Our Blog What is Local SEO and Why is it Important? Posted on 04.18.2024 Marketing When people find your business through a Google search, local SEO has been working behind the scenes. Whether you own or manage a local cleaning business, retail shop, restaurant, beauty salon, or other local service provider (e.g. dentist, wedding photographer, counselor, etc.), local SEO must be part of your overall optimization strategy. What is local SEO and why is it important? How can you get a better handle on local SEO for your business website? Follow along as we highlight a few local SEO strategies and tactics you can put in play today. We’ll cover on-site as well as off-site SEO that plays into the most important factors associated with localization best practices. Jump to Section On-Site Local SEO On-Site Local SEO Off-Site Local SEO On-Site Local SEO Local SEO involves on-site tactics as well as off-site tactics to improve organic search for your website. First, on-site SEO tactics include the actions you can take within and on your website to improve its standing in local searches. Many on-site SEO tactics are not visible to you and your visitors, but Google sees all, so enhancing your website should enhance your position in organic search results. Local SEO Keywords Researching the keywords people use to find your local business is the first step in optimizing your web presence for local SEO. You can research competitors’ keywords and use several tools to learn how people are searching for your products and services. Meta Descriptions and Tags Some local SEO tactics include code called meta data, which is information that users may or may not see when they visit your site. One of those is the meta description, which is the snippet that shows up on Google and other search engines. Other meta tags show up when you mouse over a photo or other image, e.g. the “alt tags.” The Page Title shows at the top of a page in some browsers, but that is important to search engines, as well. Many of this meta data can be optimized, and some of it may be overlooked. Whether it can be seen or not, it is good to review and enhance meta data on a regular basis. Localized Copy The copy on your website can be localized to include relevant location information. For example, basic localized copy would include your city and possibly the neighborhood where your business is located. A skilled SEO content strategist can work this into existing copy to enhance local SEO. Off-Site Local SEO Off-site strategies for local SEO include things that do not appear on your website. For example, many people use a map app to search for local businesses, so making sure your map listing is accurate and detailed can improve SEO. Similarly, Google Business Profile helps you get found, and depending on your industry, local directories may also factor into enhancing search results. Maps It may seem obvious, but map listings are the most important off-site assets. Accuracy is key in your map listing, so be sure that the name, address, phone number, and URL match your website exactly. Google Business Profile Your Google Business Profile and Google Map listing can be managed from the same place. Did you know that you can also post updates, list holiday hours and closures, and respond to reviews on your profile? And with the Google Business Profile app, it is easier than ever to manage your listing on the go and see keywords people use to find you and track how many calls and click-throughs you receive. Off-Site Directories Some businesses have a lot of competition for local SEO, so anything that can be done to improve visibility on the Internet is helpful. That’s where online directories come in. For example, the local media may have listings of commonly searched businesses, like restaurants, doctors, dentists, cleaners, lawncare, and so on. Do your research on local directories, and get listed in ones that seem the most relevant to your audience. When you have questions about local SEO and what it can do for your business, reach out to Metro Studios. Our digital marketing team can help you improve local SEO so your customers can find you!