Local SEO Guide with Step-by-Step Download

We have been reading for a long time about the importance of SEO strategies to position our business in search engines. But what happens when we have a physical business or provide a service in a specific geographic area? Indeed, we need customers in that locality. Local SEO is crucial for attracting relevant traffic and increasing your visibility in local search results. Are you interested? Next, we have prepared a step-by-step guide to help you improve your Local SEO easily, along with a mega tip that will help you give your strategy the final push. Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

What is Local SEO?

Before diving into the topic, it is important to remember what Local SEO is and why it is relevant for businesses that want to attract traffic from their geographic area. Local SEO is a search engine optimization strategy focused on improving visibility and ranking of a website in local searches. When users perform queries with local intent, such as "restaurants near me" or "plumber in [city name]," search engines like Google try to show relevant results for that specific location. It becomes especially important for businesses that have a physical presence or provide services in specific locations, such as local stores, restaurants, service companies, etc. If you do not optimize your website for local searches, you could be missing a valuable opportunity to attract potential customers in your area. Additionally, it helps businesses compete in their local market and connect with their audience in the community. It is a very powerful tool for improving visibility and reach, which can translate into more customers and business opportunities.

Ranking Signals for the Search Engine

Local ranking signals are elements that search engines consider when determining which results to show in local searches. These factors help search engines identify the relevance and authority of a business or website for a specific location. Google determines local ranking by considering relevance, distance, and prominence. Some of the signals we can give to Google about our business are:

Google Business Profile (GBP)

Having a verified and complete Google My Business listing is essential to start your Local SEO strategy. When a customer searches for your store or service, it is the result that Google will show.

NAP Consistency

NAP (Name, Address, and Phone number) must be consistent on your website, Google Business Profile, and in all local directories where you appear. This helps search engines confirm the authenticity of your business and physical location.

Reviews and Ratings

Customer reviews and ratings have a significant impact on Local SEO. Positive reviews enhance trust and can improve your ranking in local results.

User Proximity

Search engines consider the user's location when performing a local search. The closer your business is to the user's location, the higher the chances of appearing in relevant results, so it is essential to provide the correct location of your premises or specify the specific area where the service is provided.

Local Citations and Links

Local citations are mentions of your business on other websites, local directories, or apps. These mentions should consistently include your business's NAP. Additionally, links from local and relevant websites can improve your site's authority in the local sphere.

Local Social Signals

Activity on social media can influence Local SEO. Actively participating in local social media and promoting your content can generate more visibility and engagement in your community while bringing you closer to your audience.

User Behavior Signals

Search engines observe user behavior, such as the time spent on your website, bounce rate, and interactions. A website that offers a good user experience and relevant content is likely to achieve better results in local ranking.

Structured Data

Using structured data LocalBusiness to provide clear and organized information about your business, such as name, address, opening hours, etc., helps search engines better understand the nature of your business and its location.

Local Ranking Factors 2023

We can expand this information thanks to the most relevant highlighted local ranking factors and very quickly thanks to a great research job by Matt Romero.

• Main Category: The main category of your business listing is the most important factor. If you choose correctly, you will have a good starting point.
• Proximity of the business to the user: The closer your business is to the user performing the search, the better your ranking will be.
• Keywords in customer reviews: The presence of relevant keywords in your customer reviews can improve your ranking.
• Keyword in the listing name: Although it is a controversial decision, having the keyword in your business listing name seems to have a significant impact on rankings.
• High average rating of reviews: Businesses with a high average rating in their reviews tend to have better rankings.

Less important factors:

• Google Shield: This factor has little impact on local SEO.
• Total number of service areas: Having a large number of service areas does not seem to significantly affect ranking.
• Creation and indexing of fractal maps: This factor has a lesser influence on local SEO.
• Link sculpting: Link sculpting does not seem to be an important factor in local SEO.
• Total number of times the same anchor text is repeated within the website: It is not beneficial to repeat the same anchor text too much on your website.

Quick wins recommendations:

• Secondary categories: In addition to the main category, secondary categories can also have a significant impact on local SEO.
• Keywords in services: Working with keywords in services can generate an increase in justifications in your business listing.
• Quality and consistency of citations: High-quality and consistent citations can have a positive impact on search rankings.
• Local links of the same theme: Links from relevant local websites can carry significant weight in local SEO, even if they are not of high authority.

How to Improve My Local SEO Strategy?

While there are currently many ways to attract traffic to our website, having a local business or service means this traffic must be optimized. Simply put, we need to reach local customers. To do this, we need to improve our Local SEO strategy, and although you may think that creating a Google Business Profile listing is all it takes, it is not. There are several ways to make it easier for your future customers to reach you; such as optimizing local keywords, having a properly categorized listing, generating positive reviews from local customers, or obtaining links from relevant local websites. With all this, you can significantly increase your chances of appearing in local search results and generating quality traffic. But let’s take it step by step.

First Steps to Optimize Your Local SEO

Before you start optimizing your Google Business Profile listing, if you have a website, we recommend starting by optimizing it to attract as much localized traffic as possible. You can begin with:

Create a Google Business Profile Listing

If you do not have one yet, create or claim your Google Business Profile listing. Fill in all fields, such as address, phone number, opening hours, categories, and links to your website.

Verify Your GBP Listing

An unpredictable step after creating your listing will be to verify it. To increase Google’s trust and improve your ranking in local results.

Research Local Keywords You Want to Rank For

Identify relevant keywords for your business and blog, but with local focus. Use keyword tools like Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, Ubersuggest, or Ahrefs to get ideas and estimates of local traffic.

Optimize the Content of Your Posts

Ensure that your posts and pages contain local keywords in the title, headings, body text, and meta descriptions. Also, include specific information about your location in the content of your website, such as the name of your city, neighborhood, or region, to improve local relevance.

Local Content

Create content that is relevant to your local audience. You can write about local events, news, specific promotions in the area, or stories related to the community.

Mobile Optimization

Ensure that your website is optimized for mobile devices, as many local searches are conducted from smartphones.

Local Social Media

Engage in local social media to connect with your audience and promote your content and special offers or promotions.

Geolocation and Map on the Site

Include an interactive map on your website that shows the location of your business. You can also use geolocation tags to help search engines understand where you operate.

Local Links and Citations

Build quality links from relevant local websites, business directories, and chambers of commerce. You can save yourself the work of searching for local sites if you register on the Unancor platform. There you will find different local media where you can publish your posts and gain authority thanks to the specific filter for local media. Another good way to get local links is by looking for opportunities to get mentions in local media or blogs related to your industry.

Maintain NAP Consistency

It may seem repetitive, but this is very important when it comes to your potential customers reaching you. Ensure that your business information (Name, Address, Phone Number) is consistent and up-to-date on your website, GBP, and other local directories.

Get Reviews and Testimonials from Your Customers

Encourage your satisfied customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile listing. Positive reviews can increase your visibility and, above all, help gain the trust of the local community and Google. For a few years now, this point has become essential for the algorithm due to its EEAT.

How to Optimize the GBP Listing

Optimizing your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing is a fundamental part of improving your Local SEO and increasing your business visibility in local searches. Below, I provide you with a step-by-step guide to optimize your profile to improve your ranking.

Verify or Claim Your Google Business Profile Listing

If you haven’t done so yet, make sure to verify and claim ownership of your GBP listing. This will allow you to have control over the information and ensure it is complete and up-to-date.

Provide Accurate and Complete Information

Fill in all fields of your GBP listing with accurate, complete, and consistent information. Make sure to include:

• Business Name: Use the legal name of your business. Do not add unnecessary keywords or irrelevant information.
• Physical Address: Ensure that the address is exact and written the same way across all online platforms.
• Phone Number: Provide a local and active phone number.
• Opening Hours: Indicate the hours when your business is open so users know when they can visit you.

Business Category

Choose the most relevant category for your business. Select specific categories that accurately describe your products or services. And don’t worry, in the downloadable, we leave you an infallible trick to make this important step easier.

Business Description

Write a clear and attractive description of your business. Include relevant keywords and details about what you do and what sets you apart from the competition. But avoid keyword stuffing and be natural in your writing.

Photos and Videos

Add high-quality photos and videos that represent your business. Include images of the exterior and interior of your premises, your products or services, and any other relevant elements for your audience.

Reviews and Testimonials

Encourage your satisfied customers to leave reviews on your GBP listing. Respond to reviews, both positive and negative, in a professional and grateful manner. Reviews and ratings influence user trust and can improve your local ranking.

Google Business Profile Posts

Take advantage of Google Business Profile posts to promote events, special offers, news, and updates about your business. These posts will appear on your GBP listing and can attract the attention of local users.

Regular Updates

Keep your GBP listing updated with any changes in your business information, such as special hours, holidays, or temporary promotions.

Geolocation Tags

Consider using geolocation tags in your photos and in the content of your website. These tags help search engines associate your business with a specific location.

Conclusion

Remember that Local SEO is a continuous process, and it may take time to see significant results. Keep monitoring your metrics and adjusting your strategy according to changes in local search behavior and search engine algorithms. And if you thought we had forgotten the complete guide and the mega tip from Eduardo Laborda, we haven’t. You can download it below and then let us know what you think in the comments. We hope all the information provided is useful, and thank you very much for reading us.

Download Your Step-by-Step Local SEO Guide

Guide created in collaboration with Eduardo Laborda and Angelica Ramirez. So you can start optimizing your Google My Business profile and attract customers who are near you.