If your website caters only to specific towns and cities, the search engine optimization used needs to be focused locally. In other words, the site needs to be optimized for the local customers or clients that are searching to buy or use the product.
This is exactly the type of search engine optimization that local businesses need to use. Here are some tips to explain how to do it.
On-Page SEO
The on-page optimization, namely the meta information and content, for local SEO is not different from optimizing websites that are not geographically focused. The title, description, and site content still needs to be geared for the reader and geared for the search engines. Mainly, the difference is, that in local SEO, there is a keyword focus on geography. The key is to do the proper research and then to apply it to the site correctly. Here are some things to focus on:
- Ensure that the geographic location being focused on is in the title and in the content
- Have the complete address for the business on the page.
- Include the local area's name with the chosen phrase/phrases (for example, Sacramento Plumbing Services)
- Geo position meta tags can be helpful
Note: to ensure that proper keyword/keyword-phrase density is used to avoid the site seeming unnatural, to both surfers and search engines.
Researching for Local SEO
Research cannot be overstated. Learn how web surfers are looking for the product or service in the local area in question. This is not going to be the same for all geographic areas: In one city searchers may search for 'Sacramento accounting services" but in another they may search more often for "accountants in San Francisco."
Off page SEO Tactics for Local SEO
After all the research and on-page optimization is complete, there is still a lot more to do. Inbound links with the chosen localized keyword phrases need to point to the local page. Here are some off-site methods to help your local site or page(s) get found:
- Find relevant sites and use the local keyword phrases as the anchor text
- Find local directories and get listed
- Find local review sites
- Find blogs about the local area
- Find local groups
The effectiveness of a local SEO campaign depends on many factors including, the initial research, competitiveness of key-phrases in the area, the quality of on-site optimization, and the effectiveness of the off-site tactics being used. Depending on the competitiveness, this can take anywhere from two months to six months, with results depending on other factors including age of site.
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