Local SEO Strategies For Small Businesses
As a small business owner and marketer, you need to let Google know where you are located and what you have to offer so you’re not only showing up on Google search engine results pages (SERPs) more frequently, but you’re showing up in front of the eyes of a very relevant audience.
Unfortunately, local SEO is somewhat of a confusing topic and always has been. It’s tough to know where to even begin. Especially with Google’s changing there algorithm all the time.
What are some must-have SEO strategies when it comes to local SEO?
Below are some of the most popular and most important when it comes to local SEO.
Create Directory Submissions
Directory Submission is one of the finest strategies for your website to get popular on the web. It is the fundamental step taken by marketers to improve link popularity of a website. This wonderful method helps in gaining quality one-way incoming backlinks which play crucial role in optimization procedure. The quality of the incoming links greatly enhances search engine rankings and internet visibility of your site. In other words, Directory Submission refers to the process of adding your website to a web directory like Yelp.com, Yellow pages.com, Google Places ect… The whole procedure involves submitting your website URL along with other details of your website to the most appropriate category.
Directory submission plays an essential role in promoting new ventures as the websites gain global recognition on the internet through this technique. With this useful technique, you not only gain volume traffic but also targeted traffic which help your site to be at the top and get popular in the search engines.
Accurate Business Citations
You need to make sure all of your information is filled out and you have consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) data for your company across all listings. It is possible that your business is already listed somewhere by someone else, but don’t panic! All you need to do is claim this listing, often referred to also as a citation.
Optimize Your Website
Part of local search is your actual website as well as what is being said about your site around the web—it’s not just your local listings and pages. Make sure you have your contact information and preferably a phone number somewhere on your website. It’s also important to try and include city or regional keywords wherever possible and write content that is specific to your local area. It’s also a good idea to reach out to these organizations to establish these connections. The more people you can connect with—local forums and organizations, etc.—the better chance you have that they might visit your website and hopefully link back!
Quality Photos
This point goes back to optimizing your listing, but it’s so important it deserves its own number. When people are searching for local businesses, they want to see photos. Most local accounts including Google+ Local allow you to upload at least 10 pictures. Your goal should try to be to have that many photos uploaded. It’s also important to take photos of your actual building, both inside and out, and even take pictures of your products. Your logo does work, but it’s always best to have an actual picture of the company building as your main photo.
All you have to do to upload photos is visit your local listing and click a little link that says “add photos.” It’s as easy as that.
Conclusion
Submitting your link to directories is an excellent way to build your web site’s link popularity and improve search engine rankings. There are many directories out there, ranging from the general to the specific, each with their own link submission processes. Prepare keyphrase-rich text that accurately describes your web site to submit to the directories. Choose the most appropriate category for your web site before submitting.
Submitting to directories requires a little effort and a lot of patience. Your search engine rankings will thank you for the extra effort.
You can always hire us to do all your local directory submissions. Contact us.