Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the practice of optimizing a retail business’ online presence to rank higher in local search engine results, an essential strategy for retailers looking to attract and cultivate leads while expanding their visibility within digital environments.
Google’s local search algorithm takes three factors into account when ranking local results: relevance, prominence and proximity. Let’s look into each one more closely:
Keyword research
One of the cornerstones of local SEO is keyword research. Search terms entered into search engines (most likely Google) represent searchers’ intentions and this holds especially true when conducting local searches; in fact, 28% of consumers who conduct such a search via mobile device visit that business within 24 hours!
When conducting keyword research for local SEO, your keyword selection should focus on relevant words with high search volumes that relate to your business and can bring in targeted traffic that converts into customers.
Ahrefs and SEMrush can both provide valuable keyword research tools. Keywords Everywhere also makes finding relevant keywords simple via its simple search bar feature, giving an indication of competition levels for each one to help determine whether targeting them makes sense or not.
On-page optimization
Page content is one of the key on-page SEO elements. Ideally, it should incorporate both short-tail and long-tail keywords organically while appealing to specific buyer personas. Furthermore, engaging visuals that help search engines index this material should also be present for improved indexation by search engines.
Internal linking is another on-page SEO best practice to consider, which involves linking between articles within your site with descriptive anchor text links. This allows readers to understand what they’re reading and may increase click through rates; plus it’s also great for improving local SEO by connecting pages that feature relevant keyword phrases.
Local search is a tremendous asset to businesses with physical locations. It enables them to build loyal customer bases in their areas while setting themselves apart from competitors by grabbing consumers’ attention nearby and increasing referrals from consumer directories and social media sites.
Local citations
Citations refers to any online mention of your name, address and phone number (NAP data) which appear in search engines like Google and is one of five factors in its Local SEO rankings. Taking an active approach towards building and managing local citations can significantly help enhance a local search engine optimization strategy.
Citations is essential in sending signals to search engines that your business is legitimate and popular, while helping Google validate your NAP data and rank it more highly in search results.
There are two forms of local citations, structured and unstructured. Structured citations refer to listings on business directories or third-party sites trusted by search engines, with NAP data displayed alongside links back to its website (known as NAPW Citations) while unstructured citations refer to mentions of businesses online such as news articles or blogs without linking back directly to its website ( known as unlinked NAP Citations ).
Social media
SEO Local (Search Engine Optimization for Local) is an online marketing technique geared toward reaching a local audience, with numerous advantages including reaching more customers and strengthening your brand reputation. In addition, this form of promotion helps your website generate more organic search traffic; to do this successfully it requires targeting keywords with engaging content to generate results.
Social media plays a significant role in local SEO, alongside keyword research and on-page optimization. Social networking platforms like Facebook, Yelp, Foursquare and Google My Business can help your business rank higher in search engine results while simultaneously creating links and citations to its website.
Monitor fluctuations in local SEO rankings regularly in order to detect changes to Google algorithms and adjust your strategy accordingly. Use tools such as LocalRank Flux for this purpose.