Search Engine Optimization Tips For Local Businesses

It's natural for small businesses to lack enough funding for marketing. However, the modern world presents a low-cost option of increasing more leads for your organization — local SEO. Improving your ranking on search engines helps increase website traffic by targeting potential consumers searching for your service or living nearby.

You get to improve sales because your consumers find you rather than the other way around. Therefore, standing out in search engines is an excellent way for small businesses to gain more visibility without breaking the bank. However, how can you achieve this?

For starters, it isn't as simple as it seems. Today's saturated marketplace means that you need to utilize best practices for building a formidable online presence. Luckily, below are five ways your local business can stand out in search engines.

Verified & Optimized Google Business & Bing Listings

A straightforward way of exposing your brand to nearby searches is through verifying and optimizing business listings on Bing and Google. Every time you search for a specific service or product on Google, you get to view a small pack on top of the results page showcasing three local businesses on Maps. Understandably, these three establishments will get the bulk of traffic. Thus, making it a crucial consideration for local businesses.

The same thing happens with Bing — You get to view three local businesses offering the good or service you need on top of the results page. However, Bing usually lists about five establishments, unlike Google that lists only three.

All you need to do is set up a business account on both Google and Bing. Next, you have to set up your business by filling up all necessary information — including the name, products/services offered, hours of services, location, and so much more. Lastly, ensure you verify your business to ensure you get listed on local searches. You can registered your business listings on google here (https://google.com/business) and on Bing (https://bingplaces.com).

SSL Certificate Installed On Website

It almost seems like we hear of website hacking every month. Therefore, website security is quickly becoming paramount for all businesses. Having an SSL certificate installed on your website shows both search engines and visitors that they can trust your business.

 In August 2014, Google announced that websites with SSL certificates will get a ranking boost. It is particularly crucial when your website processes customer credit card data. Securing your website makes it easier to rank highly, thus giving you the boost you need to improve your bottom line.

Optimized H1, H2s, and Meta Descriptions

Think of the H1s as the title page of your web page and the H2s as the chapter headings. While the H1s show the reader that the subject matter is relevant, the H2s give them a clearer picture. Meta descriptions provide a summary of your web page on the search engines. However, how do optimized H1s, H2s, and meta descriptions affect local SEO?

These optimized elements of your web page boost visibility on search engines by improving the website user experience. It makes it easier for users to determine whether your page provides the answers they need. These meta tags will also tell search engines exactly what your page is about, helping you show up for the correct search terms.

Valuable Content For The Searchers Intent

User intent, also known as search intent, is the visitor goal when looking up a query in a search engine. Most of the time, users need specific resources or answers to their problems while searching online. For instance, searcher intent is quite different for 'history of pizza', 'pizza recipe', and 'takeout pizza'.

The goal of search engines is to satisfy user intent, thus making it a critical consideration for SEO. When a user comes across irrelevant information for a specific search, it signals search engines that the information is mismatched. Therefore, you get a much lower ranking because your data is deemed irrelevant. However, having valuable content that matches intent means that you get a better ranking due to relevancy.

Include An SEO Optimized Page for Every Product/Service On Your Website

Creating SEO-optimized pages for each service or product you offer makes it easier for your consumers to find what they want. Doing this ensures your visitors do not need to peruse several pages to find a suitable product or service.

Start by ensuring you provide each product or service a dedicated page on your website with the basic SEO elements in place.

Let Us Help

Are you having problems ensuring your website stands out on search engines? At 406 Marketing & Design, we can help you show up in search engines and bring you more leads. Contact us today to leverage local SEO and improve your bottom line.