Local search is a type of SEO that enables smaller companies to rank well, competing with bigger, more established brands. Just under half of all Google searches are local so it’s an important part of an SEO strategy if your business is regionally based or serves a regional location. So whether you want to be the go-to Chinese restaurant in Manchester or the busiest boutique hotel in Liverpool – local SEO can help make that happen.
Content is a large part of SEO and similarly, content plays a vital role in your local SEO strategy. With that in mind, here are 5 types of content you should be using to help your local SEO efforts.
Displaying reviews can increase conversion rates by 270% so it’s really something worth investing a little time and effort in. You can usually get positive customer reviews through channels such as email marketing and social media. The great thing about testimonials and reviews is that it’s a great way to fill your website with fresh original content without actually having to write anything! Reviews for location specific companies also often include location keywords too. For example, someone might write “this is the cheapest pet shop in Manchester” or “definitely the best tapas in Halifax.”
Social media, especially Facebook and Instagram should definitely be part of your local SEO content strategy. Through Facebook you can keep your local audience (and those who may just be visiting the area) informed of any updates, events and business news, and through Instagram you can share pictures and stories of your projects, goods and services. Instagram works really well for visually appealing products such as food. Check out Foodwell’s insta feed below:
If you want your website to rank organically for specific keywords associated with locations then it’s useful to have specific location pages. For example if you’re a solicitor looking to rank in specific regional areas such as Bury, Oldham and Bolton then you would want separate pages of content for each of those areas.
One of the most simple and basic parts of boosting your local SEO is creating a Google My Business listing for your business. It actually doesn’t involve creating that much content so it should take no time at all. It’s basically a mini online directory that allows you to provide details and photos of your business, including your location, services, and products. The profile is absolutely free to create but is a great way to increase your visibility across Google services.
It’s important to keep it up to date with accurate information so Google can verify your business as authentic. And you may even get a coveted sidebar space in Google local search. You can see how our own Google My Business Listing looks below:
As part of your ongoing local SEO strategy you should be frequently creating location specific blogs to keep Google coming back to your site. You’ll need to of course incorporate keywords you want to rank for as well as your specific location. For example, if you were a paintballing venue in Manchester you could write a blog post titled “Quirky things you can do in Manchester this Mother’s Day” and include “paintballing in Manchester” as a keyword and talk about your company.
How you write your blogs is important too. 75% of people who own smart speakers use them to search for local businesses weekly so if you write with a conversational tone, you can target those longer voice search queries in the SERPs.
Need help with your local SEO strategy? We’re an SEO agency in Manchester who help companies rank organically online – both locally and nationally. We work with brands from a range of sectors but we only work with one sector per area so we never have clients competing directly with each other. If you’re looking to give your organic search presence a real boost but don’t know where to start, start by getting in touch with us.
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