Why is it important that your website is optimized for local SEO? People use online searches every day to find the best local businesses for the products and services they’re in need of. For businesses such as hearing centers that rely on attracting patients who live in the local area, it is especially important that your business shows up in local search results. Therefore, optimizing your website for local SEO is an effective way to grow your business. Local SEO also offers a great return on investment (ROI) – local SEO is very cost-effective and efficient compared to traditional advertising approaches, such as direct mail.
Because Google is constantly changing its algorithms, it can be more challenging to rank high in local search results. A variety of strategies are needed to help increase your chances of getting found. Everything that applies to customary SEO also applies to local SEO, including responsive design and site speed.
Responsive Design: More and more people are using the internet to find local businesses online, and they’re using mobile devices to do so. Because so many people view websites on mobile devices, Google has started penalizing websites that are not mobile-responsive. If your website is not mobile responsive, it will not likely display very high in Google’s search results, increasing the chances that potential customers will not see your website in the search results when they perform a search on a mobile device.
Site Speed: Google favors websites that are fast and easy to navigate, and that’s what visitors want as well. For businesses, this can also mean a lower bounce rate and a higher average amount of time spent on your website. If your website is slow to load, visitors will not stay long and probably won’t return again. Search engines can detect if your website is slow-loading. Make sure the images on your website are not too large, as this can cause slow loading time.
What other strategies can help improve your local SEO?
Online Reviews
Online reviews of your business, such as Google and Yelp, impact how your business will rank in local search results, and which results will get clicked on. It’s worth spending time trying to acquire them from your customers. Keep in mind that more and more consumers are relying on online reviews to make purchasing decisions. Both positive and negative reviews can impact a consumer’s buying decision. Reviews don’t just have to be on Google – Yelp and local directories are also important, but do focus on Google reviews.
How do you get local reviews? Contact current customers to see if they will leave you a review. You might want to consider offering them an incentive, such as a discount or gift card. Create a page on your website with instructions on how to leave a review – make it quick and simple for your customers or they might leave in the middle of posting a review.
How do you know if someone has posted an online review of your business? You can easily set up a Google Alert, which is a free notification service offered through Google. Each time your business is mentioned online on any website, you will get notified by e-mail. To create a Google Alert, visit http://www.google.com/alerts.
Google My Business Page
Be sure to claim your page through Google My Business. It is necessary to include all of the requested information about your business. Google also loves photos and videos of your business, such as a virtual tour of your office. Your Google My Business page is also where Google reviews from your customers display. Make sure your business is listed accurately, including the business category. Otherwise, it will be more difficult for potential customers to find you.
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Your business has an increased chance of displaying in local search results if your business name, address, and phone number are displayed prominently on your website and on every web page if possible – this allows the search engines to find your website easily. If you have a toll-free number, be sure to always list your local phone number as well – otherwise, this could confuse Google.
Local Link Building
Google likes links to your business from other local businesses that are similar to your business. When determining the types of links you should look for, consider that you want links that will drive direct traffic to your website, build visibility for your brand, and help build your reputation. Local online directories are a great resource for this.
If you would like to learn more about how we can help optimize your website for local SEO, please feel free to contact us at [email protected].
