Improving Your Local SEO 

Global search engine optimization is important, but as the number of mobile searches continue to rise, being found online locally has become just as important. 88% of consumers that conduct a local search on the mobile phone visit or call a store that same day. If your local service business is not ranking very high in your area, you could be losing out to competitors.

Improving SEO takes time, but there are some steps you can take to help get you there:

Optimize Your Google My Business Listing

One of the easiest actions you can take to improve rank higher on Google is by using Google’s own tools and resources. Start by claiming your free Google My Business account, if you haven’t already. A completed profile will not only benefit you on Google’s search engine results page, but it will also legitimize your business to potential customers. 

Complete Your Google My Business Profile

• Providing your address and contact information
• Updating your business hours (including Holiday hours)
• Write a clear description about your business and services
• Add photos of your location, employees, or even equipment
• Encourage customers to leave Google reviews for your business 

By focusing on each of these elements, your local business has the opportunity to appear on Google’s Local Pack. If Google sees that a user is searching with keywords that have local intent (like “Waukesha pest control” or “Pest control near me”), Google will show a Local Pack on the SERP with three physical locations Google deems to be most relevant to the keywords. This feature dominates local search, especially on mobile. 

Add Local Keywords

The process of finding the right keywords that your local customers would use to search for you is a bit more detailed. Start by mapping out each page of your website. You can use a free crawler tool like Screaming Frog to help you find each of your web pages. Then, list 3-5 unique keywords that each page should focus on. Google’s Keyword Planner is a great resource to help you discover relevant keywords with search volume. You can also filter your results based on your target location to narrow down the popular search terms for your given area. 

Once you have a clear outline for each page on your website, incorporate your selected keywords within each page, as well as in the title tags and meta descriptions. Remember, if your goal is to attract more local customers your focus should be on local keywords.

If you’re an automotive shop, you might do keyword research on:

• Auto repair in Waukesha
• Waukesha full service auto 
• Towing company in Waukesha area
• Local car repair services
• Professional Waukesha auto repair

Create Local Content

Your content should be created with your audience in mind, whether it’s blogs, infographics, videos, or web pages. Create local-focused content that speaks and relates directly to local customers. 

• Community events – Show that your business is involved in your local community, and aware of news and events. Whether your business is participating in an area fundraiser or there’s a big change happening related to your market, keep your customers informed.
• Company updates – It’s always easy to write about what you know. Sharing any big news or changes taking place within your company is great exposure for your business. 
• Testimonials/Case studies – Showcase your work by creating case studies or testimonials from customers in your area. Prospects are more inclined to use your service if they see others in their same area have had success.

Search engines answering local search queries want to send users to sites that will give them the most valuable answers. If you have great content with local authority, you’re on the right track.

Add Location Pages

If your business has more than one physical location, you can boost your local SEO by adding location pages to your website. A designated page for each location gives you the opportunity to target each area with local content. 

Make the content unique to each page:

• Individual descriptions of the location
• Employees or technicians of the location
• Services specific to that location
• Special promotions
• Community involvement for the surrounding area
• Unique hours or parking
• Google Maps attached to each location page

Optimize Your Website for Mobile

Nearly 70% of all web traffic happens on a mobile device. With this number continuing to rise year over year, a mobile-optimized website is no longer an option. Google’s mobile-first indexing means that the mobile version of your website is Google’s starting point for what to include in the index, and the baseline for determining SERP rankings. If your website lacks a mobile-friendly experience, it could negatively impact your website ranking. 

How to improve your mobile experience:

• Use a responsive design (No pinch-to-zoom!)
• Aim for a loading speed of less than 2 seconds
• Offer the same content on mobile that you have on desktop

What’s Next?

Although SEO can take time to show effects, it’s not the time to sit back and relax. Monitor your target keywords, your page rankings, and your Google Analytics to see where improvements can be made. SEO continues to change, and you never know when Google will introduce new features on the SERP’s for local searches – But know that they’re coming. Need some help monitoring your local SEO? Let’s get in touch. Our SEO experts make it a weekly priority to stay up-to-date on any changes with Google. We know how to optimize your website for local buyers, so your business can be found when your community is looking.