When it comes to online marketing, SEO is a mandatory part of the marketing strategy if you want to get anywhere, but so is local SEO. People who are looking for you locally need to see you at the top of the search results to know you exist. But how do you get to that point? Here is a look at a few simple tactics to get your local SEO campaign off to a healthy start.

Create an account on Google My Business.

This may come as a surprise, but did you know that if you do not register your local business on Google My Business, there is a good chance you will not be found. Your business may never display in search engine results when a customer is searching for your product or service in the area because this information is used directly by Google when providing those results.

Registering with Google Business is easy peasy, but it is the starting point for creating a highly successful local SEO campaign. It's such a simple thing that only requires you to provide:

  • Your business name
  • A brief overview or description
  • Your business address
  • Your contact information
  • A link to your website

You can also provide photos, menus, and other information like hours of operation, but the basics are the only real requirement to get your business registered. Once your business is registered, not only will it be more likely to come up in local search results, it will be there so customers can leave reviews as well.

Create profiles and pages on locally geared sites for your business.

The idea with local SEO is to get your name displayed before the people who are going to be looking for you at any given time because of your location. To make this happen, you need to be present. Not registering your business and creating profiles and pages on social media, locally geared sites, and consumer information platforms is a huge mistake. This is like expecting the teacher to call on you even though you didn't raise your hand to let them know you have the answer.

Google My Business is your starting point for getting your local business out there, but there are many other steps to take, including:

  • Creating a business profile on Facebook
  • Making a Google+ account with your business name
  • Registering the business on LinkedIn
  • Creating a business profile on Instagram an even Snapchat
  • Registering on Yelp, Yellow Pages, and even the Better Business Bureau

Your goal with supplying all of this information is to push your local business name up to the top as a recognizable place in your area.

Create a website design with your local SEO campaign in mind.

Once you have created the pages and profiles to get your name out into the local public, it is time to look a little more inward at your business website. The beginning of your local SEO efforts here will start with vamping up your website to be geared more toward a targeted geographic location.

Set your meta descriptions and titles to include location tags, then use that information to come up with focus keywords, local keywords, and long-tail keywords to use in your content. From the written content on different pages to the H2 and H3 headers and imagery, keep a local focus. Integrate maps and directions on contact pages and give your blog a localized voice.

With just these three starting tactics, you have laid the foundation for a successful local SEO marketing campaign, so you are bound to start gaining traction right out of the gate. If you need help with your local SEO efforts, contact us at Brandgy. We are your one-stop shop for online marketing assistance.