Mobile users often search for local businesses near them. Several small business owners are debunking SEO myths and keep taking proactive measures to optimize their site. Local SEO is an inexpensive way to promote your brand and connect with more customers.
Importance of local SEO
Local SEO revolves around optimizing locally-based businesses. You need to take local SEO in Singapore seriously if you don’t want to lose potential customers to direct competitors. This will increase your chances of showing up in Google Local Pack which is currently a 3-pack setup.
In addition, it can lead to a higher click-through rate (CTR). You can even appear on the first page of SERP without having a website. However, this doesn’t mean setting up a professionally designed website isn’t worth the effort.
Local SEO ranking factors
The local SEO ranking factors are similar to the general ranking factors and they include:
- Google My Business
- Keywords
- Links
- User experience
- Domain Authority
- Reviews
- Social media.
5 Best practices for local SEO in 2019
Many small business owners find the processes of local SEO daunting. The truth is that you can master it even if you don’t have a technical background. Here are the important steps you should take to get the most out of your local SEO strategy.
- Create local content
Inasmuch as you want to create a lasting impression to search engines when creating content, keep your users in mind. Write local content and industry news that will educate and help your target audience.
More so, consider user intent and use local keywords in your content. For instance, a restaurant based in Singapore can target customers with terms like “restaurants near me” or “best restaurants in Singapore.”
- Google My Business optimization
Google My Business can drive immense organic traffic to your site if you get it right. It’s a fundamental part of your local SEO success. You are required to take certain steps before verification. Ensure that you enter correct and complete information.
Get genuine information from your customers and add attractive pictures in your listing.
- Online directories
The next thing is to get listed in online directories such as Bing and Yelp once you’ve set up your Google My Business. Delete duplicate listing and include genuine information during this process. Businesses that provide inconsistent details may fail to appear in local search results.
- Schema markup
Schema markup can influence how your website will appear in the search engine result pages (SERP). It will display useful information like prices, testimonials, reviews alongside your business name in searches. Schema markup can also boost your click-through rate.
- Revamp your website
Start by working on your internal linking structure to improve your ranking. It’s ideal to optimize every piece of content with relevant keywords. This also applies to the headings, URL, meta description and title tags.
In case your business had multiple physical locations, try to set up location pages. They should contain testimonials, consistent NAP, promotions, store hours, and the likes.
Conducting SEO audits regularly can reveal the flaws in your local SEO strategy. Invest in mobile-friendly and responsive website design as it’s crucial for a cohesive brand experience.
