{"id":1778,"date":"2022-09-03T13:25:48","date_gmt":"2022-09-03T13:25:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/index.php\/2022\/09\/03\/local-seo-guide-how-to-boost-your-local-ranking-on-google\/"},"modified":"2022-09-03T13:25:48","modified_gmt":"2022-09-03T13:25:48","slug":"local-seo-guide-how-to-boost-your-local-ranking-on-google","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/local-seo-guide-how-to-boost-your-local-ranking-on-google\/","title":{"rendered":"Local SEO Guide – How to Boost Your Local Ranking on Google?"},"content":{"rendered":"


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You have probably tried to establish your website\u2019s local SEO, but it seems to be underperforming, and you are frustrated. Worry not. Read our definitive local SEO guide so that you can start ranking well on Google.<\/em><\/p>\n

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\"Local<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Image Source: IDL Web Inc<\/a><\/p>\n

Business owners, big or small, need the same thing- visibility. With visibility or awareness of your business, your chances of getting sales would increase. So begs the question, how does one get visibility in the vast sea of search results in Google?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Local SEO is the answer!\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not easy to find with a quick Google search, you\u2019re missing out on many visitors (who are all potential customers). To put it the other way, the local ranking could be the key factor to staying relevant and growing your business.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Image Source: EduinPro\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

What is Local Seo?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When someone searches for a business or a place near their location, they will get local results across Google. If you have a brick-and-mortar store or other local business listing, then local SERPs can significantly impact how easily people can find your business online.<\/p>\n

A study by Google<\/a> shows that 76% of consumers that search for something local on their phone visits a store that day.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For instance, when you search for \u201cvets near me\u201d to find the nearest vet clinic as their pet had suddenly fallen ill or \u201cbest tattoo parlors in [location]\u201d to find a well-reviewed and professional tattoo artist.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\""best<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Local SERPs, as mentioned, are the results that show up for a local-based query based on location. Local SEO<\/strong> refers to the process of optimizing your business\u2019s website for a better local ranking<\/strong> in the SERPs and indirectly better brand awareness.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Case in point, for in-person customers, it is valuable to you to rank highly in local queries around your area. This will no doubt boost your visibility for the most relevant customers.<\/p>\n

How to improve your local rankings<\/strong><\/h2>\n

You may find that your business doesn\u2019t show up for relevant searches in your area, and what should you do to improve your local rankings and why?\u00a0<\/p>\n

With better local rankings, your page visits, as well as your conversions, will increase. With that said, here are 7 best tips for taking your local ranking to another level:<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0Optimize for local keywords by creating content<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Content is king. People use search engines to identify local businesses that provide the items or services they require. To rank in these search results, you\u2019ll need to incorporate local keywords into your website.<\/p>\n

And this is one approach to improve brand recognition and appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) when someone searches for a keyword.<\/p>\n

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\"keywords<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Image Source: WebFX<\/a><\/p>\n

For example, when they type \u201cevent planners\u201d, Google will most probably recommend some event planning companies near their location like \u201cevent planning in Los Angeles\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When creating content with local intent, it\u2019s critical to include local keywords in the title and meta description tags to help with local SEO. To delineate your site conceptually and geographically, your content will have to focus on long-tail keywords frequently.<\/p>\n

For instance, overarching web pages may include \u201cSeattle SEO Firm,\u201d while a blog post could consist of \u201cBest SEO Firms in Seattle.\u201d<\/p>\n

To find keywords for your local search, you will need to conduct local SEO keyword research, and BiQ can simplify this process.\u00a0<\/p>\n

BiQ\u2019s Keyword Intelligence tool<\/a> can help you to untapped local keyword opportunities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

First, enter your target keyword. Then, choose your preferred locations and languages.<\/p>\n

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\"Free<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

The fantastic keyword tool will show you the list of relevant keywords the local people are using.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Your target keyword\u2019s search volume could be 1,000 in your preferred location and possibly less than 100 in another. That\u2019s simply because of the different demands in different places.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So choose the keyword that has high volume but lower competition. I know it can be pretty challenging to decide which keyword to use. That\u2019s where you can sort the keyword value in Keyword Intelligence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\"BiQ's<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

A high-value keyword means it will bring more traffic to your website at a lower competition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

2. Claim and optimize your GMB listing\ufeff<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\"GMB<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Image Source: StoreHub<\/a><\/p>\n

For your local ranking in Google, you can\u2019t do without a proper Google My Business listing which will automatically improve SEO and increase the visibility of your business. This is one of the top factors that Google will evaluate when ranking businesses based on local search and snack pack<\/a> results.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With an optimized GMB, your business can get ahead of your competitors that are not listed, bring free discovery, and receive free reviews that will allow potential customers to read reviews from your previous customers to boost your credibility.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To claim or create your listing, go to the Google My Business<\/a> website.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\"Google<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Image Source: Sprout Social<\/a><\/p>\n

To improve your local ranking, you can further optimize your GMB profile by regularly sharing business updates and fresh content. For tips to do that, you can refer here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0Optimize website to make it mobile-friendly\ufeff<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\"local<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Image Source: Website Planet\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

It is not surprising that mobile devices are used more than desktops<\/a>. After\u00a0all, they are mobile, which means they are more convenient when you want a quick search for something.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A study<\/a> by Uberall showed that 82% of shoppers had done a \u201cnear me\u201d search with their mobile devices.<\/p>\n

With this statistic in mind, you must optimize your website to make it mobile-friendly so that mobile visitors will not have any trouble navigating your site or finding information about your business. Indirectly, you\u2019ll get to miss the sky-high bounce rate.<\/p>\n

Besides, Google has rolled out a mobile-first index<\/a> where it predominantly uses mobile versions of websites for indexing and ranking<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This means that your business\u2019s website isn\u2019t mobile-friendly and your competitor\u2019s site is, then you\u2019ll lose out because they will rank better than you.<\/p>\n

Another tip is to add call-to-action buttons on both your site and GMB listing, as this could make a massive difference for your business as 60% of mobile users<\/a> have contacted a business directly from search results.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mobile optimization is not an option anymore.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a ranking signal, so it counts big time toward your spot in the SERPs.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0Obtain and respond to reviews\ufeff<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\"review<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Image Source: see all media<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

When you search for a specific service or business, have you ever wondered why some companies appear at the top of your results rather than others? What sets them apart?<\/p>\n

The answer: a good number of Google reviews<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

I found my dentist through Google, and what made me choose their clinic was the reasonable amount of good reviews.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The funny thing is, when I was there, I saw this piece of paper on their bulletin board near the counter written, \u201cLeave your review about us on Google, and you\u2019re entitled to a free tooth cleaning session!\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

No wonder there were lots of reviews on their GMB listing, and in return, they had an excellent local ranking! Sometimes to receive, you have to give first.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In Brightlocal\u2019s Local Consumer Review Survey<\/a>, they have reported a significant increase in the perception of reviews among consumers over the last decade.<\/p>\n

For that reason, it makes total sense for Google to see these as valuable factors for rankings.<\/p>\n

Not only should you focus on getting good reviews, but you should also always actively participate in responding to the reviews, good or bad!\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Image Source: Search Engine Land<\/a><\/p>\n

According to Google themself, businesses should interact with customers by responding to reviews that they leave about your business, showing accountability and credibility.\u00a0<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0Build links on a local level\ufeff<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Image Source: BrightLocal<\/a><\/p>\n

According to BrightLocal<\/a>, link signals such as linking domain authority and quantity are principal for your local organic rankings and snack pack results \u2013 as links made up 31% of the localized organic ranking factors in 2020.<\/p>\n

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Image Source: BrightLocal<\/a><\/p>\n

Link building is an effective way to boost local businesses\u2019 performance in SERPs, according to the expert survey<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The majority of local firms have connections with other businesses in the local area.<\/p>\n

To start, I recommend starting by building links from people that you already know by listing out all:<\/p>\n