there were no reviews at all? You’d probably be wary. Reviews are essential to building trust with potential customers and increasing your business’s visibility.
- Keep your website fresh – An outdated website doesn’t look good. Additionally, it doesn’t rank well either. Update your website regularly, start a blog and fill it with relevant keywords, add any new services you have, and optimize your site for mobile viewers to help boost your local SEO.
- Add backlinks – Linking is a huge ranking factor for local SEO. A backlink is whenever another website links back to yours. These links are vital to local SEO because Google uses them to validate who you are and determine whether you’re an expert in your niche.
- Use relevant keywords – Use local keywords that potential customers may use. For example, if you’re that cheeseburger restaurant in Colorado Springs, a fantastic location-based keyword would be “cheeseburgers Colorado Springs.” Use these keywords throughout your website to increase the odds of your business popping up first when someone searches that term.
Boost Your Local SEO With Succeeding Small
There are many ranking factors for local SEO that you can utilize to put your business on the front page of Google and other search engines. Some of these are more time-consuming than others. If you’re looking for a helping hand, Succeeding Small is here. As a full-service digital marketing agency that caters to small businesses, we take local SEO seriously.
Our expert team will learn your business’s unique needs and goals to customize the perfect SEO plan for you. For more information, schedule a free consultation! We look forward to working with you.
