4 local SEO tips

When embarking on SEO, you can be forgiven for expanding your vision too early and forgetting the most important place to be top of the search results: your own city. To rank locally, here are the top things for local SEO you need on your website: 1. Address

Businesses are now so focused on the online world that they don't name a physical address, which is a big mistake. Search engines aren't mind readers. How can a search engine rank you locally if you don't include your address? The name, address, and phone number of your business should be consistent throughout your marketing and online presence. Your website should also include a map to your location, with directions not only on the map but written out below using local landmarks or businesses as reference points.

2. Google My Business

If you don't have a profile set up on Google My Business, stop what you're doing and go set one up. This platform presents your company's information including address, contact details, website address, and opening hours along with customer reviews which will appear on Google's results page when a user searches for you or for your services. These snippets usually sit above the organic search results and it only takes a quarter of an hour to set up, so get to it!

3. Local keywords

Using your location in your keywords is vital in optimising locally. But don't just randomly add locations to keywords – do your research. Research which keywords are ranking in your local area. You'll probably be surprised at what customers are actually searching to find your products or services.

4. User reviews

User reviews have been given more weight by search engines like Google recently. Search results, called rich snippets, are favoured and appear more prominent on a results page. A key feature of these types of results are user reviews, so encourage them and respond to them. While you cannot reward someone for a positive review, you can reward your customers for completing a review. Offer them something if they review your company on Google or social media: entry into a competition, a free e-book, money off their next order. The more reviews you get the better. Local searches are headed by those rich snippets that have reviews, so this is a vital part of optimising your business locally.

If your looking for a leading SEO Agency in London or advice on which keyword you should target for your local area, contact an expert.