If your Charlottesville company wants to thrive in 2019, ranking well on Google through the use of local SEO is essential. Fact.
After all, studies show that 46% of all Google searches are for local products and companies while up to 97% people have searched for local businesses through the internet. When combined with the direct correlations between running searches and visiting the physical store, dominating the SERPs should be a priority.
Here are five ways to make it happen.
#1. Localized Link Building
If you can gain a linkback from a major news company website, go for it. However, for the most part, focusing on gaining links and building partnerships with other local websites will be better than opting for links from sites associated to your industry.
There are many ways to create those winning relationships, including sponsorships and using social media. Aim to get some local PR too such as the Daily Progress, and those high authority local sources will boost your SEO.
#2. Utilize Your GMB Listing
The Google My Business listing is a free resource that ensures your business will appear on local maps, which is of huge importance. The Google algorithm likes high-quality images of the location and staff while changing the image URLs to include local SEO terms can help.
Adding 2-3 relevant posts per week can aid the cause too. Meanwhile, securing positive reviews will truly boost your presence. So don’t be afraid to ask customers to do it.
#3. Use Location Pages
Location pages and landing pages associated to your location can have a telling impact on your SEO. This is especially true when you embed a Google Map on the page, include the business NAP, and ensure that the location is included in the webpage URL.
Including links to the localized pages within the site’s menu navigation can give those pages greater weight. However, it is important to avoid the threat of duplicate content as this can lead to penalties.
#4. Localized Keywords
Keywords are the backbone of Charlottesville SEO as this is literally linked to what users are typing into the Google search bar. Finding opportunities for keywords with high CTRs is easy while focusing on the specific location rather than the generic state can work wonders.
Using Google to autofill (type the first few words and see what it suggests) what you should be aiming to rank on is a great tactic too. With local keyword tactics, traffic will soar.
#5. Be Mobile Friendly
Local searches are popular across all devices, but those using mobile devices are most likely to search for (and, crucially, visit local businesses. Therefore, if your site isn’t optimized for the small screen, it can harm your rankings in the SERPs that are presented to over half of your audience.
Google likes mobile-friendly sites, and so do users. If that doesn’t motivate you to ensure that the load times and general aesthetics are built with cellphones and tablets in mind, nothing will.