Want more calls, leads, and valuable customers? Smart SEO is the answer.
If your business could use more customers, more calls, more leads… or effective ways to minimise the cost of winning new business, then SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation can make a huge difference to you.
Done well, you can expect to be easily found everywhere online, be at the top of Google Search Engine Page Results (SERPs) for your preferred search terms and show your new and repeat customers where you are on the map.
What Is Local SEO?
Local SEO stands for local search engine optimization. It is the process of optimizing your website and online profile to rank higher on search engines, such as Google or Bing, for local searches. Local searches are queries that include a specific location, such as “same-day plumber Sunshine Coast”, “pizza near me”, or “dentist in Noosa”. Local SEO helps you to connect with customers who are looking for your products or services in your area.
Why Is Local SEO Important for Businesses?
Local SEO is a key factor in your business because it can help you to:
- Reach more potential customers who are searching for your solutions in your area
- Increase your brand awareness and recognition in your local market
- Build trust and credibility with your target audience
- Drive more traffic to your website and physical location
- Generate more leads and sales for your business
- Improve your customer satisfaction and loyalty
According to Google, 46% of all searches have a local intent, and 88% of consumers who do a local search on their smartphone visit or call a store within a day. This means that local SEO can help you to capture a large and qualified audience who are ready to buy from you.
And it’s a great way to differentiate your products and services from your competition.
What Are the Different Types of Local SEO?
There are three main types of local SEO that you need to consider for your business:
1. Local Pack SEO
Local pack SEO refers to the results that appear in a box at the top of the search engine results page (SERP) for local queries. The local pack usually shows three listings, along with a map, that match the user’s query and location. The local pack SEO aims to rank your business in the local pack and increase your visibility and clicks.
2. Local Organic SEO
Local organic SEO refers to the results that appear below the local pack and the ads on the SERP for local queries. The local organic SEO aims to rank your website in the top positions and increase your traffic and conversions.
3. Local Maps SEO
Local maps SEO refers to the results that appear on the map application, such as Google Maps or Bing Maps, for local queries. The local maps SEO aims to rank your business on the map and increase your directions and calls.
How Does Local SEO Work?
Local SEO works by following a series of steps and strategies that can help you to optimize your website and online profile for local searches. Here are some of the key steps and strategies that you need to follow:
1. Keyword Research
Keyword research is the process of finding and selecting the best keywords for your website and content. For example, are you a qualified electrician specialising in rooftop solar? Then you want to prioritise keywords that show that context, and not a generic term, such as “electrician in Maroochydore”.
Keywords are the words and phrases that your customers use to find your products or services online. Keyword research helps you to understand your audience’s intent and expectations, and to create relevant and engaging content that matches their needs and goals.
To do keyword research for local SEO, you need to:
- Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Bing Keyword Research Tool, KWFinder, SEMRUSH, AHREFS and other paid, specialist professional tools to find and analyse the keywords that your customers use to search for your solutions in your area. Typically this is very skilled work you would have your local Sunshine Coast SEO agency do for you.
- Include geo-modifiers, such as your city, state, or region, (for example: “best painter, Little Mountain, Caloundra, Sunshine Coast, QLD”) to your keywords to target your local audience
- Use long-tail keywords, which are more specific and less competitive, to target your niche and increase your chances of ranking
- Use question keywords, which are keywords that start with who, what, where, when, why, or how, to answer your customers’ queries and provide value
- Use voice search keywords, which are keywords that mimic the natural language and tone of voice search users, to optimize your website for voice search
For example, if you are an air-conditioning installer in the Sunshine Coast, some of the keywords that you can use are:
- Aircon installer Sunshine Coast
- Split system installations Sunshine Coast
- best AC installer Sunshine Coast
- how to find an airconditioning installer in Sunshine Coast
- aircon services near me
- air-conditioning installation cost in Sunshine Coast
2. On-Page Optimization
On-page optimization is the process of improving your website’s structure, content, and code for your keywords and user experience. On-page optimization helps you to make your website more relevant and user-friendly for your audience and search engines.
This is very technical work best outsourced to SEO experts who can deftly blend customer-friendly front-facing text and headings with the behind the scenes code that makes Google understand when and where to show your business.
To do on-page optimization for local SEO, you need to:
- Use your keywords in your title tags, meta descriptions, headings, and content, but avoid keyword stuffing and use synonyms and variations
- Use schema markup, which is a code that helps search engines to understand and display your website’s information, such as your name, address, phone number, ratings, etc.
- Use internal links, which are links that connect your web pages, to help your users and search engines to navigate your website and distribute your authority
- Use external links, which are links that point to other websites, to provide additional value and credibility to your content and website
- Use images, videos, and other multimedia elements to make your content more engaging and appealing, and optimize them for size, speed, and alt text
- Use responsive design, which is a design that adapts to different devices and screen sizes, to make your website mobile-friendly and accessible
3. Local Citations
Local citations are the online mentions of your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites and platforms, such as directories, social media, and review sites.
Local citations help you to increase your online visibility and credibility, and to improve your local SEO ranking. Consistency of all the appearances of your NAP online is often overlooked by agencies and something we take great care to get right. Consistency can make a massive difference in your rankings.
To build local citations for local SEO, you need to:
- Claim and optimize your Google My Business (GMB) profile, which is a free and powerful tool that helps you to manage your online presence on Google Search and Maps
- Add and update your NAP, business category, description, hours, services, photos, and other relevant information on your GMB profile
- Encourage and respond to your customers’ reviews on your GMB profile, and use the Q&A feature to answer their queries
- Use tools like Bing Places, Apple Maps, and Facebook to claim and optimize your business profiles on other platforms
- Use tools like Moz Local, BrightLocal, or Whitespark to find and manage your local citations on other websites and directories, such as Yelp, Yellow Pages, or Foursquare
- Ensure that your NAP is consistent and accurate across all your local citations, and avoid any duplicates or errors
Of course, this is something that we do all on your behalf. You won’t need to lift a finger.
4. Online Reviews
Online reviews are the feedback and ratings that your customers leave on your website or online platforms, such as Google, Facebook, TripAdvisor, or Trustpilot.
Online reviews help you to increase your online reputation and trust, and to improve your local SEO ranking.
To get and manage online reviews for local SEO, you need to:
- Ask your customers for reviews, either in person, via email, or via SMS, and provide them with a link or a QR code to your review platform
- Offer incentives or rewards for your customers who leave reviews, such as discounts, coupons, or freebies
- Respond to your customers’ reviews, both positive and negative, and thank them for their feedback and suggestions
- Showcase your customers’ reviews on your website and social media, and use schema markup to display them on the SERP
- Monitor and analyse your online reviews, and use them to improve your products, services, and customer experience
Almost all of the above is a moving feast, meaning that ongoing SEO research and monitoring is essential to staying ahead of your competitors.
Done well, it can give you a major edge and even help you dominate your local market.
