For small businesses, attracting local customers is key to growth. But if your business isn’t showing up in local search results, you’re missing out on potential sales. This is where local SEO comes in—optimising your online presence to ensure your business ranks well when people search for services or products near them.
In this guide, we’ll cover practical tips on how you can boost your local SEO, improve your rankings, and get more eyes on your business.
1. Optimise Your Google My Business Profile
Google My Business (GMB) is one of the most important tools for local SEO. It’s how Google provides essential information about your business—such as your location, hours, and services—directly in search results. Make sure your profile is complete and accurate.
Steps to Optimise GMB:
- Fill out all your business information: address, phone number, website, hours of operation, etc.
- Include high-quality photos of your business.
- Post regular updates or promotions.
- Encourage customers to leave reviews.
Quick Tip: Consistent updates, such as posting about new services or holiday hours, can help keep your GMB profile fresh and improve your ranking.
2. Ensure Consistent NAP Information
NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number. Consistency is critical here. Your NAP details should be the same across your website, GMB profile, social media, and other online directories.
Why It Matters: Search engines use your NAP details to verify the legitimacy of your business. If there are discrepancies (for example, a different phone number on your website compared to your GMB profile), it can hurt your rankings.
Quick Tip: Use tools like Moz Local to check if your NAP information is consistent across the web.
3. Get Listed on Local Directories
Listing your business on local directories and review sites helps build credibility and increases the number of citations (mentions of your business) that search engines can find. The more citations you have, the more trustworthy your business looks to Google.
Popular Directories for Small Businesses:
- Yelp
- TripAdvisor
- Foursquare
- Yellow Pages
- Local chambers of commerce websites
Quick Tip: Prioritise directories that are specific to your industry or location. These can have a more significant impact on your local SEO
4. Use Local Keywords in Your Content
To improve your local search rankings, make sure your website includes keywords that reflect both your business and your location. For example, instead of using “plumbing services,” you’d benefit from using “plumbing services in Dublin” to attract local traffic.
Where to Use Local Keywords:
- Title tags and meta descriptions
- Header tags (H1, H2, H3)
- Product/service pages
- Blog posts
- Image alt text
Example: If you’re a bakery in Cork, create content around “best wedding cakes in Cork” or “custom cakes in Cork.”
Quick Tip: Focus on long-tail keywords that are more specific to what people are searching for in your area. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to find high-potential local keywords.
5. Encourage Customer Reviews
Reviews are a powerful trust signal for both potential customers and search engines. The more positive reviews you have, the higher you’re likely to rank in local search results.
How to Get More Reviews:
- Ask satisfied customers to leave a review.
- Include a direct link to your Google Reviews page in follow-up emails.
- Offer an incentive, like a discount, for customers who leave a review (be careful to follow platform rules on incentivised reviews).
Quick Tip: Always respond to reviews—both positive and negative. Google rewards businesses that engage with their customers.
6. Create Local Content
While local keywords are essential, creating localised content can further boost your local SEO. Think about what’s happening in your community and how your business can fit into the conversation.
Ideas for Local Content:
- Write blog posts about local events or trends.
- Create guides or tips for local customers (e.g., “Best Spots for Lunch in Dublin” if you’re a café).
- Feature local partnerships or collaborations.
Quick Tip: If you’re sponsoring a local event, create a dedicated blog post or webpage for it. This not only gives your business visibility but also signals to search engines that you’re relevant to the local community.
7. Optimise for Mobile Users
A significant number of local searches happen on mobile devices. In fact, “near me” searches—such as “coffee shop near me” or “plumber near me”—are most commonly performed on smartphones. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, fast-loading, and easy to navigate.
Mobile Optimisation Tips:
- Use responsive design so your site adjusts to different screen sizes.
- Compress images to reduce load times.
- Simplify navigation for mobile users with easy-to-click buttons and links.
Quick Tip: Google offers a Mobile-Friendly Test tool to check how easily your site can be used on a mobile device.
8. Use Local Structured Data Markup
Structured data markup (also called schema markup) helps search engines understand the information on your website. For local businesses, using structured data can help you rank better in local search results and even get featured in rich snippets.
Where to Apply Schema:
- Business name, address, and phone number
- Operating hours
- Reviews and ratings
- Products and services
Quick Tip: Use tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper to add schema to your site easily.
Conclusion
Improving your local SEO is one of the most effective ways to increase visibility and attract more customers in your area. By optimising your Google My Business profile, ensuring NAP consistency, using local keywords, and encouraging reviews, your small business can climb the local search rankings in 2024.
Looking for help boosting your local SEO? Contact New Era Digital today to learn how we can optimise your business for local search success.
Need to boost your local SEO? Get in touch with New Era Digital and let’s create a tailored strategy to improve your local search rankings and attract more customers.
