SEO is crucial to your website’s performance and longevity. Today you are inundated with results whenever you type any word into a search engine, and it’s overwhelming to really sift through so most of us will go ahead and choose one of the first results, thinking that is most likely the closest result. Well, that’s not always true!
Search engine optimization is responsible for the order of those results, and it’s something you can implement and experience proven results to your website traffic and interaction. This applies across the whole internet, which various search engines.
Local SEO is specifically targeted to location specific Google results for a physical location of a business. This involves searching Google for a variety of keywords, and generating a map pack, meaning a map with three listings on it, to get your business noticed when people are in the area, or even thinking about visiting.
- Why local SEO?: If you’re an online business or retail store, your best bet is classic search engine optimization. Keep yourself in the top echelon of general searches and you will find yourself in a position of heavy traffic and views.
- Why local SEO?: Meanwhile if you’re a business that operates out of a brick-and-mortar storefront or location, focusing on local search engine optimization is going to be a slam dunk. By mixing your business in with established or larger companies in searches, you can be noticed in fields you wouldn’t have even expected.
- Why local SEO?: Either way, you’re going to want to get on board with the tactics shared below. Your traffic is dependent on placement, it’s really the only way to describe it, so take that placement into your own hands.
Website Search Engine Optimization Tactics
As we’ve already mentioned, search engine optimization tactics are only going to bring you more success in the performance of your website, and by putting into action some basic steps, you can dramatically increase clicks, which in turn brings more business. First of all: don’t guess. Guesswork is the antithesis of search engine optimization, because to really corner the market online you have to be sure, and you have to do research. Check out your competition, see what sort of pages are driving click throughs and conversions, and then create your own avenue to showcase those features for yourself.
Inbound Blogging for SEO
Blogging for SEO refers to the tactics used to create and update a blog to raise your rankings in search engine results. Blogs might seem like a thing of the past, but right now especially in the world of search engine optimization tactics, blogging is a concrete way to spread information, and give you a short or long form way to include keywords that will bring your content to the top of the heap. This requires a constant stream of content on your end, always keeping the information current, up to date, and easy to read.
Keyword Research & Content Development
It used to be, as long as you had strong keywords, that was the beginning and end of your search engine optimization experience. Keyword research and content development are two pillars of SEO and therefore local SEO.
“People Also Ask” Strategy
Guaranteed at some point in your internet journey you have searched for something on Google and a box popped up with suggestions for keywords or topics that people have searched alongside your query. This might seem random, but there are specific ways to make your content show up in that box. It’s important to note that not just websites appear here. Google will pull blog posts, videos, articles and more that match that keyword and present them as alternatives when a person searches for something specific. Identify where you want your content to appear, and optimize as such. Remember, this doesn’t appear with every search, but searching for a large brand like Amazon or Apple will always bring it up.
Internal Linking & External Backlinks
Links, links, links. Backlinks are so key to getting eyes on your webpages and clicks to your business. The process of externally backlinking is simply put, when other websites link to your site, creating an organic reach to their audience, therefore creating more opportunity for people to discover what you have to offer.
On that same tangent, internal linking is the process of linking past or present content into the current piece you are putting out. Referencing important pages on your site in your posts is really the easiest way to get people to explore the site, people are more likely to click on something internal if they’re already on the site, rather than open up an entirely new webpage.
Site Speed & Security
It might not be the first thing that pops into your mind when you think of search engine optimization, but site speed as well as security can both factor into your website traffic, as well as the response to your website itself via search engines. Faster loading websites are key in this world, where people only have so much time, and they want to connect as fast as possible. Making sure your site is fully secured and runs at top speed to ensure people stay on the page instead of clicking somewhere else. If the site has a valid SSL certificate, it should also be connected via HTTPS rather than HTTP. This secures your browsing and makes sure that the site you’re on is the site you’re looking for.
Local Search Engine Optimization Tactics
For a small or emerging business, local search engine optimization can be crucial to your success. Our life is online, and our business should be too, and the easiest way to ensure people are gravitating to your page is optimizing your business to appear more frequently in local searches. By improving your visibility, and gearing your content towards your target audience, your business traffic can improve exponentially by appearing alongside other content related to you.
Fully Optimized Google Business Profile
Google My Business has become the go-to service for local search options. Because of Google’s proprietary mode of verification and content sharing, you can trust that your information is not only secure, but helping your performance. Make sure you are posting regularly on your business profile, current and fresh content will bring people back! Engage on social media, make sure people know you’re on Google, and of course, make sure to have reviews enabled and encourage your clients to use them.
Products and Services Added To Your Google Profile
Adding products and services to your Google Business profile helps you demonstrate what you offer, and make sure to include pricing! People like to know what they are getting into before even making that first call, so have as much info as you can available right there on Google and save yourself the indecision.
NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) Pack Filled Out
Local search engine optimization depends on up to date information, and the most commonly searched pieces of info are your name, address and phone number, which together makes what is called a NAP pack. This makes sure that your Google Business profile is linked to up to date contact information, where to find you, and who they’re speaking with.
Profile Map Added To Contact Page
On your website, there should always be a contact page, and on that contact page you should always include a profile map. This shows the neighbourhood where you are on an interactive map, and places a pin on your location, while also including the NAP pack mentioned above. This creates a link between, and drives engagement to your business.
Regular SEO Content Posting On Your Google Profile
Creating local, targeted content to be posted on your Google Business Profile is essential to keeping you at the top of the heap when it comes to local search engine optimization. Make sure to utilize SEO keywords, promote local events and industry gatherings, this will drive the hosting company’s client base to you naturally, and give you an unexpected stream of contact.
Let Us Handle Your Website’s SEO
Here at Victoria Digital Marketing we are proven experts in improving your website’s SEO performance, and in local SEO. From start to finish, our team is dedicated to making your vision come to life, whether you’re looking to improve traffic to your website, bring in new clients to your storefront, or just need a crash course on what all this means, we have you covered. Book your consultation today!
