We have many clients who want to be ranked on the 1st page of Google through Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Who doesn’t? Simply because you have a website does not mean you will be ranked on the first page of Google. Much goes into helping a website rank and it’s constant updating as Google continues to update its algorhithm with the most recent Core Update coming this month.

Ranking locally means that local customers will be able to find you. This is essential when you want to grow your local customer base. Most people when they Google something will find what they are looking for on that first page or maybe the second. Most will not venture past the first couple of pages. Many will go to the Google Local Pack Listings as well. Here are Eight Tips on Local Search Engine Optimization; don’t forget to check your website for our complimentary Local SEO report below.

  1. Optimize Google My Business
    • This includes making sure your business is verified, asking clients for reviews and responding to each of the reviews as well. When responding to the reviews, don’t forget to include the service as well as your location with city and state.
    • You are also able to post updates and offers on Google My Business.
  2. Create More Content and also Increase Local Content
    • Content is king! Googlebots (web crawlers) comb websites for content for end users. Posting new articles or blogs on pertinent information on your business helps build organic traffic. Make sure to know your keywords and also to optimize all of your blog posts by using internal linking, backlinking, H1 and H2 tags and adding a unique title tag and meta description.
    • Adding location pages on your website for each actual location that you have is essential as well.
  3. Optimize your Onsite SEO including Title Tags, Meta Descriptions and Content
    • Your entire website can be optimized on the back end. Have you ever searched for a company’s website and it comes up with a title tag on Google of HOME? This is a complete waste and can easily be updated on the backend of most websites.
    • Use keywords as well as locations
  4. Improve Internal Linking
    • Internal linking is simply giving Google a roadmap on your website. Google wants to have a flow throughout your website. Without any internal linking they won’t have that.
  5. Get Inbound Links
    • This is one of the tougher items to accomplish. Inbound links that come from reputable sources are essential. Government (.gov) and education (.edu) are top on the list but links from Chambers, Networking Groups, websites with a high Domain Authority also work.
  6. Decrease Website Load Time
    • If your website loads slowly, most people will not wait. When building a website and once it is completed, there are several things you can do to help decrease the load time. Those include optimizing images, using a CDN, minify JavaScript and CSS, and more.
  7. Engage on social media and add posts to Google My Business
    • Both platforms are able to provide engagement and increase views for your website and your company. Social media is a great
  8. Your website must be mobile-friendly
    • This seems like a no brainer to most of us, but it is amazing how many websites we still run across that are not mobile-friendly. More than half of your views (this is conservative) on your website will be from a phone or tablet. If your website is not mobile-friendly yet, then you are definitely missing out.

While this is an overview of Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO), we encourage you to check your results below. We offer a free Local SEO report. Simply add your business’ name and enter. We will for a little contact information, and you are off to the races.