Having a solid presence on local search results should be a priority for any business, but it’s still surprising to see how many people are still neglecting it. Those who don’t, often don’t know where to start. However, mastering local SEO usually boils down to a few basic principles, some of which could increase your visibility overnight through few changes. Still, many commit errors that are ruining their local SEO, or overlook certain factors they assume won’t have a detrimental effect. Let’s take a look at a few simple ways to improve your local SEO results.
Know What NAP Means
NAP simply stands for “name, address, phone” and is probably the single most important part of local SEO. This may seem simple at first glance, and it actually is, but this bit is one that many businesses continue to miss.
The goal here is to not only make sure that your contact information is correct in your Google My Business Account, but also that it’s consistent across most places where it’s mentioned online, especially locally. That means business directories and review sites like Yelp, the local pages, social media pages, and your website. The more local mentions with your correct information, the better. This is how Google will verify the legitimacy of your business and feature it in geolocated searches.
Optimize for Voice
Most people use voice searches nowadays, and a large portion of vocal searches are local in nature. What that means is that you have no choice but to pay attention to vocal searches if you want to reach people in your community. This also means that your business could become invisible to many potential customers, who will then be funneled to one that has done a better job at voice optimization.
Since a lot of voice searches are queries, you have to plant answers into your content, and try to make them local as well. People will often ask for directions or opening times, for instance. These can all be added to your website and everywhere you have an online presence.
Work with the Right Team
There are cases, however, where it’s always a better idea to work with someone who knows local SEO in and out in your area. They might not only be able to notice things that you are doing wrong in your efforts, but they might also be able to notice small technical errors that are pulling you back and turn your business around by correcting them.
It’s also important that you work with a company that is specialized in local SEO, like Noteworthy Web Design, for instance. These teams will not only be able to help you with the technical aspect of local SEO, but will also be able to help you with other aspects like reviews or local mentions among other things.
These are just some simple ways that you can improve your results with local SEO. Never stop working, and consider working with a professional team if you aren’t seeing any signs of progress.