When most people think of local SEO marketing, they default to their Google Business Profile, local citations, and backlinks. But many steps need to be taken on-page to help get your local SEO noticed by Google.
When customers start searching for the best products and services near them, you want your business to appear at the top of the list. But local search engine optimization requires a strategic and targeted approach that starts on your website pages.
Local search optimization is important for businesses serving specific cities, regions, and even provinces. When done right, it can allow people to find the information they want to know about your business quickly and easily, putting them one step closer to a transaction.
Where To Start
When trying to capture those “near me” results, there are specific on-page optimizations that can play a significant factor in search engines finding and ranking your website. You first want to make sure your name, address, and phone number is consistent across all of your web pages. While it may seem simple, this information can make or break your local SEO strategy. Make sure you have this information displayed prominently on your site, such as in the footer, so that it will appear on every page. You can also display your information on your service area pages or your contact page in the body. But remember, consistency matters. So, it is important that this crucial business information is the same anywhere your potential customers will find you online, and anywhere Google may be using it for comparison to ensure its accuracy.
The Content
The content on your website can be an opportunity to show customers and the search engines that you are the top provider in your area for the product or services you provide. You will want to include specific details in your content, such as street names and landmarks. Make it clear why your customer wants your product or needs your service in that specific area.
Try to think like your customer. If you were looking for your service near you, what terms would you search? You may want to include your local metro, city, or even neighbourhood. This can help you determine which type of content you need and the keywords to include in the content. This is how Google’s “near me” searches come into play.
These keywords can be optimized on targeted pages that are created specifically for your service or product in a certain area or all pages on your website. Customers who live in an area will know the common jargon and things that are native to the area. So don’t forget to do your research. If you can use some of these local terms or landmarks, your customers will know you are truly authentic and care about their local area.
Optimize Header Tags
Header tags are significant when it comes to SEO. Creating great header tags can give the visitors to your site and the web crawlers a basic idea of the overall structure of your page and what they can expect when they read through your content. Use your well-researched keywords in your header tags, but be careful not to overstuff them as this will come across as unnatural to your visitors and the web crawlers.
Is It Working?
Once you have everything optimized on your pages and are ready to go, you will want to know if your changes are having an impact on your local SEO strategy. With Google Business Profile Analytics you should see a boost in your metrics whether those are click throughs to your site, requests for driving directions, or calls to your business. As your visibility increases, you should naturally see an increase in traffic. But remember, when optimizing for on-page local SEO, keep it simple and relevant to your business and the area you serve. Once customers see that you provide what they want in their location, the rest will come naturally.
Even with rapid changes happening in local SEO, a solid on-page strategy can be a winner for both you and your customers. Contact our team at Unwired Web Solutions today to learn more about SEO services in Waterloo.