How to Create a Strategy for Local SEO?

Before jumping into optimizing your site, you need to determine if anything is broken and what has to be improved in your website. So, the first step in any SEO strategy is to audit your existing website. This will help you understand where you’re starting from and identify any technical or on-page SEO issues. These issues that could hinder the success of your website should be addressed before keyword research, creating content, building backlinks, etc.

You can use SEO tools like Semrush to generate a report of all your site’s issues or, you can hire an SEO specialist who can thoroughly audit your site and identify your website’s needs to improve its standing.

If you need help with on-page SEO service, call me for a free consultation.

When auditing your website, there are a few key things you’ll want to look for:

• Does your website have the correct NAP (name, address, phone number) listed?
• Are your business hours and location easily accessible on your website?
• Do you have reviews or testimonials from happy customers?
• Is your website mobile-friendly?
• Are you using local keywords throughout your website?

Now that you know which keywords to target, it’s time to start optimizing your website for those keywords. This is called on-page SEO and there are a few key things you need to do in order to make sure your website is optimized for both users and search engines:

• Use keyword-rich titles and meta descriptions – The title and meta description are the first things people will see when your website shows up in the search results. Make sure these elements are clear, concise, and include the keyword you’re trying to target.
• Use keyword-rich header tags – H1 tags are used to denote the most important headline on a page while H2 tags are used for secondary headlines. Using relevant keywords in your header tags will help search engines understand what your page is about and how it should be categorized.
• Use keyword-rich ALT tags – ALT tags are used to describe images on a website. When you use keywords in your ALT tags, you’re helping search engines understand what the image is and how it relates to the rest of your website.
• Headings (H1, H2, H3 tags) – Using headings throughout your website helps both users and search engines understand the hierarchy of your content. Make sure to use relevant keywords in your headings.
• URL Structure – Creating user-friendly, short, and keyword-rich URLs.
• Content Optimization – Creating high-quality content that is relevant to your target keywords and appeals to your audience.

Do you remember the last time you purchased a product or visited a restaurant without researching ratings and reviews? Surveys show that 82 percent of consumers always perform an online local search for a product or service.

That’s the reason why customer reviews are the lifeblood of your business. Especially if you are a new or small business, positive reviews can create a big difference in sales.

But, how can you obtain customer reviews?

First, ensure that you encourage your customers or clients to leave reviews on your Google My Business listing and other platforms like Facebook, Yelp, etc.

You can encourage customers to leave reviews by sending them an email or text message after they’ve made a purchase or completed a project. You can also include a link to your Google My Business listing on your website and in your email signature.

To encourage them, you can offer an incentive to customers who leave reviews. Whether by word of mouth or marked on in-store receipts, let customers know they will receive a discount or a complimentary item for their rating and review.

The work doesn’t stop there, though. Ensure that you respond to all your reviews, both positive and negative. This shows potential customers that you care about their experience and are willing to address any issues they may have had.