Diginow on How to Improve Your Local Rankings
28 November 2024. minute read
Local rankings refer to the position of a business or website in search engine results specifically for queries that are geographically relevant....
What are Local Rankings?
Local rankings refer to the position of a business or website in search engine results specifically for queries that are geographically relevant. When a user searches for a product, service, or business near their location (or within a specific city, neighborhood, or region), search engines like Google provide results that are tailored to that area. Local rankings determine how high a business appears in these location-specific search results.
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a specialized branch of SEO focused on optimizing a website or online presence to rank higher in search results for location-specific queries. It’s aimed at helping businesses appear in search results when users are looking for products, services, or businesses in a particular geographic area.
For example, when someone searches for “best pizza near me” or “plumbers in [City Name],” local SEO helps ensure that relevant local businesses show up in the search results, particularly in the Google Local Pack (the map and list of local businesses) and other location-based search results.
How to improve your local rankings
Improving your local rankings in search engine results is crucial for businesses that want to attract customers within a specific geographic area. Google and other search engines use local search signals to determine which businesses to show for localized queries. Here’s a detailed breakdown of strategies to improve your local rankings:
1. Optimize Your Google My Business (GMB) Profile
Your Google My Business (GMB) profile is essential for local SEO. Here’s how to optimize it:
Claim & Verify Your Business: If you haven’t already, claim your business on Google My Business. Verify it to ensure full control over your listing.
Accurate Business Information: Ensure that your business name, address, phone number, website, and business hours are consistent with what is listed on your website and other directories. This is vital for Google's ranking algorithms.
Business Description: Write a clear and keyword-rich business description. Include important services, location, and any special features that set your business apart.
Categories: Choose the most accurate business categories. Select a primary category and add secondary categories relevant to your services.
Photos: Add high-quality, engaging photos to your profile. Photos of your storefront, products, team, or services can help potential customers get a better idea of what you offer.
Reviews: Encourage happy customers to leave reviews, and respond to them. Positive reviews help build trust and signal to Google that your business is relevant for local searches.
Google Posts: Use Google Posts to share updates, promotions, and events. These posts appear in your GMB listing and can keep your profile fresh and engaging.
2. Optimize for Local Keywords
Incorporate location-based keywords into your website and content strategy. This will help search engines understand your relevance to local searches.
Use Local Keywords in Page Titles and Meta Descriptions: Include the city or region you serve in your page titles and meta descriptions.
On-Page Optimization: Add location-specific terms naturally within your website content, including headers, body text, and image alt tags.
Local Landing Pages: If you serve multiple areas, create separate landing pages for each. Each page should be optimized for the local search terms that are relevant to that location.
3. Ensure NAP Consistency (Name, Address, Phone Number)
Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) information across your website, Google My Business, and third-party directories is crucial. Inconsistent NAP data can confuse search engines, lowering your local rankings.
Local Directories: List your business on other authoritative local directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, Bing Places, and local chambers of commerce. Ensure that NAP data is consistent everywhere.
Structured Data (Schema Markup): Use LocalBusiness Schema Markup on your website to help search engines better understand your business and its location.
4. Create High-Quality Local Content
Content is a powerful way to improve local rankings. Focus on creating content that’s both useful to your audience and relevant to your local area.
Local News and Events: Write blog posts or news articles related to events or happenings in your city or neighborhood. This helps your business become a part of the local conversation.
Location-Specific Landing Pages: If you service multiple areas, create pages specific to each location with unique content that speaks directly to those audiences.
Customer Stories/Case Studies: Share testimonials, success stories, or case studies from local clients. This boosts both local relevance and social proof.
5. Build Local Citations
Citations are mentions of your business on other websites, even if they don’t link to your site. Building quality citations can improve your business's visibility and trustworthiness in local searches.
Submit to Local Directories: Besides Google My Business, make sure your business is listed on local directory websites relevant to your industry.
Industry-Specific Citations: Ensure your business is listed in industry-specific directories. For example, if you are a restaurant, list on sites like TripAdvisor, OpenTable and many more.
6. Earn Local Backlinks
Backlinks from local websites help improve your site’s authority and relevance for local searches. There are various ways to earn these backlinks:
Sponsor Local Events: Support community events or local charities in exchange for a backlink on their website.
Local Business Partnerships: Partner with other local businesses and request backlinks. You could write guest blog posts for each other’s websites or feature each other in your content.
Press Releases: If your business is involved in a local event or news story, get featured in local news outlets. These backlinks can significantly boost your local SEO.
Local Blogs: Reach out to local bloggers or influencers for collaborations. They can write about your business and provide a backlink to your website.
7. Mobile Optimization
Local search often happens on mobile devices, so it’s critical that your website is mobile-friendly.
Responsive Design: Ensure your website adapts to any screen size, especially smartphones.
Page Speed: Optimize your website for faster loading times, as search engines (especially Google) factor in speed when ranking local results.
8. Get Local Reviews
Reviews are an important signal to both Google and potential customers. They not only improve trust but also influence your rankings.
Encourage Reviews: Ask happy customers to leave reviews on Google and other local review platforms (Yelp, Facebook, etc.). Provide links and make it easy for them.
Respond to Reviews: Respond to both positive and negative reviews. This shows that you value customer feedback and helps improve your business’s reputation.
9. Social Media Engagement
While social media signals aren’t a direct ranking factor, active social media engagement can drive traffic to your website and generate local brand awareness.
Post Regularly: Share location-specific content, promotions, and community involvement.
Engage with Local Audience: Respond to comments, messages, and mentions from local users. Tag your location in posts and use local hashtags to reach the right audience.
10. Monitor Local SEO Performance
Regularly track your local rankings to see what’s working and where you need to improve.
Google Search Console: Use Google Search Console to monitor your site's performance, track keyword rankings, and fix any technical issues.
Local SEO Tools: Use tools like BrightLocal, Moz Local, or Whitespark to track local rankings, citations, and reviews.
By focusing on these strategies, you’ll not only improve your local rankings but also strengthen your overall local online presence, attracting more customers and gaining a competitive edge.