As a small local business, it is essential to have an effective marketing strategy in place, more importantly, a marketing strategy that includes Local Search Engine Optimisation. By building upon your local SEO strategies, you will essentially reach more people within your local area, as it is said that four out of five consumers will use a search engine to find local businesses. Get ahead of your competitors by following the easy tips below that focus on boosting your online presence and visibility.

Initially, it is essential to make sure that your website is properly optimised. Generally, this means making sure that the website does exactly what it is supposed to do and keeps customers on your page. Elements such as working links, smooth graphics, high-quality pictures and easy to understand navigation and information are important factors of quality optimisation.

Now you want to make sure that your freshly optimised website is sitting high in the relevant search engine results and contains all the right information for your business. A good place to start is to make sure that your domain name contains the exact name of your business and your business’ location. Also, within your “Location” or “About Us” section, include a lot of information about where you are situated in your local area and even include a map. This will help to enhance your local appeal. Explain to your customers your passion and drive for starting up your business or service and be sure to describe the ways in which you serve the community and how long you have been doing so.

Make sure the title and Meta description of your website contains all of the important information for your business, most importantly, the name, number and address. You can also add a geo-modifier to the name of your location to make the word “location specific” and easier for the search engine to recognise. View the description tag as a mini advertisement for your business or service. Description tags are approximately 150-200 words and when used properly search engines are able to pick up your website a lot easier and this can be a huge initial selling point for consumers.

Keywords are essential and also play a big role in increasing your chances of popping up high on a search engine list. Take time to research strong keywords in your specific niche or field and remember to keep using them. Also ensure that your content is of high quality and that it is entertaining, informative and most importantly, that it is unique. Aim to please the local customer with your website as it is such a fantastic and easy way to promote your business locally. It is said that 18% of local searches lead to a purchase within a day, in comparison to 7% of non-local searches.

Another simple way to increase your chances of appearing high on search engine results is to list your business on third-party websites. Search engines scan over sites such as Facebook, TripAdvisor, Yelp and Google for business listings so make sure that you have claimed any listing for your business and that the listing includes the business name, address, phone and logo and make sure that all listings are the same. Appearing on highly credited local directories is also a credible way to improve your local SEO.

Positive customer reviews will help create high-quality SEO. It is said that over 90% of consumers search and read online reviews before deciding which business or service to go to. Therefore, it is very important for your business to have above average online reviews. To do this, make sure that you are providing a very special experience for every single customer and respond to online reviews. Responding to reviews shows that you appreciate and value your customer’s opinion, which is especially appealing to local consumers. Always aim for that five-star rating each and every time. The more consistent your high rating is, the higher the level of online exposure you will receive.

Another way to improve local Search Engine Optimisation is to get in touch with local media organisations. Good online news attention can build upon your online presence. Be in contact with them and lead them to the stories you want to be published. Inform them of any events or noteworthy proceedings that are happening in your business. This can also be said for social media. A strong social media presence for your business can be paramount in the level of online exposure you will receive. Sharing your website constantly on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can draw a large amount of foot traffic through to your businesses website.

Using these simple tips to improve your local SEO is a smart and quick way to reach local customers. Having a higher credibility within your local community can drastically improve sales and is an effective way of keeping your services and products close to home. Having a strong local online presence will ensure that you are always one step ahead of your competitors.