Trying to make your brand stand out in a saturated marketplace is a lot more challenging than it used to be, especially when it comes to local businesses. There are thousands and thousands of local brands to choose from, which means there are just as many competitors. There are ways around this, though. You can reach the community that is specifically looking for your product. All it takes is some strategy, and it starts with SEO. 

SEO (search engine optimization) is a critical element of any brand’s digital marketing strategy, and local SEO can do even more. Local SEO is key when it comes to increasing visibility and fostering community from people directly in your immediate geographic area. 

Today, we’re diving into a comprehensive guide through some foundational strategies you can implement to maximize your local SEO and a few common mistakes to avoid.

Let’s get into it!

Understanding the Importance of Local SEO 

Local SEO is a very focused branch of search engine optimization that puts a hawkey on optimizing your brand’s online presence to bring in more customers from relevant local searches. According to our Googles, a whopping 46% of all searches have a local intent behind them, and that’s a key piece of information for businesses like yours to have. 

3 Steps to Improve Your Local SEO

When it comes to elevating your local SEO, you have to remember that it’s a continuous game that requires some meticulous planning and consistent effort. When you take into account these three tips, businesses like yours in New Orleans will see a considerable spike in your website traffic and conversions. Just keep the following in mind:

Optimize Your Google My Business (GMB) Listing 

Your Google My Business (GMB) is a free tool that you absolutely should be using if you’re not already. Think of it as your digital business card of sorts. It is sort of a home base for your digital presence, and optimizing it is one of the most effective ways to improve your local SEO.

• Complete Your Profile: Make sure that all of your information is up to date. Your brand’s name, address, phone number, and website all need to be accurate and current. 

• Use High-Quality Photos: When you’re uploading photos of your business, its services, or products, please be sure that all of the photos are of high quality. 
• Encourage Customer Reviews: As you continue to accumulate business, so will come the positive customer reviews. Positive reviews on Google My Business will boost your local SEO rankings in a way you haven’t seen before. Make sure you’re encouraging your pleased customers to leave feedback and remember to respond!

When you keep your GMB profile updated and engaged, not only will you improve your chances of appearing in the local search results pages, but you’re also building trust amongst potential customers as well as existing ones.

Make Sure Your NAP is Consistent Across All Platforms 

Firstly, your NAP stands for your brand’s Name, Address, and Phone Number. You have to be sure that they are consistent across platforms so that your potential community members can more easily find you. The search engines use this info to hone in on your business’s legitimacy and relevance, so make sure it’s updated and accurate!

• Audit Your Information: Be sure to check your NAP consistency across your website, GMB listing, social media profiles, and any other online directories your business is a part of. You need to do this on a regular basis to avoid seeing any unnecessary dips in your search engine results. 
• Correct Inconsistencies: Did you catch any discrepancies in your NAP audit? Correct them immediately! Inconsistent information will confuse the search engines and harm your local SEO rankings more than you think.

Auditing and verifying that your NAP is consistent across all platforms and online directories will help validate your legitimacy and relevance to local searchers, ultimately heightening your chances of appearing in the Local Pack. 

Optimize for Local Keywords

When it comes to your search engine optimization, keywords truly are the backbone. That’s part of the reason this blog was even posted today! We know that people like you are looking to elevate your brand visibility through the use of SEO keywords, so we whipped up this quick and comprehensive guide. That said, using keywords that you know your target audience is using in your content will help you tremendously. Here’s how to start:

• Research Local Keywords: Putting tools like Google Keyword Planner or Mox to use to help you identify the local keywords your targeted community members are using to look for products and services like yours will put you at an edge. 

• Incorporate Keywords Naturally: As you begin to accumulate your relevant keywords, integrate them into your content naturally. Avoid keyword stuffing. If you overuse the keywords, you are more likely to hurt your SEO rankings rather than boost them. 
• Create Localized Content: This should be easy! If you own a bar in New Orleans, play it up! Use your content to take advantage of your business’s location.

As you continue to optimize for local keywords, your brand will appear more and more in your relevant local search results, making you a whole lot easier to find!

When you elevate your local SEO efforts, you’re making an effort to better your brand’s visibility and boost those conversions. It’s an ongoing process that requires constant audits and edits. It might be a daunting task, but you know the L.A. Creative Marketing team has you covered!

Click here to get in touch with one of our specialists, and we’ll have your brand sitting nicely on Front Street in the SEO landscape in no time!