Local SEO – or local search engine optimization – is critical to local business today, when online search engines generate the bulk of visitors to any business’ website. Getting your business website found in Google and other search engines, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and other search engines, is the first step in driving online visitors. And finding your business getting found based on WHAT YOU DO and WHERE YOU DO IT is the overarching goal of both search engines AND their users (your customers!). The tips below focus on easy ways to improve local SEO for your website.
From our local “All Things Hinesburg” business directory partner, DiscoverHinesburg.com.
How to Improve Local SEO for Your Local Business Website
- Claim and optimize your Google My Business Profile, and get Google reviews. The Google MyBusiness (GMB) profile is the de facto source for your online data on Google. Yes, Google references its own business directory data before it searches for other sources. So be sure you’ve registered your business or claimed your profile on GMB. Further, Google will reward you for posting regularly to your GMB profile. It’s a lot like managing your social media networks, soin just a few clicks you can really boost the attention Google gives your site — albeit temporarily. Posts “expire” every 3 days. So be sure to blog often, and copy those posts to your Google My Business profile!
- NAP Regularly! Seriously, Name, Address, Phone (NAP) is critical to your local SEO health. Make sure that the way your business name is shown is the same in every outlet where your site is listed (e.g., DiscoverHinesbiurg.com should always be “DiscoverHinesburg.com”, not Discover Hinesburg, DiscoverHinesburg, or other derivatives. Ditto for phone number and address. Consistency among your contact data is a key factor in building trust with consumers. These NAPs also create multiple local citations for your business, so it’s important that the information that visitors use to find you is correct. is often recommended as a first step in any local SEO strategy
- Build Backlinks. Backlinks, meaning links from other websites that link to your website, are still extremely important in ranking your website for local SEO. THe kinks should contain keywords that are relevant to your business, or utilize your business name or location in the link. These inks express to Google (and visitors) that you are relevant to your local market in a specific business category, and they substantiate for Google where you are in the physical world. Local business directories like DiscoverHinesburg.com are among the top sources for local backlinks, since they are naturally relevant to your business, and the more relevant, quality backlinks you have, the higher your site can climb in search engine results for relevant keywords.
Stay tuned to the Hinesburg Blog for more local SEO and digital marketing tips! Up next: Local SEO Ranking Factors