In the realm of local SEO, optimizing both your on-site and off-site strategies is crucial for attracting
clients and customers searching for your local business.
With local competition heating up, securing top rankings is imperative; your competitors are certainly
not sitting idly by.
Here are six local SEO tactics to elevate your business’s ranking for local search terms.
1. Page Title and meta description tags remain crucial
Title and description tags are HTML elements you can tailor to reflect your webpage’s content, visible in
search results. Consider them “mini-ads” requiring careful crafting.
Your title and description offer a chance to grab searchers’ attention and prompt clicks to your site.
Missing or subpar tags may lead Google to improvise, potentially resulting in less enticing text.
Both should describe the page’s content and feature keywords for visibility on search engine result
pages. Aim for approximately 50-60 characters for titles and 160-200 for descriptions, using this space
judiciously to engage your audience.
Ensure uniqueness, relevance, and conciseness to maximize click-through rates. Avoid unnecessary
words or characters that could truncate text, affecting professionalism and user engagement.
To stand out locally, incorporate your business’s city name or service area. Focus on one targeted
keyword, positioning it prominently within the tag. Remember, your title and description are critical in
convincing searchers to visit your site—make every character count.
2. Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile.
Google Business Profile (GBP) is a top local SEO strategy for businesses engaging with customers in
person. To enhance your Google ranking, claim and optimize your GBP listing—it’s free and offers
significant exposure, especially in Google’s local three-pack results.
To claim your GBP listing, visit google.com/business and complete the verification process. Optimize your
profile by selecting categories, adding business hours, writing a compelling description, uploading
media, creating posts, answering questions, and managing reviews. Populate every relevant section to
maximize your GBP’s effectiveness.
3. Online reviews are crucial
Online reviews carry significant weight, with up to 84% of people trusting them as much as personal
recommendations (BrightLocal, 2023). Aim for at least 10 5-star reviews on your Google Business Profile,
but don’t stop there—continuously encourage happy customers to leave reviews. High-quality reviews
improve visibility and attract potential customers, making them a top priority for businesses.
Focus on accumulating reviews on platforms like Google Business Profile and Facebook, as they
influence customer perceptions and can even appear on your GBP. Respond promptly to all reviews,
demonstrating your commitment to customer satisfaction.
4. Create individual service pages.
For service-based businesses, prioritize creating separate pages for each service offered instead of
consolidating them into one list. Individual service pages allow for targeted optimization based on
location and relevant keywords, enhancing both user experience and SEO effectiveness. Allocate time
to develop these pages gradually, as the investment pays off in improved visibility and engagement.
5. Online directories and citations play a vital role.
Ensure accurate and consistent listing on top online directories (citations) like Yelp, Facebook, Merchant
Circle, and Citysearch. These directories often feature prominently in organic search results, making
them crucial for visibility.
Explore high-quality local directories, such as those offered by local newspapers or Chambers of
Commerce, and search for relevant keywords like “[your city] directory” to discover additional citation
sites.
Additionally, prioritize listing your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) on major citation
data aggregators like Foursquare, which distribute information to numerous online directories.
Consistency across these platforms is key for maximizing visibility.
6. Engage on social media.
Time to embrace social media! Google Business Profiles now support adding links to your social media
accounts.
You can add profiles from platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and YouTube to
your Business Profile.
Excitingly, Google has started displaying social media posts directly on Business Profiles, enhancing
engagement and appealing to Google’s preference for active profiles.
These six local SEO strategies are just the beginning. Putting them into action will give you a competitive
edge in local search. Start today!