What is Local SEO: Definitions and How to Do It
For businesses with a local market segment that want to attract potential customers, local SEO can be the best option. This practice allows you to optimize your business to appear in local organic search results.
The advantage of local SEO lies in its relevance to specific searches. For example, when someone searches on Google for “hotel near me,” Google will display several hotel recommendations that have implemented local SEO based on the entered keyword.
So, how do you implement local SEO? Let’s take a closer look, starting from the definition to the methods.
What is Local SEO?
Before discussing how to implement local SEO, let’s first understand what local SEO is. Simply put, local SEO is a strategy to increase a business’s visibility on search engines related to a specific location.
The goal of optimizing local SEO is to increase brand awareness, attract local customers, and reach other potential customers in a particular area.
By optimizing local SEO, Google will display your business for relevant keywords. For instance, if your company offers shoe cleaning services, when someone searches on Google with the keyword “shoe cleaning near me,” Google will show your business in the search results.
Conversely, if you don’t use local SEO, the search engine will display other relevant businesses that have optimized their local SEO.
How to Implement Local SEO
Optimizing Local SEO is crucial to improving a local business’s visibility on search engines like Google. By optimizing Local SEO, your business can be more easily found by potential customers around your business location. Here are some steps to optimize Local SEO, based on the above article.
1. Create a Google Business Profile
The first step in optimizing Local SEO is to ensure your business is listed on Google Business Profile. Registering it is quite simple; here’s how:
- Visit Google Maps: Open Google Maps and click the menu in the top left corner, then select “Add Your Business.” You will be directed to the Google My Business page.
- Google My Business Page: Visit the Google My Business page and click “Sign In” or “Manage Now.” After that, click “Add Your Business.”
- Fill Out the Registration Form: Complete all the required information with valid and accurate data. Be sure to note down the information you enter for NAP Citation purposes, as consistency is vital in Local SEO.
- Verify Your Business: Complete the necessary verification process. If successful, your business will enter the review stage within 24 hours and then appear on Google Maps.
2. Conduct Keyword Research for Your Business
Keyword research is essential in SEO strategy for local businesses. Here’s how to conduct keyword research:
- Use Free Tools: Tools like Ubersuggest can help you find the most suitable keywords for your business. Look for data on monthly search volumes and difficulty levels of keywords.
- Example of Keyword Research: If your business is digital marketing, use keywords like “Digital Marketing Agency” or “Affordable Website Design Services” in your business name on Google Maps.
- Research Guide: Read a guide on using Ubersuggest for keyword research here.
3. Optimize On-Page Content
On-Page SEO is critical for signaling to search engines the relevance of your content. Here’s how to optimize On-Page SEO:
- Schema Markup: Add structured data using schema markup on your website. Choose the “Local Business” schema type and fill in your business information. Use a Schema Markup Generator to help create this structured data.
- Content Relevance: Ensure all information on Google My Business is relevant to your business. Include keywords in every paragraph and regularly post on Google Maps about promotions or related articles.
4. Optimize Meta Descriptions
Meta descriptions help increase clicks from search results. Here are some tips for optimizing meta descriptions:
- Include Local Keywords: Insert keywords that include locations, such as the name of a city or area. Example: “Best florist in Central Jakarta.”
- Location Information: Include your business address or nearby landmarks.
- Engaging Description: Create a description that is engaging and sparks curiosity. Use between 155-160 characters for optimal descriptions.
- Ad References: Look at Google Ads for engaging writing styles and adapt them to your meta description.
5. Create NAP Citations
NAP Citations (Name, Address, Phone number) are crucial information for Local SEO, containing your business name, address, and contact number. Here’s how to maximize NAP Citations:
- Consistency of Information: Ensure the NAP Citations you share online are consistent with those on Google My Business.
- Distribution of NAP Citations: Share on websites, blogs, social media, and other online platforms. The more frequently NAP Citations appear, the more well-known your business will be in the eyes of search engines.
6. Respond to Customer Reviews
Customer reviews significantly impact your business’s reputation on Google My Business. Here are some tips for getting good reviews:
- Clean Business Location: Ensure your business location is always clean.
- Friendly Service: Provide friendly and professional service.
- Contact Information: Provide easily accessible contact information.
- Upload Photos: Upload photos of your business’s interior and exterior to give potential customers a clearer picture.
- Respond to Comments: Actively respond to customer comments and reviews to maintain positive ratings and reviews.
7. Provide Comprehensive Product Information
Complete information about your products and services is essential on Google My Business. Here’s what you can do:
- Fill Out Complete Information: Fill in all fields, such as menus, products, price ranges, opening hours, and more.
- Include Website URL: If you have a website, include the URL in Google My Business so potential customers can access more information.
By following the steps above, you can optimize Local SEO for your business, increasing visibility and attracting more local customers.
Enhancing Business Visibility with Local SEO
That’s an overview of local SEO, from its definition to how to implement it. From the previous explanation, it can be concluded that local SEO can be the right choice for businesses to increase their digital or online presence.
In addition to local SEO, improving online visibility is also essential for businesses to have a website. A website can provide benefits for maximizing SEO, from off-page to on-page. Additionally, having a website can also enhance business credibility and customer trust.
If your business doesn’t yet have a website, you can start with NEO WordPress. For just 50,000 IDR, you can get a free domain ranging from .ID to .COM. Here are some other benefits you can enjoy:
- A website with containerization and automation design, avoiding server issues.
- Computing resources to ensure the website performs at its best, seamlessly and without downtime.
- Free AI text generator and web builder.
- Stable performance regardless of the number of visitors.
- Supported by a web assistant ready to help solve tasks and issues.”
