10 SEO Strategies for Local Business Websites

Posted by Patrick Lynch on June 18, 2019
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If you run a store-front business or offer a service that is within a specific local-based geographic area, then you will want to focus your marketing efforts on getting in front of local traffic.

Since many marketing initiatives are of a more global nature that don’t help you at all, there’s actually a few specific things you can do to ensure you get visible in front of the local people that you want to attract to your business.

Aside from using targeted Facebook and Google Ads, local search optimization can help your business be found in searches when people are looking for a business likes yours in their area.

So what can you do to get your website to rank better for local search?

 

Optimize Each Web Page to Rank For the Target Keyword

Put the keyword phrase in several spots in the wording and coding of your website pages including:

  • Meta keyword and description tags
  • File name or URL of the page. For example: best-home-staging-Abbotsford.html
  • Header of the page within an H1 tag
  • Sub headers of the page within H2 and H3 tags
  • File names of graphics used on the page
  • Hyperlinked text containing the keyword phrase, ideally located in the first and last paragraph of the page
  • Header tag using the keyword phrase at the end of the page

 

Make a List of Areas Want to Rank For

This will include your city, your major metropolitan area, county, and  state. Think about the Neighboring towns that your business can also service in addition to your own.

Then create long-tail keyword phrases for each of these. For example instead of optimizing for “Web Design”, you can optimize for several phrases including: ”Yardley Web Design” and then “Philadelphia Web Design”, lastly “Pennsylvania Web Design."


Add Your Business Address at The Footer of Your Website 

This not only acts as a clue that shows Google you are a local business but also shows your website visitors that they are in the right place. Showing your location and the areas served on your website is vital for localized businesses. It’s also a good idea to embed a dynamic Google Map for good measure and ease of customers finding your location.

 

Add a link to your business on Google Maps

Check to see if your business is showing up on Google Maps and if not, add a submission to have it included. Not only will this serve to help customers find directions to your place, but it’s also another marker that tells Google, ergo it will help your potential customers find you.


Create a Web Page, Video and Blog Post For Each Local and Relevant Keyword

Using the keywords and geographic locations throughout your website is also important for the search engines to keep you top of mind in their search results. Avoid adding these pages to the primary navigation if possible; however, they do still need to link back to your website home page in order to get indexed.

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Regularly Write, or Film New Local Content

Adding new content to a website, especially as a blog post, is important for any organization that wants to drive more traffic to their website. Making that new content location-based, makes it even more valuable to your potential customers. 

This could be a press release about things you are doing in the community. You could do a review of a new local service, restarant or product. You can also create a recommended links page that shares information about other complementary local businesses.

 

Share Local Pictures

Make a point to take pictures of your business doing things in local places. Name these pictures when you post them to your website or blog with file names including your local keyword phrases.

 

Image Alt Tags are Crucial

Make sure all the images used on your website have local keyword phrase file names and alt tags.

 

Submit Your Website & Company Information to Local and Niche Directories

Using local directories and major directories with local listings is invaluable to getting your local business found. Directories such as Yelp, and Foursquare are great places to start. Create a full profile and be sure to add all of your contact and location information.


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Topics: SEO, List

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Welcome to the Flood Zone!

FZ Creative is a full-service marketing agency based in Yardley, Pennsylvania. FZ caters to clients of all industries, but specifically in the Aviation, Finance, Architecture, Technology, and Local Business. FZ Creative’s services include but are not limited to Web Design & Development, Inbound Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Print & Packaging Design, Social Media Management, Email Marketing, Video Production and everything in between!

If you are a small startup who needs a professional logo design, or an established company with a dated website that needs a revamp, give us a call today!

 

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