5 Local SEO Optimization Tips That Will Get You Noticed

Every brick-and-mortar business is concerned about how much traffic they’re getting. With the number of people online these days and the hours they spend in front of some type of screen, your online presence is crucial. Gone are the days you can simply put your business ad in the newspaper and expect people to come knocking. It’s 2023, and in order to compete with all the other businesses out there, you have to work smart. Your advantage is that you are a local business that cares about local customers. Not only do you offer excellent customer service, but you create a customer experience that they can’t get through ordering something online. Your only disadvantage is the fact that no one knows about you yet. Lucky for you, here are some local SEO optimization tips for your local SEO strategy, to get more traffic to your website, and as a result, traffic to your business location.

Tip 1: NAP Out Your Business

This may seem like common sense, but your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) have to be accessible online. Put it on your website, your social media pages, your blog, your Google Ads, and Google My Business (GMB). If you don’t have all of those things to put your NAP on, you need them! Start building those different pages today and make sure that the number one thing you do is list the name, address, and phone number of your business somewhere easy to find. Make sure you list it in exactly the same format and spelling across all platforms. Even using the same font type and size is a good idea. If you put Drive at the end of your address, don’t put Dr. at the end of it on another page. Keep everything exactly the same so that your customers recognize you no matter where they go. This is all part of building your brand.

Tip 2: Put a Map on Your Website

Sure, people can copy and paste your address into their GPS, but the best thing you can do as a business owner makes finding your business the absolute easiest thing in the world for people. Give them the address, and then next to it, display a map. If they still call you for directions, kindly give them directions. The more people that get to your store, the better. If you haven’t given them every chance to find you, you have no one to blame but yourself. Next to a map of your store’s location, including your NAP, opening and closing hours, driving directions, phone numbers, social media links, and sharing options.

Tip 3: Get Citations

Work with other local businesses to promote your business. Look for quality businesses that people trust and have them mention your business in their blog posts. Citations about your business in the local newspaper or popular magazines are a great way to spread the word as well. See if a local social media influencer will collaborate with you and promote your product in exchange for free samples or a percentage of sales. Anything that mentions your business in a positive light will make people start to trust you and want to do business with you.

Tip 4: Ask for Reviews

Speaking of positive feedback, it’s always a good idea to ask customers, old and new, to leave a review. The importance of online reviews cannot be understated as people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Have your customers leave a review on your Google My Business page, your website, your social media page, and anything else that represents your business. If people aren’t sure what to say, offer to write the review for them and get their approval before posting. Some people are happy to help but don’t have the time or know what you’re hoping they will say. If you don’t want to ask for reviews, another option is having people fill out a survey providing feedback after working with you or shopping at your store. Sending them an email helps them feel less pressure and like they can speak more freely.

Tip 5: Be More Local

Use the fact that you are local to your advantage. When your customers link you to your location, your product or service suddenly becomes an experience that is part of your town. Tourists will want to visit you and locals will feel right at home in your store. Add some local merchandise to your product line or offer a discount to locals or tourists depending on the season. Connect with local events and see how you can help each other. Consider sponsoring a local event so that people will see you and hear about you there and connect your business brand with your city. Every time you post on social media, be sure to include hashtags of your city, town, business, and other local events.

 

Follow these five steps SEO strategies to increase the visibility of your business and contact our friendly and professional team at The Marketing Cartel for additional help and information regarding SEO tips and tricks.