Getting started with local SEO can be difficult, but it’s worth the effort if you want to grow your business. This article will show you how to improve your online presence and get more local traffic to your website. In this guide, we’ll discuss the benefits of creating a Google My Business profile, optimizing your website for voice search, increasing check-ins, and building backlinks.
Create a Google My Business profile
Creating a Google My Business profile is a great way to boost your local search rankings, and any good local SEO package will include this type of optimization. It will also allow customers to contact you directly. You will have the opportunity to add photos, videos, and products to your listing.
Google processes a total of 5.8 billion global queries every day. It is a good idea to make sure that your GMB listing is as accurate as possible. This will help your chances of appearing on the first page of Google Maps and the first page of Google Search results.
When your business is verified, you will receive a postcard from Google with a verification code. You will need to verify your address before your GMB listing can appear on the map. You will also be able to add categories to your listing. You can create up to ten business categories.
When you create your Google My Business profile, you’ll want to fill out as much information as you can. Your business name should match the business name on your signage. You can also set an opening date to help disambiguate your business. This can also help you show up in the Google Knowledge Graph.
Adding a phone number to your listing gives your customers direct contact. This will also help drive customers to your website. You can also add a link to your website so that customers can leave reviews.
Optimize your website for voice search
Getting your website optimized for voice search is a great way to boost traffic, leads, and conversions. The best way to do this is to use local SEO. With local SEO, you target potential customers in your local area. You also want to make sure that your business information is accurate. You can check this out by running reports from Google WebCEO.
Voice searches are a popular method for finding things when you’re on the go. They’re usually carried out on mobile devices, which means that you should focus on mobile friendliness. You can also speed up your site by compressing images and videos. You can use the Google Page Speed Insights tool to test your site’s loading time and get tips on how to improve it.
Unlike traditional searches, voice search queries tend to be more directional. They are typically phrased as questions or requests. The most effective answers are short and straightforward.
As with other forms of SEO, focusing on keywords is important. Using long tail keywords is particularly helpful in voice searches.
Structured data is also an important part of content strategy. It helps search engines understand the content on your website and rank it higher. Including structured data will also help increase your site’s ranking in voice searches.
Another way to optimize your website for voice searches is to have a FAQ section. Having a FAQ page will answer any common questions your target audience has. Creating an FAQ page will also increase your chances of appearing in a featured snippet. This snippet is displayed at the top of the results in a box that directly answers the question the user asks.
Earn more backlinks
Getting backlinks with local SEO can be an important part of your SEO strategy. There are several ways to get backlinks, though it’s important to follow some guidelines to ensure that you’re not wasting your time and effort.
First, check your competitor’s backlink profiles using a tool such as Ahrefs. This will show you the number of quality backlinks that your competitors have. You can then find opportunities to earn more backlinks.
Another good way to find backlinks is to look for relevant industry websites. You can then contact the site’s owner and ask for a link. If the site owner agrees, you can provide a page that is similar to the one on your website.
You can also find local businesses in your area who can give you free publicity. Many of them have social media accounts, so you can ask them to share your content. This can be a great way to boost your local SEO and increase your overall online reach.
Writing articles or guest blogs for other sites can also help you to earn more backlinks. However, this isn’t always easy. To get the most out of this strategy, it’s important to create good content that’s worth sharing.
The process of earning backlinks is called “link building.” It involves manually adding links to your site, such as replying to forum threads, or leaving blog comments.
Make your phone number clickable on your website
Having your phone number clickable on your website can make a difference. A clickable phone number improves your customers’ experience and saves you time.
Search engines like Google have a large part to play in local SEO. By optimizing your page for local searches, you can target keywords that are relevant to your business. These may include things such as, “clogged drains in Ann Arbor.” This can be a great way to reach potential customers.
You can also include a map of your local area on your website. This can be useful to mobile users. This will help your visitors locate your location, as well as your staff and products.
For desktop users, you can add a call button that makes the phone number clickable. This is a feature that you should test before you go live. It is also a good idea to test it on a mobile device. Some browsers will launch a phone app when the link is clicked.
Another way to make your phone number clickable is to add a call link. You can do this by adding a (tel:) symbol to your phone number. This isn’t a universally supported feature in all desktop browsers. However, it is supported in most mobile browsers.
If you want to do more than just make your phone number clickable, you can also add a call-to-action widget. These widgets can be added to your header, footer, or anywhere on your page.
Create Schema markup
Adding Schema markup to your website is a great way to increase your local search engine optimization. It helps you create more ‘rich snippets’, which are small bits of content that appear when your webpage appears in a Google search results. These snippets help build your authority and are a great way to increase clicks.
There are a variety of ways to add schema to your website. One way is to use the Structured Data Markup Helper tool, which allows you to paste your HTML code and highlight the items you want to show in your rich snippets. Another option is to manually edit your website’s HTML code.
When you add schema markup to your site, you’ll be able to show your location and opening hours. It’s important to include these details, especially for local businesses. You’ll also have a phone number and an address, which are two key pieces of information local searchers look for when conducting a local search.
You can also include information about events and calls to action. These can be used to give your site more relevance to a particular niche, which can lead to better rankings.
If you’re having trouble selecting the right schema markup for your site, you can check out your competitor’s websites, or ask for advice from a trusted digital marketing agency. These companies will be able to tell you what types of schema are commonly used in your industry.
Increase check-ins
Getting your business listed in Google’s local listings is not the only way to get the word out about your brand. Adding social media to the mix is another great way to reach prospective customers. The best part about it is that it adds credibility to your business and gives you the opportunity to connect with people in your local area.
As you can see from the statistics above, if you want to make a splash in the local SEO game, it’s crucial that you have a solid content marketing plan in place. This will ensure that your website is kept fresh and up to date with relevant content. The more engaging your content is, the more people will stick around to view it. This is especially true if you are using social media to drive traffic to your site.
It’s also important to ensure that your business address is as consistent as possible. This may sound like a no-brainer, but a good percentage of consumers will check out your website before even calling you. You can even make it easier on your customers by making your phone number clickable on mobile devices.
The best way to ensure that you have a stellar local presence is to create a solid content marketing plan and implement it on a consistent basis. For example, if you have a website, consider creating a blog about the local events that are happening.