Have you ever wondered how certain businesses pop up at the top of the page in response to specific searches, such as “stucco contractor in Boston”? What is it that makes them appear at that spot? The reason is simple: they’re using local SEO techniques to boost their visibility.
What is local SEO, and why is it really important for your business?
Local SEO is the process that helps businesses stand out in location-based search results, driving more foot traffic, increasing visibility, and boosting sales and business growth.
Most people turn to search engines to find what they need: a new hairstylist, a bakery, or a dental hygienist. That’s why your business must appear at the top of the page: if you’re not doing it, you’re missing out.
Google reports that 30% of all mobile searches are location-related, and 78% of people who search for something nearby visit the business within a day. Even better, 28% of those searches lead to a purchase.
So, what are the top two advantages of optimizing your business for local SEO?
Increase online visibility
Let’s start with one of the most crucial aspects of local SEO: the Local Pack (and don’t worry, we’ll dive into the details later). If you’ve ever searched for something like ‘gluten-free bakery’ to find the best options nearby, you’ll probably recognize this:
This is called the “Map Pack” a Google feature that highlights the businesses it thinks best match your search, like “gluten-free bakery in Boston”. You might rank organically for such a query too. Check out the screenshot below. In this case, we can see that Violette Bakers is also ranking on the first page of the SERP.
As you might imagine, businesses that show up in both the Map Pack and on the first page of search results get more online visibility. Most importantly, they get the most traffic and leads: that is a fact. As we explore this topic, we’ll share a case study of one of our clients who saw a significant increase in calls and visits after local SEO optimization.
Higher foot traffic and sales
Have you ever found yourself needing a last-minute dessert on the way to dinner? You grab your phone, search ‘ice cream shop near me,’ and quickly choose a place from the results.
This is the power of local SEO: when your business has strong online visibility, it leads to more foot traffic and, ultimately, more sales. Remember, Google found that 78% of people searching for something nearby visit the business within a day.
What are the ranking factors for Local SEO?
As we mentioned earlier, local SEO boosts your business’s visibility and drives more traffic. This applies to both your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) and your website. But how does it work?
To be brief and concise, local SEO techniques help Google understand your business better: what you offer, where you’re located, and how your community perceives you (we’ll dive into this key factor later).
There are many ranking factors that Google considers when ranking businesses in search results, but they rate these the most important ones:
- Presence and optimization of a Google Business Profile listing
- Consistency and accuracy of NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) citations across the web
- The searcher’s physical location at the time of the query
- Google Maps star rating and reviews for your business
- The overall sentiment and frequency of online customer reviews
- Use of relevant keywords in your Google Business Profile
- Inclusion of targeted keywords within online reviews
- The number of “check-ins” or visits recorded at your business location
- Engagement and sharing on social media platforms
When it comes to local SEO, there are two main targets: the Map Pack and the organic, traditional ‘blue link’ search results (like the Violette Bakers example we discussed earlier). Our goal is to optimize these areas to boost your visibility, and in this article, we’ll explore exactly how to do that.
Proven local SEO strategies to attract highly qualified leads
To draw in highly qualified leads, you have to work on local SEO strategies that work. We’ll guide you through the process step-by-step, highlighting the most essential strategies along the way.
Set up and enhance your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the cornerstone of local SEO: the first thing potential customers see when they search for businesses like yours.
With this tool, business owners can manage how their business shows up in Google Search results and Maps, all for free. Missing out on it would be a big mistake, which is why we’ll show you how to take full advantage of it here.
Claiming a Google Business Profile
To get started, you have to make sure there isn’t already a profile for your business on Maps. Search for it, and if one exists, you’ll need to claim it. If this is your case, you can keep reading – otherwise, we’ll tell you how to create one from scratch below.
- First, you’ll need to go to business.google.com/add. Then, you have to enter the name and address of the business, then select it from the search results.
- You might get a message saying someone else has verified the profile. In this case, you should click “Request access”, fill in the form with all necessary information and submit it.
- Once you’ve sent it, you’ll have to wait approximately three working days to know if your request has been approved or denied.
Set up a Google Business Profile (GBP) from scratch
1. Sign In or Create a Google Account
To begin, you’ll need a Google account. If you don’t already have one, you can create one for free. Sign in to your account, and then head over to the Google Business Profile website.
2. Enter your business name and the right category
Make sure to spell your business name correctly and choose the category that most accurately describes your business. For example, if you’re an attorney specializing in immigration law and you want to attract clients seeking that specific service, choose “Immigration Lawyer” as your primary category instead of just “Lawyer.”
This will help ensure that the right clients can find you.
3. Enter your business address
You’ll have to enter your business address here, so Google can verify your location. This must be a complete street address, as neither PO Boxes nor mailbox services will do the trick. Remember, only one business per residence is allowed.
4. Choose whether you’re a storefront or a service provider
Here’s where you’ll decide if you want customers to visit your storefront or if you’ll go to them. If you work from home or prefer not to have visitors, select the service area option.
5. Add your phone number and website
Both phone calls and website clicks are tracked by Google Business Profile (you will be able to check this on your Google Business Profile Insights later) so make sure your information is correct here.
If you have a phone number specific to your business, you might want to add it here instead of your phone number. It’s crucial that you have access to this phone and can receive text messages and calls on it, as you might need it for the verification process.
6. Verify your listing
One of the trickiest parts of the verification process is navigating Google’s current requirements. In the last few years, Google has moved from postcard verification (where you receive a postcard with a code) to video verification.
Today, video verification is the norm, so we recommend you resort to a guide to get the process right and get verified as soon as possible.
Optimize your Google Business Profile listing
Once your profile is set up, you have to fill in all essential details that you haven’t entered yet: hours of operation, attributes such as languages you or your staff are fluent in, if clients have to make an appointment before visiting your office (if that’s the case), and others.
You can choose here additional services that your business provides; this helps Google better understand what you offer and match you with relevant searches.
If you’re a dentist, for example, you might want to add services such as Teeth Whitening, Dental Implants, Dental Crowns, and Dental Bridges.*
*Note: services that are suggested by Google are the most important ones to add, as they have a higher chance of appearing as suggested features on the Map Pack.
You also want to add high-quality photos of your business to show potential clients what you offer, and regularly update your profile with posts, offers, and events to keep it fresh.
Managing and responding to reviews
One of the best ways to boost your Google Business Profile is by encouraging happy customers to leave reviews. Good reviews can significantly improve your visibility in search results.
The more great reviews you have, the better your chances of standing out to potential customers.
We also suggest encouraging your clients to leave reviews that include relevant keywords. For example, a review like “I got an implant to replace my root canal, and it was a comfortable, pain-free experience” works better for your local SEO strategy than something like “Good service, will return.”
In the screenshot below, you’ll see the difference: reviews with keywords do make an impact.
This example shows the results we got by searching for “Boston dentist implants.”
Do local keyword research and optimization
Getting found by local customers starts with smart local keyword research. Here’s how to nail it:
Begin by brainstorming keywords that are relevant to your business and location. Think about what terms people near you might use to find your services.
For example, if you run a bakery in Chicago, keywords like “best cupcakes in Chicago” or “Chicago bakery” could be a good start. There are free tools, such as Google’s Autocomplete, that let you in on what people are looking for the most:
By inputting “best bakery in Chicago” we have now discovered that people are interested in looking for the best bakery in the suburbs and that they are looking for bakeries that offer birthday cakes, among other topics.
If you have already set up your Google Business Profile, there is a function called Performance that also lets you know how people are looking for your business.
Take a look at this example:
We had a client who focused on the keyword “removals company” because that was their main category in GBP.
But when we checked their profile, we found out that people were searching for “moving company” instead. (Plus, “removals company” is commonly used in the UK, not the US, so it was a misstep in terms of keyword localization, but that’s a whole other subject).
Of course, there are paid tools you might want to check out, such as Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool or Ahrefs’ Keyword Explorer, but in case you’re on a budget, we suggest Autocomplete and the Performance panel to start with.
What can you do with these keywords? Well, you might want to add a few additional categories to your GBP if that’s possible, and you’ll want to optimize your website’s content with them. We’ll take a look at this next.
Optimize on-page SEO for local businesses
We already mentioned the importance of local keywords for your local SEO strategy. Now we’ll tell you some ways in which you can use them to optimize your website.
Writing optimized titles and meta descriptions
Title tags and meta descriptions are the first glimpses of your content that potential clients have, so you need to make sure they find what they’re looking for and that they click your result.
For this reason, it’s highly advisable to integrate local keywords into your title tags and meta descriptions. If you’re a dentist in Miami, for example, your title tag could be something like “Top Rated Miami Dentist | [Your Brand’s Name].”
In the meta description, mention your services and location, like “Looking for a reliable dentist in Miami? Visit [Your Brand’s Name] for expert dental care.”
Incorporating local keywords into content and anchor text
Local keywords are phrases that include your city, your neighborhood, or service region, and they help search engines connect your business with users who are searching in your area.
For example, you might want to target “best coffee shop in Pasadena” instead of “best coffee shop” in one of your blog posts.
You should also include local keywords in your service pages, product descriptions, and even on your FAQ page. If you run a bakery in Miami, your product descriptions could mention “Miami’s best cupcakes” or “freshly baked goods in Miami”, for example.
Besides incorporating this type of keyword into your content, you should also include it in your anchor text (the clickable words in which you find a hyperlink).
Let’s see an example: imagine you’re linking to your menu page. You could use an anchor text such as “Check out our menu in Pasadena” instead of “Click here to see our menu”.
Ensure NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) consistency
Google needs all information regarding your business to be accurate to show your business in local searches. If your name, address, or phone number (NAP) is different across websites, it can confuse search engines and hurt your rankings.
That’s why it’s so important that this information is consistent across all mediums in which your business is listed across the web, such as directories.
1. Check all listings
Make a list of everywhere your business is listed online—Google, Yelp, Facebook, etc. You have to ensure your NAP is the same on all of them, down to the smallest detail.
2. Fix any mistakes
If you find any inconsistencies, don’t hesitate and fix them right away. Even small differences, like “Street” versus “St.” or different phone formats, can cause problems.
3. Keep it updated
As your business changes, you should update your NAP everywhere. Whether you move, change your phone number, or rename your business, make sure all your listings reflect those changes.
4. Regularly monitor your listings
Make a habit of regularly checking your online listings to make sure everything is still accurate. This will keep your search visibility strong and make it easier for customers to find you.
5. Don’t forget about your Google Business Profile
There should be NAP consistency between your GBP and your website, so make sure changes are reflected here too.
Get local customer reviews on your website
We’ve already talked about reviews, and how they can show that your business is active and trusted in your community. However, once you have enough of them, it is an extremely good idea to showcase them on your website.
This can be as simple as adding a testimonials section or adding a plugin that can display your best Google Business Profile reviews on your landing pages.
Create location-based landing pages
Remember we talked about storefront vs. service provider businesses in the Google Business Profile section of this article?
Well, there’s a strategy that many service providers use to target specific service areas and boost your local SEO: location pages. Here’s how to use them effectively:
1. Focus on each location
If your business serves multiple areas, create a separate landing page for each one. For example, if you’re a plumber serving both Dallas and Fort Worth, you’d have one page optimized for “Dallas plumbing services” and another for “Fort Worth plumbing services.” This helps search engines connect your business with those specific locations.
2. Include local keywords
Make sure to incorporate local keywords throughout each landing page: for example, you should add mentions of the city or neighborhood where you provide services in all metadata, such as in your title tags, headings, and body text.
This helps search engines understand which location each page is targeting, improving your chances of showing up in local search results.
Common local SEO mistakes to avoid
There’s plenty of outdated information about local SEO optimization online, and figuring out what’s useful can be pretty confusing.
That’s why we’re breaking down some of the common mistakes people make when optimizing their GBP and website for local search, so you can steer clear of them.
Not claiming your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing
There’s no downside to claiming or creating a Google Business Profile, but there’s definitely a downside if you don’t.
If you’re running a local business and skip this step, you could be missing out on potential leads, better search rankings (since your GBP and website work hand-in-hand), and a great way to connect quickly with potential customers.
As we mentioned earlier, having a Google Business Profile lets you control your business’s online visibility; in other words, how people see your business on the web.
Ignoring negative reviews on your GBP
We’ve already talked about the importance of getting reviews and even suggesting keywords for your customers to include. But what do you do if you get a bad review on your Google Business Profile?
Most business owners have a wrong way of approaching this topic: they often end up lashing back at customers. If you do get a bad review, don’t get defensive. Instead, we suggest you apologize, explain the situation, and promise to do better.
Politely addressing bad reviews can help improve your business’s reputation, and it shows people that you are attentive to their concerns.
Overlooking mobile optimization
A not-so-small percentage of local searches come from mobile devices. Think about it: you are out and about and you’re looking for a nearby place to have lunch; chances are that you’ll look for it on your phone.
But it doesn’t stop there; you might also find yourself searching for services like house cleaning, pool maintenance, or car repairs, all from your phone.
This is why it’s so important that your website’s mobile version is perfectly optimized. It ensures that your potential customers can find the information they need right away, that they understand what your business is about, etc.
Having a mobile-friendly website has to do with user experience, but it is also considered a factor in search rankings and most important of all, on conversions.
Advanced local SEO strategies
Once you’ve got the basics down, you might want to take your local SEO optimization process to the next level.
Advanced techniques can certainly give your business the boost you are looking for in local search results: some of the strategies we suggest looking into are:
Adding a Google Map to your About page
You want your customers to know exactly where your business is, and it’s just as important for Google to recognize your specific location. That’s why adding a map to your About page is a smart move.
A map not only helps visitors find your business easily but it also signals to Google that there is a business in your location: yours.
Here’s how you can do it:
- First, you go to Google Maps and you search for your business.
- Second, you click on “Share”
Once you click on it, you’ll see a screen with two options: send a link and embed a map. Click on the embed option, and you’ll see something like this:
Here, you can choose which area you’d like to show on the map as well as zoom in or zoom out on your business, among other customization options.
Once you’re ready, you click on “Copy HTML” and you’ll get the code to embed the map on whatever page you like.
Getting high-quality local backlinks
If you don’t know what a backlink is, we’ll put it in simple words for you: a backlink is a link to another website that points to yours. When these links come from local, trusted sources, it signals to Google that your business is trusted within your community (and that you are an active and reliable member of it).
This helps improve your search rankings, making it more likely that your business appears in local searches. But most importantly, it drives users from the linking website to your website.
Some ways in which you can get local backlinks are sponsoring local events, collaborating with nearby businesses, getting mentioned in local press, and reaching out to suppliers to ask for a backlink on their website, to name just a few.
Creating hyper-local content that addresses your community
When you create hyper-local content for your blog, you are speaking directly to what your community is looking for, and it also makes you a local expert.
By creating content that highlights local events, landmarks or content that addresses topics people in your area are curious about, you show that you are part of your community.
Imagine you run a landscaping business in Miami: it would be an amazing idea to write a blog post on “best plants for Miami’s climate” or “How to prepare your garden for Miami’s summer season”, which indirectly promotes your services.
You should always remember, though, that the key to creating local content is to make it engaging and useful for your audience. Don’t craft content just for the sake of doing so: you should make an effort to truly address your community’s needs and interests.
Ready to start working?
And there you have it! We’ve covered most of the local SEO techniques you need to know to improve your business’s visibility, from Google Business Profile optimization to leveraging local keywords to optimize your content.
Now it’s your turn. We hope you give these tips a try and watch how they can transform your local online presence.
