10 SEO Musts for Local Businesses

In order to convert customers/readers/advocates into followers, you’ve got to get in front of them. For local businesses, beefing up your local SEO efforts can be a big win in terms of sales, building brand loyalty, and attracting new business. Here are 10 things every local business should have if they hope to be found high up in the SERPS (Search Engine Results Pages).

1) Submit your company to local business listings

Local business listings tend to show up higher in the results page on their own, in addition to the Google  recommended local business results. So, as you go to set up your local business listings, make sure you give as much information as possible. Here are a few links to get you started: Google Places and Yahoo! Local.

2) Include your location in your website’s title tag

You may want to add your address and phone number as well. These are things visitors should find once they’re on your page, including them in your title tag can be one way to make sure you can get them there.

3) Use your keywords in your content

Want to show up for a certain search phrase? Well then, you’d better have that string of words in your content. Don’t go overboard here, you want just enough so that when someone searches for that term, Google knows your site is relevant. If you include your keyword too much, Google might see the repetitiveness and just skip right over you.

4) If you have multiple locations, create a page for each one

People can be very specific when they search, so if you’ve got locations in Maryland and in DC, you’ll want to create a landing page for each one, that way prospective customers are pointed to exactly the information they’re looking for. Plus, you get another page to optimize which can lead to more organic traffic and more qualified leads.

5) Ask your clients/customers for reviews

Every good business has satisfied customers, that’s why many businesses get a lot of new customers through word of mouth. But passing the word along doesn’t only have to happen offline. Ask your customers to post their honest review of your product or services on places like Yelp, Merchant Circle, Yahoo! Local, etc. By the way, reviews are one factor Google uses to determine the position your business will show up in the order of the local business results.

6) Run local PPC (Pay Per Click) campaigns

You may want to attract more business by showing up at the top of the search results page no matter what. Through its adwords platform, Google offers local businesses the opportunity to display a message to users when certain searches are run. You’ll pay per click, but it’s one of the best ways to pre-qualify a lead. Nobody who isn’t serious about making a purchase is going to click on an ad.

7) Submit your business to free and paid local directories

If you’re in an industry with a lot of competition, you may want to submit your company in local directories, some of these may be paid, but it will offer prospective customers yet another way to find your company. Being listed in many locations also makes your company appear more reputable. Here’s an example of a local directory listing for Monachetti Wedding Videography.

8) Build quality backlinks on relevant websites

As is the case with any SEO campaign, you’ll want to build some backlinks to your site so that Google knows you’re relevant. Backlinks are simply one-way links to your site from another using your specific keyword. There are many ways to do this, from commenting on blogs, writing guest posts on similar sites, and listing yourself in local directories. There are many, many ways to build backlinks to your site, I recommend consulting with an SEO expert if you need help.

9) Enter the wacky world of social media

If you’re not on Twitter yet, or don’t have a Facebook fan page for your business, you’re missing out. These social media tools can help you create a relationship with your customers in the places they’re already hanging out. Plus, if you’d like to offer specials or reminders, these routes can be among the fastest ways to get that information out to the public. Oh, and by the way, Google indexes Twitter and Facebook very well. You’re likely to find your accounts near the top of a search for your company name, which is yet another way for prospective customers to find you.

10) Do your research

Nothing mentioned above matters if you’re going after the wrong search term. For example, if there are 91 searches per month for “Wedding Videographers in Maryland” and 590 searches per month for “Maryland Wedding Video,” you’d better be optimizing your site for the term that will bring you more leads/sales/customers. If you’re missing your mark, you’re wasting your time. There are many free tools available to help you research the appropriate terms, Google Keyword Tool is one, but there are many more. Consult an SEO expert to find out more.