Improving your local SEO strategy is vital if you are focused on catering to customers in a specific city or region. If done successfully, it will help increase your website traffic. You will have a better chance of converting these visitors into actual clients.
The goal is to be on top of the SERP or search engine result page when people search for a keyword related to your business around the local area that you target. Google and other search engines use a complex algorithm to determine which sites they show on the search results and what page they are listed. The best SEO companies Dallas are continuously finding SEO strategies to achieve that goal, considering that search engine algorithms are also constantly changing.
In these times where the majority of customers find the information that they need for a business, product, or company online, you will be losing a lot if you will not improve your local SEO. Here are 7 things that you can do to achieve that instantly.
- Use the right SEO keywords
One of the most important things in any SEO strategy, whether local or not, is the use of the right keywords. When users search for something on the Internet, the search engine will use that in determining which sites to show in the result. Not having the right keywords could mean being last on the list or not making it at all. On the other hand, having the appropriate keywords could help you get on top of the result, which means having a better chance for your site to be visited as most users often check on the ones that are on the first page of the list.
There are SEO tools available that will help generate keywords to use for your local business. Other tools will help determine how popular those keywords are. Use different keyword tools to find the best ones that will work for you. The best SEO companies Dallas can also help find the right keywords for you and also help with other strategies to improve your local SEO.
- Get positive reviews
As they say, the most powerful form of advertisement is the word of mouth. The same applies to the reputation of your company online. It comes in the form of positive feedbacks or reviews that customers leave for your business. After successfully closing a deal or completing a service, encourage clients to leave feedback for you. You may also send them an email to request reviews, especially if you know that they were satisfied with your service.
Be sure to post these positive words and recommendations on your site, so that potential clients will see them. Many customers read reviews to have an idea of how companies do business with their clients. They will be more likely to consider doing business with you if they will find that you have several happy and satisfied customers.
While you may receive negative reviews from time to time, it’s equally important to handle them well. Show customers that you are there to listen and that you are willing to improve your service. It’s one way of turning something negative into positive, and it will impress both potential and existing clients how you deal with complaints.
- Create a Google My Business account
Take advantage of using Google My Business, especially it’s free. Make sure to complete the details like your business name, address, contact number, and hours of operation. Add a link to your website so that users can easily access it when they visit your Google My Business account.
There is also an option to add a map. If you have a physical store, make sure to include this one too, to serve as a guide to those who might not be familiar with the area. Customers may also leave reviews on your page, which again will serve as a reference to others.
- Make use of business directories online
Online business directories are some of the top sites that customers often go to when they are looking for companies on the web. Some of these sites are Yelp, Yellow Pages, and Foursquare. These are also sites that search engines look into. Get your company listed on these sites, and again, make sure that your details are complete and correct. If any of your details changed, be sure to update not only your website but all other sites with your information too. You might lose potential clients if you fail to update your details since they would still use the old one that you had. They will not be able to reach you if that happens.
- Create local content
You will spark the interest of the locals in posting content that is relevant in their area. Post about events, places, and people that you can associate with your company or the product and service or find a way to connect them to it. For example, if there is a festival happening in the city, write content that will talk about that and invite them to drop by to your place while they are in the area.
- Optimize site for mobile use
According to statistics, about 80% of people use their mobile devices to access the Internet and 40% of transactions are also made using these devices. Also, over half of the mobile users give importance to the speed of the site, and almost half go to other sites when they have a bad experience accessing a site on their mobile.
See to it that your website is responsive so it will work well for all devices. Furthermore, over half of the sites are responsive, so you don’t want to be left of the competition.
- Get high-quality backlinks
Backlinks to your site will also improve its SEO. Achieve this by creating quality content on your site. Other sites are more likely to link to yours when they find your content helpful and engaging. Submitting articles on sites that accept guest blogs is also another way. If you have contacts with other sites, especially the high ranking ones, ask them if they could add a backlink to your site on their contents.
Improving your local SEO is more important than ever, especially now that the number of people that use the Internet to conduct business keep on growing. Do not miss the opportunity of being seen, getting more visitors, and converting them into actual clients through the tips provided. The best SEO companies Dallas can help.