Recently gathered statistics shine some light on the importance of local search engine optimization, and businesses everywhere are trying to catch up. The best way to quickly optimize your site in light of these new indexing tactics is to take advantage of local search with these easy tips.
1) Claim your local business account
Google has been collecting information on businesses for quite a few years now, so your business is probably already floating around Google Places somewhere. It is time that you claim your business and location in order to create a more trustworthy reputation. This trusting relationship will lead to increased visibility, which is the key to increasing conversions.
2) Place important keywords in the title tag
There are quite a few tactics for selecting a title tag, but if you want to get the most out of local SEO, include your services AND your location in the title tag of your page. Utilize Google’s Keyword Tool to find appropriate keywords for your site. You can select moderately competitive ones for title tags and domain names since they get a lot of emphasis from search engines.
3) Place local address and phone number on each page
Including localized contact information will only further the trust level of your page. You can simply place this in the header (recommended) or footer of your page. Be sure to include it as HTML text rather than as an image as HTML text is easier for search engines to read. Of course, your goal should be for your human readers anyways, so it doesn’t hurt to provide that information for your visitors, as well.
4) Create a keyword-rich domain
Keyword rich domains are extremely valuable. You know it, I know it, and the search engines know it. If a searcher’s keyword query matches the domain of a site in search engine results, they are much more likely to choose that link over the others. Again, check out the keyword tool. But, please be advised not to abuse this strategy. Don’t be spammy! It goes without saying that if you’re using an internet marketing company, make sure that they’re reputable and that they don’t use cloaking techniques to sneak in keywords into the content of your site.
5) Take advantage of Twitter
Use a little social media marketing. People all over the Tweet-o-sphere are sharing their locations, problems, and needs. You can tap into this market by searching for customers in search of your services. Simply search for something relevant such as “auto mechanic,” and include your location. You will probably find plenty of relevant topics in the area such as, “My car just broke down! Anyone know of a good auto mechanic?” You can reach out to the authors of these tweets, and even offer discounted rates for services. They will feel special and tell other people. They might even tweet about it!
These tips are quick and easy, and if you begin implementing them slowly, averaging one a week, you should see significant changes is just five weeks. Local optimization is extremely important in today’s online market, so tap into your resources and jump into the local SEO experience!
Guest author Amanda is a blogger and writes for bestrank.com, an online presence management company based in San Diego, California. You can also share your business tips – read our guest blogging rules.