Search Engine Optimization is almost everything for the websites that means your websites rank well in search engine result page (SERP). When people search online with a certain keyword SEO brings your website at the top in Search engine results page and also in Google My Business Listings generally Called Local SEO. Organic SEO and Local SEO, these both are basic terms but it has its own importance.
Local SEO or Google My Business functions to promote your business visibility on the basis of the location-based search. It is just a variety of your common SEO for ensuring your business gets appeared online by the people who are looking for it at their zone. A website is an added flavor for your business if you have not a website still you can appear in Local SEO but you need to have a physical store or location.
Local SEO explicitly causes you to upgrade your business for individuals looking from a nearby area or location. For example, if you look for that “restaurants near me” or “restaurants in JP Nagar” Google indexes information with the relevant key-term and will show the results to us. If you are not listed in your local business in Google, you cannot assume how many nearby potential customers and traffic you are losing who are searching for particular products or services.
Mobile users generally search for nearby businesses to end up their queries, in light of the fact they want an instant solution and they get to the closest location and make a purchase. As indicated by an ongoing report, roughly 56% of people take quick action by searching for nearby locations business or service. The response search engine shows your business data and site and probability is there that customers can connect you directly. Google picks up the geo-location of the person and provides search results of that area.
According to the Forbes study, 95% of smartphone users have used their mobile to perform local searches, 61% called the business and 59% visited the business. And “Search Engine Watch” survey says that approximately 70% of smartphone users click to call a business directly from Google search results.
Presently these are the figures which show leads from area-based looks are a noteworthy road for potential clients, and those numbers will just continue developing. Since these leads are from individuals who are explicitly looking for items or administrations that your business offers, it is sheltered to expect that these are qualified leads that will have a higher change rate too.
How Does Local SEO Impact Your Business?
If you own a business, having optimized your business Local SEO can be very helpful. The following are the key benefits of local SEO:
- A lot of people local and non-local keep searching for a business, products, and services and with local SEO you can capture the potential customers for your business. Local SEO helps the customers to reach the business that they are looking for.
- Local SEO shows the relevant information to potential customers, when they search or when they want it. For example, if your restaurant is providing free WiFi with a discount, and it displays that information in local SEO while that means it will attract customers who are looking for.
- The most important part of local SEO is it helps your business to reach out in local searches and brings more traffic through online leads even though you have not a business website.
According to the Moz report, around 61% of people who made a local search finished up with calling the business. Local search engine optimization helps the potential customers to take the action according to their needs, and in an instance, it assists your business with quality leads that you can convert.
Local SEO (search engine optimization) helps people to take the decision in favor of your business. The more and genuine data of your business increases the trust of the people. This creates a strong base upon which you can build a mutually beneficial customer relationship.
Google My Business Optimisation:
Here are the tips to optimize your Google My Business listing:
- Fill all the necessary information required for your local SEO listing. Make your profile 100% complete and up-to-date.
- Select a logo or profile picture. The image should be interesting and must be related to the type of business.
- While uploading images make sure that the file is named properly with your keyword. Example: “Keyword-area-xyzMobile shop and services.jpg
- Add multiple images to your Google My Business listing or local SEO and be sure that the file is named with your targeted keywords.
- You must categorize your business according to your specialization. For example, if you have an Italian restaurant and specializing in sweet dishes- then select the right category with keywords “ Italian Sweet Dishes and Restaurant”
Write down the exact format for your business including with business name, address, and business contact number.
Here are the following tips to improve your businesses’ local search position:
1. Claim your business: First, you need to claim your business in Google My Business. Creating a local page is as much easy as creating a mail id. Just you have to log in with valid mail Gmail id.
2. Categorize your pages: You will have to pay special attention while creating your business page. During the time of creating your page, you will be asked to select your business category. After choosing the primary category, you will get the option to choose from other additional categories for your business and then you have to write keywords related to your business.
3. Be consistent: When it comes to the local business listing you will have to be consistent for giving new updates regarding your business. It may be offers, events, or about your business branches. You should properly maintain the branch’s name, address, and phone numbers to connect with the users.
If your business already has been listed somewhere on the internet unknowingly, then you will have to trace down the listing and claim it for your business so that you can edit all the information and can manage it consistently.
1. Reviews: Reviews are the most important factor for your running business. It is just a showcase on the search engine result page for your business. When it comes to local search Google looks reviews as a ranking factor so keep working to get more reviews, in general, that means it should be the genuine one.
2. On-page optimization: Once you have completed your local listing, make sure that you use every chance that you need to create it look attractive. Post quality pictures and make sure your description is keyword-rich and visitors what you are all about.
3. Quality inbound links: Apart from local citations, you should make an endeavor to get a decent amount of quality inbounds links from an authoritative source or website. By social sharing, content growth and outreach, you can boost your amount of inbound links.
4. Hire a local SEO company: There is always something new to do in SEO. The search world is constantly evolving, work consistently need to be performed for local SEOendeavor cannot set and leave. If you do not have time, you can hire a reputable SEO firm.
Keyword Research for Local SEO:
“Keyword research is very important as a part of SEO” You must have seen that when people search for anything online, they search through keywords. For example, if someone wants to search for a restaurant, they would use keywords such as: “Restaurants near me, Best Italian Restaurant, Restaurants with party hall” These are some keywords that show customer’s search requirements.
If your goal is to be at the top of search engine result pages, then you need to do good SEO and keywords are very important for your business. So whenever your keywords are searched by a prospective client, they find you and click the link to land on your website and purchase your product or service.
Know About Citations:
What are the citations?
Citations serve as distinctive online data that helps present and potential customers to find information about a business. In terms of local SEO, Citation is simply where your business is listed on different websites on the internet. Local citations are used to assist you in rank on local maps or local search results page. An instance of your citation might be a business directory like yellow pages, yelp, TradeIndia, India pages where your business is explicitly listed by NAPW (Name, Address, Phone Number, Website URL). Doing citations is important in SEO and is the main factor in improving your local search.
Local citations come in various forms, for example:
- Company name.
- Company name & phone number.
- Company name, phone number, & address.
- Company name, phone number, address, & website.
- Company name, & website.
- Company phone number.
Two types of Citations:
Citations can be divided into two categories, structured or unstructured.
Structured Citation: A structured citation is nothing but business information on a business listing directory on the internet. When you see lists of local citations on other sites, these are almost always business listing directories where you submit your business details using NAPW and get a citation or listing.
Example sites for structured citations include:
- Yelp
- Yellowpages
- MapQuest
Unstructured Citations:
An unstructured citation means you are providing your business information on any other website that is not specifically a business listing directory. Here are the common examples for unstructured citations are blogs, magazine/newspaper sites, wikis, etc.
About the author: Kamlesh Gupta is a Digital Marketing Trainer & Skills Trainer at Learn Digital Academy & Digital Marketing Executive at Webi7 Digital Media in Bangalore. With his affluent knowledge, he has trained many youngsters & professionals.
Are you looking to master SEO in different skills? Join our SEO Training Institute in Bangalore. We provide in-depth practical SEO Training with Real-Time Live Projects and make you learn from basics to advanced techniques from Industry Experienced Trainers
