Local SEO is the process of optimizing a business, brand, product, or service for a location-specific search query. Search engines such as Google and Bing use a searcher’s location to determine the best results to show them.
Search engines identify a user’s location based on their IP address for desktop searches and their geolocation for mobile searches. If someone searches for a car wash, the search engine will provide them with results that are near them, not hundreds of miles away.
The best way for your business to be found by local consumers searching for your products or services is by implementing a comprehensive local SEO strategy.
Local Searches on Google
The foundation of your local SEO will be done on Google. Google’s local search results combine two main parts–the organic search results and the local pack.
The organic search results will contain websites relevant to the search, and the local pack will contain business listings relevant to the search. Google populates these business listings through Google My Business. Google will also show ads relevant to the search query.
Good local SEO involves optimizing your website and your Google My Business listing; running ads is optional, but maintaining your site and Google My Business is a must.
Local SEO Best Practices
There are things you can be doing right now to improve your local SEO. You don’t have to pay money or spend a ton of time to get the basics down. All you will need is access to your business’s website and Google My Business. If you don’t have either of these things, you will need to as they are key components of local SEO.
The first thing you should do is ensure that your name, address, and phone number are consistent across your website and every business listing on the internet. The most common places you will find your business listed is on Google My Business, Yelp, and Bing.
There are over 70 different business listing services on the internet and a comprehensive local SEO program involves ensuring accurate listings on all of them. Ensuring accurate and complete business listings will help your local SEO immensely.
You should also be optimizing your website for location-specific keywords related to your products or services.
Local SEO Solutions for Your Business
Do you want to make sure that your business is seen by local consumers searching for products or services that your business offers? Then you need local SEO for your business. Biewer & Associates is here to help local consumers find your business. With our local SEO program, you can ensure that your business listing is complete, accurate, and up-to-date across over 70 different internet business listing services.
