How to do Local SEO?

What is local SEO?

Local SEO is optimizing your website or web content to appear in google results when a search is made on one of your keywords within a well-defined perimeter or location that you would have previously indicated and optimize your REFERencing for.

Your content, online store or corporate site, will be displayed for any local user who will be searching for one of your keywords, as long as they are at a well-defined distance from your shop, store or agency, … Etc

Your online business will have a good positioning on local queries and your customer and order numbers will increase if you improve your website SEO at the local level.

Like all other search results, when your page optimized for local SEO appears on the first page of google, it also obeys the same common SEO  rules pand it can also appear below Google ads, optimized for the same keywords of course, here is an example of SERP displaying three ads before organic results, search made for Hotels in Nantes:

Local search result, preceded by Google ads 

As you may have noticed, several indicators are displayed during a local search, we find:

• The google map map 
• Business signals on more apparent than each other 
• An organic list also below locally located companies that respond to the user’s request (keywords and locations or geographic areas shown)

Many factors can influence the results during a local search, we will look at the most determining and those you need urgently to consider for your business or business to appear on the google map. maps and the list of organic results and information links just below, let’s take a closer look:

What really influences local SEO?

Example of result for restaurant in Paris:

Your company’s signals are one of the most important factors when it comes to appearing or not in local search results, so fills them correctly and accurately your data in the Google my business listing is very determining we’ll come back in detail later

When it comes to the list of results displayed under the google Maps map, your local optimization and SEO On Page are determining the top, we find mainly factors like, reviews, quotes and customer reviews, and votes given to your services among others

Now, Google places a lot of importance on user reviews and experience on your site, try to take that into consideration when optimizing your content for local search.

The more users recognize your business, the more it will be highlighted on the map, and the more its geographical position pointer (in red on the map), appears more imposing and attracts the more eye

why optimize your site for local SEO ?

We will now see in detail and in practice what to do to optimize your company’s website for local research, we will start with what you need to do in your site to better optimize it for the local research.

A-Local SEO ON PAGE:

You will first optimize your home page for the local SEO, to do this, it is imperative to indicate clearly and without misspellings:

• Who you are 
• Where your business is located (exact address) 
• What you are proposing, I mean your offers and services.

So you’re going to include this information in the tag<title>your home page, as well as in the header and meta description tag</title>

Here is now the list of optimizations to make on your website to improve its positioning in local google results:

1-Optimize the structure of your website for local search:

many companies, say why not prospect in several cities at once, I give them completely right, that’s why when you do local SEO, you are not banned elsewhere

You could very well set up the structure of your website so that it can serve several regions and geographic areas at once.
All you’ll have to do is make it clear to Google by creating destination pages specific to each area, or you feel good to be present even if you don’t yet have an office or local (it will give something like, votresite.fr/lieux1; votresite.fr/lieux 2; … etc.)

This solution will be useful for example when you are planning to expand your services to a new territory and you want to be present on the net and inform the people who are there as the upcoming opening of a new restaurant

2-Optimize your tags for local SEO:

We already looked at this point at the beginning, to also tell you that in addition to the tag title, meta description and header, you are also going to have to optimize your content as for the normal or general SEO, except that since you are aiming for a very specific place, you will often include the name of the store and places near your store for example in your keyword expressions and throughout your content
Consider also including the name of the geographic area you target users in, in your titles and subtitles, and compose phrases such as:

Your field of activity in such a perimeter, such a day, such time

3-Highlight your contact information on your website (NAT):

Make sure that your Name, Address and Phone, are displayed and clearly visible on your site, never go wrong and above all make sure that these contact details are always the same in all your publications on the web

You could also add your availability and opening hours and reception days for example.

4- Identify your location on a map:

To show Google that it’s easy to find you, it‘s best that you also put online on your homepage, a map, while indicating your exact location, while locating yourself in relation to the known monuments and places in your area Geographic

it would also be wise to draw a route or two, leading from the station for example, an SMS service that would also bring your customers from the proximity of your store or office, an interactive map will also be better perceived.

5-Be clear and precise in your calls to action:

Make sure that when a potential customer arrives on your landing page, or homepage, they won’t have any effort to make it any effort to reach you, or just find your business.
Have your most reachable phone number displayed, and also make your call to action be those of a professional, clear, direct to make the reader understand that it is there, you will take care of him now, and he only has to follow your Instructions.

6-Show reviews and thanks from your customers:

It would be nice if you collect the opinions of your customers, especially the most satisfied, and post some on your landing page, and allow access to all others

These testimonials are very effective from the point of view Marketing and local SEO too, they reassure Google and e reader and put him in confidence, which will greatly facilitate for him the transition to the act and you order

Do the same for customer ratings, also try to integrate a star rating system for example in your home page and try to collect the best possible rating, google will take them into account and display them as snippets and they are very effective at turning readers back to your site

These reviews from your former customers will likely improve the conversion rate of your calls to action and give users confidence in your services and products, and it also greatly improves your site’s ranking among search results locals on google of course

7-Your future customers are probably connected via mobile!

Why am I telling you this?

For the simple reason, that after a while, your business will probably be known locally and your site will basically address visitors to your area who are probably using their mobile to access the internet and do research on what they Want

So make sure that when accessed via a mobile, your name, address, and phone number will be easily accessible, your services and schedules too and especially the buttons of your calls to action, make sure that they are clearly visible and that one could easily click on it without having to press another link by mistake.

B- Google My Business:

When you fill out your Google my businessGoogle my business listing, you will be able to aim for the ZERO position in the SERP, which means, that your site will appear at the very top of the results of Google, it tempts you not! Let’s see how!

A study of Moz I think! has revealed that the quality of your listing on Google my business is the most important factor in the results of the maps when you do local Search Engine Optimization.

I’ll go back to detail on how to add your business to GMB, but let’s see the headlines now:

• When registering on GMB, use your professional email, that of your website and not just a Gmail and don’t forget to check your account
• Enter the same company name, address and phone number you put on your website or landing page (without changing a comma!)
• Be very specific and as clear as possible when you are asked to choose your categories, do not stray too far from your theme
• Make sure you’ve filled in all the sections and information requested by Google, don’t forget to add professional photos, they really have a very important role in the local SEO and they greatly facilitate conversions.

C- The NAT quotes:

Once you’ve filled out your google my business listing and checked your account with google, via a mail, or phone call, it’s time now to create you an authority and an online existence
This is where you are going to have to, create listings of your business, Name, Physical Address and Phone number and website too, on all the places where specialized directories of your area and even a little elsewhere, and claim the existence of your company, filling in with the same contact details of course on your profile on a lot of directories and lists of companies and online agencies.

Above all, keep a list of the places and directories online where you have registered and add your contact information in case you will one day have to change your phone number or physical address of your business, it would be a shame to forget one, this will greatly harm your local SEO, for example provide a phone number on one directory and different business number on another

You can use the services of local Moz, to detect all lists, directories, platforms and directories of which your quotes appeared, and check the sites that refer to yours if they did not make mistakes on your NARs when they occurred to you recommended your business to their readers

To find quotes, you’ll just do a search on the main local quotes, either by geographical area, or by category or the field you practice (your business)

You will probably have to fill out a profile, on these platforms, be as consistent as possible and as accurate and above all fill in all the boxes and information requested, in order to hope to rank yourself in the TOP of these directories and you thus create a Local online authority in your field of activity, and at the same time high quality Backlinks to your website which will also serve your local SEO  and improve your positioning on search engines.
And talk about the backlinks ourselves straight to linkage and how local links can they improve the referencing of your site for local search

D-Create links (Backlinks) from sites in your area:

You’re going to have to create a good linking for your website create a good linking for your website, it’s exactly like when a website is generally SEOed but in the case of the local SEO, you’ll look beforehand to have links from other sites that are located in the area that your target optimization, the sites of companies that operate in your city for example

Let’s say you’re a baker and you want to reference your baker’s business site in your area, you‘re going to try for example to get links from other bakers’ sites around the corner, pastry chefs and supermarkets too, from a manufacturer local bakery ovens for example, the corner miller, a grain bowl for example that delivers flour ,… Etc

This method you impose yourself as a local reference on google and as an authority in your area and improves the credibility of your online site which will better position it on google when searching for one of your keywords on a local search.

Good content and locally targeted services will surely attract partners who will exchange links with you !!! just research companies that operate in the same theme and area as yours, write them, present your site and your business and propose directly your partnerships and if they are winners, person of sense and who has really business acumen couldn’t deny you that!! a links from his site of course on !!! and more if you decide so

You can very well solicit the local radio to promote your site and your business, also add the domain name of your site to your business cards, a little advertising, here and there will do you only good as long as you do not exploit your budget , also think of google Ads, you could very well bid on your main keyword, it should not cost you too much, at least if you do not have too much competition in your area!

Practical tips for getting links from local authority sites:

Here are some tips for getting links from authority sites that operate in your business area to better reference your local online business on google:

Choose the most relevant directories to register your site and move away from directories that no one usually consults, so you back up your e-reputation and other companies won’t doubt your ability and your Skills

When you create quotes for yourself, be sure to reach out to organizations that are active and often talk about them

Get closer to the charities in your area and done if you can’t give them a little help, believe me there’s no better link for the business than the one that comes from a non-profit organization, they could very well do you links when you offer them a partnership or free help or offer.

Do not be absent during community activities in your region in relation to your field of activity, you will surely find new customers and especially possible partners for at least an exchange of links and ideas …

Create an affiliate program, make offers to your future partners that won’t cost you much but seem like a bargain and let them become ambassadors for your business and create relevant local links since they would all be in your theme without you having to worry too much

Where to find quotes and add your contact information?

You can use the services of White Park (free 30-day trials) to find local quotes, and if it doesn’t satisfy your needs you’re going to have to do a google search to find the lists you’re going to sign up for, here’s how to search for them so that they are tailored to your needs and best serve your local SEO

You simply go to Google’s search bar and search for queries that will be formulated according to the following proposals:

• [Votre zone d’activité]lists of companies[de votre thématique ou domaine]
• [Votre zone d’activité]directory of local businesses
• [Votre zone d’activité]Company directory[de votre thématique ou domaine]
• [mot clé de votre travail ]lists of companies[Votre zone d’activité]
• [mot clé de votre niche ou thématique ]company directory[Votre zone d’activité]
• [Votre zone d’activité][mot clé principal de votre thématique]partnership or advice
• [Votre zone d’activité][mot clé principal de votre thématique]associations/company/company

Once you have judged that the directory or directory that is offered to you meets your requirements and it counts the quotes of your competitors, you will register and note the link of this directory or directory, so that you could go back on it , in the future to make changes in case of need, if you change premises for example or phone number.

How do I get favourable local reviews and opinions?

Almost 90% of people trust the online reviews and reviews and ratings of an institution more than the recommendations of those around them, so it is imperative, for the correct SE Optimizastion of your local business website, to collect opinions good ratings from your readers and prospects as well as good reviews of your products and services.

You should also know that favorable reviews, comments and shares also help in the local SEO, so the more local users and customers give you their favorable votes, the more google will trust you and improve your positioning in its results pages during local searches.

To improve the reputation of your local online business, you go in the first place, try to be among the best online evaluation sites of companies in your field and be part of the Top 10 or Top 20 in the ranking of the best boxes in your area.

So find the best evaluation sites suitable for your field of activity and your sector like Tripadvisor and see among them those who will be able to value your work more and judge your skills and the quality of your services at the local level and who will not compare you to the bigwigs of the sector to finally shoot you!!

Also try to get favorable reviews with Google reviews on google my business and you can also browse some favorable reviews also on Yelp (think about creating a business profile) and TripAdvisor as I mentioned above; these reviews will usually appear under your SERP listing and try to highlight your star rating system and integrate it of course with the structured data in the Search console to allow, google to take it into account and add your notes to your snippets on SERP which will give a good picture of your business and greatly improve your conversion rates and will build confidence for your readers and future customers.

Also try to get as many positive comments as possible, try to highlight them on your site, because in general they have a positive influence on readers, they make them comment on one side and encourage them to stick to comments positive if they are not entirely satisfied !!!

Conclusion:

I just wanted to end up calling on you to be patient and especially passionate about what you’re doing or you’re going to undertake
It’s not going to be easy, it’s a lot to put in place especially when we’re at the very beginning of the creation of our business site, so well optimizing it for local research will take a little time and a lot of effort but in the end you’re going to be satisfied because you won’t have to pay your entire life for Google Ads or other advertising to appear in the first google search results for companies in your area

I just have to wish you good luck, and ask you to leave me your suggestions and queries down in a comment, this article will be constantly updated as soon as a new local SEO strategy seems to work best to share it with you of course

Samy