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Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Why Local SEO Works

By Alina H. Winamaker

In the world of business, SEO is a very important aspect to discuss if you are engaged online, regardless of the size of the industry that you are running; it is so useful, effective, and can be availed at a very affordable rate by any entrepreneur who competes in the World Wide Web. Different businesses in local areas can be competitive without spending too much. Naturally, the industry or sector that you operate within will determine the amount of SEO you will need to have an impact on your online visibility. The other major factor is the physical location of your operation. Regardless, there are some basic principles that guide all SEO strategies and some others that are specific to local targeting.

The Basics of On-Page SEO

Make it a point that the complete physical address of your company is indicated in each page of your site. Normally, this is placed in the footer. Ensure that the name of the company, complete address, and postal code are included in the footer. A nice little feature to add is a google map link, but make sure it opens in a new window so you aren't driving visitors away from your site. You can also put the address in the header if it does not crowd your design. This can be suitable if you are targeting a particular area for the kind of business that you have.

For the search engines to be able to easily locate the exact address of your business and its area of coverage, GEO Tags can be applied. They should be put onto every page of the website in the head section of the source code. Do not be concerned about appearance, as this information will not be visible to those who are visiting your site.

Keyword Tactics for Local

This is important to any endeavour concerning SEO; however you have to ensure that easy wins which are obvious shall not be overlooked in the implementation of this campaign. In creating a page title do not forget to incorporate the location, for instance "Electricians in Vancouver" or "Real Estate Detroit".

Content that is based on Location

In many cases your competitors will not be utilizing strong content or content marketing at all. In this case, you have a great opportunity to take advantage and capture search terms with your meaty content. Every new page you create gives you the opportunity to target a new keyword or build more content to support and advance the promotion of existing keywords.

Local Social Proof is Even More Important

Get hold of good statements about your services or merchandises. It is undeniably important in the cyber space. There is no greater obstacle to your business than the absence of trust. This situation was not created by you and it may not be fair, but it's a reality you will need to deal with. Having testimonials published on your site is a vital thing to do and you need to exert effort to get recommendations from 3rd party review sites such as Yelp.

Your Google Places Account

Spare enough time to make a captivating and fully-optimized Google Places account. Make sure that your account is verified and update it on a regular basis especially if you are offering discounts or you need to change information about your business frequently. Do not disregard this.

Off-Page SEO for Local Businesses

Link building or off-page SEO is also being done for businesses in the local area, but often the compete level is relatively low. You have to take note that Google distinguishes links to a particular website as a sign of its significance. Spend time to create a very efficient link building technique and you will be surprised to find out that you are already on top of Google search and other search engines for the keywords that you have focused on. It is a fact that localized internet marketing is not being used fully by those who are involved in the operations of most kinds of business. Take the time to develop a strategy that works for you. Or, alternatively, hire a reputable firm to manage your search engine strategy.
 
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