When it comes to building a strong SEO base for your company, always begin with local marketing. Utilizing local SEO tactics can help you build a strong base of customers around your geographic area, from which you can then expand with ease. Customers in Eastern Canada, for example, could benefit by focusing on local SEO in Toronto to get the most eyes on their business, while those in the western United States might wish to use the expertise provided by San Diego-based SEO 1 Click.
Use Google Guaranteed
Google Guaranteed is a new program put forth by Google that sponsors listings above map results when somebody does a local search. This is a huge benefit to businesses that want to be listed at the top of organic search results, especially if they are in a big metropolitan area. To illustrate how this program can help your listings, a search for electronics stores in San Diego returns more than a dozen different stores, with only the name and ratings provided below each listing. Anybody in this field who uses Google Guaranteed can have their title and metadata placed above the map results, meaning that potential customers see your business, including your pitch to customers, before they lay eyes on your potential competitors.
Broaden Your Focus with a Solid Title and Good Meta Usage
When somebody finds your company’s website on a search engine, the first thing they see is your page’s title and meta description. This is a great place to include the location of your business, as customers in your area are more likely to click on a local result. As a general rule, you typically have between 50 and 60 characters to use for the title of your website. Your meta description, which should provide a solid rundown of what customers can expect from your site and what services you provide, should typically range between 160 and 200 characters, according to this page. Make sure to use keywords in the meta description as appropriate, but always focus on natural language that informs customers.
Utilize Google and Bing Directories
If somebody does a search for a product or service in your area that is relevant to your business, there’s a good chance that your company might show up on the side of the screen thanks to Google My Business and Bing Places for Business. Both of these online directories allow the business owner or an authorized representative to provide custom information, including contact numbers, website URLs, hours of operation, and even a picture of the company logo or shop exterior. By utilizing imagery and providing detailed information in these directories, you increase your local visibility and improve the odds that a customer will head down to your business right away after finding you.
Encourage Customer Reviews
No matter who your target audience is, reviews are one of the essential ways to demonstrate that you deserve a potential customer’s business, says Val Zamulin, founder of Seologist.com. Most business listings on Google, Bing, and other major search engines provide a 1 to 5 star ranking of a company directly below its name. This means that a few bad reviews can be potentially crippling, while good reviews can give you a huge boost in business. While you can’t provide any incentives to push for good reviews from customers, you can show your customers that you care by engaging with them and constructively responding to reviews, negative or positive. If you create strong relationships with customers, you should see the number of stars under your name hover around 4.5 or 5.
Respond to Negative Reviews
If your business does what it needs to do and gets customers to provide public feedback, you will eventually get some negative reviews. How you respond to those reviews is integral to your local search results. If you post responses in a professional and visible manner, you show others that you care about fixing problems. Since local customers can come back again and adjust their reviews, you should reach out to them and provide incentives such as discounts or free repairs to fix a problem. If you can lure an unhappy local customer back for a second try, you have the opportunity to fix the problem. Once this happens, the negative review is likely to turn into a positive one.
If you feel overwhelmed by the prospect of boosting your local SEO, remember that you can always turn to professionals for help. Customers in San Diego and the surrounding region can benefit from SEO 1 Click, who can deliver top three results and bring a whole new crowd to your business.
