SEO can save you the money and get you far if you’re a small business, but knowing how to use it in the appropriate way will get you even further. Small businesses have always had trouble to stay on top of the ever-changing consumers’ tendencies and trends. When online presence appeared as an important aspect of any successful business, that challenge became more demanding and tricky. Local SEO will get you a higher Google ranking and simultaneously get your customers who look for a business in the specific place.
So here are some hints to help you get it right and create a successful presence for your small business and put you out there on the local map.
1. Claim your Google My Business page
Google My Business service will help you place your business on the visible place so your consumers can notice you easily. This is a perfect tool for a small business and with a little effort, you can achieve much. Since 2014 update this became a combination of Google+ business accounts and Google Places for Business due to some spam issues the company had back then. The algorithm works on the principle that the customer will require a product in their immediate vicinity and will enter the desired products’ location in the search engine as well. So using the Google My Business service will help potential customer and business meet each other.
2. Leave the same contact
Online presence is like a virtual business card with name, address and phone number information so the customers can reach you. That’s why you should make sure that the correct information is left on all platforms, from your business’ website to the social media. Make sure that this data is visible and clear for the online audience, and repeat them wherever possible. You can keep your info in the footer and header of your website besides placing it on your homepage, about us and contact page, as an example. If any change occurs, immediately enter the updated segment on all your online display places.
3. Include a Google Map
When you look for a location the first thing you will try is to find it on the map. Google Map app has become hugely popular because it allows you to find any address and get direction to arrive there by foot or vehicle in all possible routes. So it is a normal practice today to see the Google Map embedded near the contact information on your website. If you point to your Google Plus local listing you will be always visible even if the user is not looking for you, and that’s how you become visible and it can even get you unexpected potential customers.
4. Do not forget the Geotag
If you own a localized business then you can’t forget the Geotag in your website’s code. Using the best search engine optimization company will certainly save you the time and trouble, but if you want to try it alone, define the tag using one of the many online tools. Make sure that you include this tag in the code of every page on your website and in the correct manner. Geotag will allow the search engine to note your location and get you higher rankings when someone looks for the local business.
5. Separate page for each branch
If you have businesses in other locations than the home site, then you have to include them in your website and create a separate page for each. The important thing when doing this is to create a unique contact for every branch and not only copy and replace information. You can achieve this by adding customer reviews, specify some special offers which differ that branch, partake in the local community by sponsoring or organizing events, add advice from local experts and even create a blog to keep your customers informed and up-to-date with news.
Finally,
Local businesses will always have the advantage in their territory, but even there they can find some fierce competition. That’s why using the local SEO is important and can allow people to find you more easily. The above-mentioned advice is just a small part you can do and the most common one, which will get you started with the local SEO.
