The Scoop on Local Search Engine Optimization

If you have a website, you’ve probably heard the term SEO before, referring to search engine optimization. But what is local search optimization? This refers to the practice of optimizing a site for search activity related to a small geographical area. Although this is similar to national SEO, there are a few notable differences. Let’s review the most important ranking factors for local search optimization.

On-Page Optimization

It is imperative to include contact information including name, address, and phone number in the header or footer of your site to increase local search results. This doesn’t require wordy content or headers full of local text phrases. The area code and address help associate the website with the local area.

Inbound Links

Similar to national search engine optimization efforts, local SEO relies on both quantity and quality of inbound links to local business websites from external sites. This could be a great goal for an Internet marketing campaign.

Google Profiles

Google My Business and Google+ are imperative social media profiles that should contain optimized categories and relevant keywords in business descriptions. These factors significantly influence the search in the same way that the proximity of a business address influences close company recommendations.

External Directories

The availability and consistency of contact information on other third-party local business directories is imperative. Examples include Yelp, Yellow Pages, Foursquare, and TripAdvisor. If the information is not the same, it gives off a poor impression and will not properly show up in searches.

Website User Behavior

The behavior of users on your site including click through rates from search, check-ins, and calls to a business significantly impact local SEO, as does mobile modality usage. Make sure that your site is geared towards all types of devices.

Local SEO doe not require the insertion of a business location throughout content. Through adding your address and phone number to the footer or header of your site, using local area codes, initiating social media outlets, and checking business directories for accurate information, you can significantly increase your efforts. Professionals at IndiaWebmediaPro Technologies can walk you through this process and help gear your site towards local SEO.