Improve your local visibility with our local SEO services
Looking to attract customers in a specific area? Optimising your local SEO strategy is key to putting your brand on the map.
From understanding its importance to developing a successful strategy, our guide takes a deep dive into the world of local SEO.
Work with usSearch engines are designed to deliver the most relevant results for their users. As part of this, they pull users locations via geolocation (for mobiles) or IP addresses (for desktops). This means that the search results will be local to the user. After all, if someone is searching for a “good hairdresser”, they won’t want to make the journey from Manchester to London for a haircut.
local SEO campaign aims to make your business appear in local searches – and, in order to do this, you’ll need both Google My Business listings and strong organic website rankings.
There are certain tactics and measures you’ll need to follow in order to for local keywords. You’ll need to develop a strategy that takes key local SEO ranking factors into account…
To rank for local search terms, there are a number of factors which come into play. It’s not as simple as applying the same tactics you would to a blanket, nationwide SEO campaign – it’s all about optimising your location as much as possible.
Work with usA detailed GMB listing is essential when it comes to ranking locally. Once this is in place, potential customers should see all they need to know about your business instantly.
Your GMB listing should ideally include:
A Google SERP will display three localised suggestions based on the user’s search query (before they click to view ‘more businesses’ below), which is often referred to as the ‘Map-Pack” or “Google’s Local Pack”. A well-planned local SEO strategy can boost your website’s visibility within the organic search results and also within Google’s Local Pack.
For example, when targeting terms such as “SEO Manchester”, “SEO Agency Manchester” and “Search Engine Optimisation Manchester” and “Manchester SEO Agency”, ranking both organically and within Google’s Local Pack, will improve your website’s click-through rate and ultimately your conversion rate – win win!
Google reviews are a fundamental part of a local SEO campaign. Lots of positive customer reviews will build trust and can help to prioritise your business above others. Plus, a positive overall rating will encourage more clicks. According to Search Engine Journal:
“82% of shoppers wouldn’t touch a retailer with less than 3 stars.”
Work with usBefore you get to grips with your local SEO strategy, it’s essential you optimise your site for mobile use. If you imagine a potential customer roaming nearby, it’s they’ll be on their mobile – and they’ll want to see results that instantly tell them everything they need to know.
We’ve broken down our local SEO strategy into five simple steps:
The first part of your strategy should be carrying out keyword research. Having the right terms will be an important part of optimising your online content later on.
Found your main localised search term? You can now begin to apply this to your website and local landing pages to appear in more searches. For example, you could use your core term ‘Local SEO Manchester’ within:
You can now focus on those other related keywords beyond your core search term. While you may have mainly optimised ‘Local SEO Manchester’, you can create locally-optimised content that covers other relevant terms in more detail.
Next, it’s time to set up your Google Business page. If your business has multiple venues, it’s worth setting up a page for each venue. This will help your local customers discover the branch that’s closest to them.
Work with usIt’s incredibly easy to set up and optimise your GMB page. This includes the following steps:
Claim your business
Make sure your business hasn’t already got a page registered, as this could be confusing for people searching for your services. If there’s already an existing page, make sure you’ve claimed it in your name so you can optimise and update the information.
It’s really important that your contact details are consistent across your website and GMB page. Check that any details listed on your site match the ones on any local directories, GMB page, or citations.
It’s important to select a category that’s best suited to your business. With our example of targeting ‘Local SEO Manchester’, you would choose ‘Digital Marketing Agency’. This will help potential customers easily find the service they’re searching for.
When you first sign up for a GMB listing, you’ll need to enter a verification code on your profile. Google will typically send you a postcard with the code within 14 days of signing up.
From encouraging customers to leave reviews to adding images of your business, take the time to optimise your GMB page as much as you can.
Information like opening hours should always be to up to date. If anything in your business changes, it should be reflected in your GMB page.
Work with usWhen it comes to optimising your site, citations and backlinks are invaluable. You can acquire citations from local business directories, like Tripadvisor or Yelp. Having your business featured on these sites can help people exploring the area discover local businesses like yours. Again, it’s important to make sure the details on these sites match the ones on your website.
It’s also worth searching for opportunities to gain backlinks on relevant websites. For example, you might find an article called ‘The Top 10 SEO Agencies in Manchester’. If the article is relevant to you or mentions your business, you could ask if the author of the page would consider adding a link to your website.
Work with usReady to meet your Manchester audience? We specialise in connecting local Manchester businesses with the customers right on their doorstep. Based in the heart of the Northern Powerhouse, our local Manchester SEO agency has experts that can help you connect with Manchester and beyond.