Local SEO Best Practices: How to Rank Higher in Google for Your City?

Struggling to get your business noticed in local search results? Want to get more local customers for your small business? You can achieve all this by focusing on local business SEO, a powerful SEO strategy to capture more leads, sales, and traffic. It is a cost-effective way to appear in local and organic searches and outrank your competitors.

Remember, if you fail to optimize your business for local searches, you will miss out on over 69% of website traffic.   

5 Best Practices of Local SEO to Rank Higher in Search Engines

Local SEO helps you optimize your online presence and visibility in local search results on search engines.

Local SEO Best Practices to rank higher in google

When users search for a product or service in a nearby or specific area, Google prioritizes businesses that are:

  • Relevant: Your business should match the user’s search intent. For example, if a user searches for “Best Pizza in (City),” your website content should indicate your restaurant.
  • Nearby: Google will prioritize businesses physically close to the searcher, so address is vital for your profile.
  • Reputable: Customer reviews can help you establish a positive reputation that signals trustworthiness to potential customers and Google.

Here are some local SEO practices that can help you rank higher in Google and get the attention of local customers:

1. Update Your Business Profile

You should ensure your business profile is up-to-date and accurate for local SEO. Use location-based keywords in your website content. Keep your NAP (Name, Address, and Phone Number) consistent across directors.

Google My Business Profile

Earn positive reviews on Google and other platforms. Plus, get high-quality links from local websites and directories. Local SEO strategies help your business appear in Google Maps, organic search results, and Google Local Pack. Eventually, it will drive more customers to your business.

2. Get the Most out of Google Business Profile

A complete Google Business Profile boosts your chances of ranking higher in local search results and helps potential customers trust your business. If you have a detailed profile, Google will reward you with more visibility. Here are some easy steps to follow:

Google Business Profile
  • Claim and verify your Google business profile to display accurate information and establish trust with Google.
  • Visit the Google Business Profile website to claim your listing and complete the verification process via phone or mail. Your business is now officially visible to Google.
  • Google relies on the information you provide to display your business correctly. Include the right business name, address, phone number, website, business hours, and business category.
  • Photos, business logos on profile pictures, and videos play a significant role in attracting customers. Listings with photos receive 42% more required for directions and 35% more click-throughs to websites. A short video that highlights your business can make a strong impact.
Google Business Reviews
  • Customer reviews can influence local search rankings and consumer decisions. Encourage your customers to leave positive reviews on your Google Business Profile. Send customers a link to your Google review page via email or text message after a purchase. Acknowledge all reviews, thank customers for their feedback, and address any concerns promptly.
  • Post regular updates to keep your business profile updated. You can share upcoming events, special offers or promotions, new products or services, and company announcements.

These updates will show that your business is active and engaging, which will eventually help you attract more attention from local customers.

3. Use the Power of Location Citations and Directories

Online directories and local citations can boost your local SEO. Pick reputable directories to help search engines verify your business’s legitimacy and relevance. Keep your business information consistent across all platforms to improve local search rankings.

Social media and Local Citations platform

Famous directories like the Yellow Pages, Local Chamber of Commerce listings, and Yelp can enhance your visibility and drive more local traffic to your website. To stay relevant and accurate, regularly update your citations.

4. Don’t Forget a Local SEO Audit

How do you know the current SEO status of your website? Perform a local SEO audit and identify areas that need improvement. It will help your business rank higher in local search results. Here are some simple steps to perform a local SEO audit:

Local SEO Audit score card
  • Google My Business optimization: Focus on this area to understand how your business appears in the SERPs and verify that your information is accurate.
  • Website Optimization for Local Keywords: Optimize your website for location-based keywords. Use these keywords in website content, meta descriptions, and title tags. Ensure your website is responsive and mobile-friendly.   
  • Local Business Schema Markup: This helps search engines understand your business information, such as your phone number, address, and business name.
  • Local Directory Listings and Citations: Submit your business in major local directories, keep NAP consistent, and fix duplicate listings to avoid confusion. It will help Google trust your business details.
  • Local Link Building and Backlinks: Check your backlink profile for high-quality, local, and relevant backlinks. You can analyze backlinks using tools like Moz or Ahrefs. Contribute to local blogs or websites to get backlinks to your website.
  • On-Page SEO for Local Pages: Optimize location and landing pages with target keywords. If you provide services in different cities or neighborhoods, build a specific page for each.
  • Optimize Social Media Profiles: Your business should be active on social media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Keep your profile up-to-date with consistent NAP. Active engagement on social media can help you with local reach and brand recognition.
  • Track Local SEO Metrics: Use tools like Google My Business Insights and Google Search Console to monitor your site’s performance in local searches. Use a local rank tracker to monitor your business’s rankings for local keywords and adjust strategies as needed.

5. Pay Attention to the Internal Linking Structure

No doubt, external linking is ideal for your website, but you can’t ignore the internal linking structure. Internal linking helps Google understand the relationship between the pages on your website, improve user navigation, and boost your site’s SEO.    

Proper internal linking is a versatile way to distribute link equity across your pages. It can enhance site’s usability and improve your chances of ranking higher for relevant local search queries.

Over to You

In a nutshell, ranking higher in search engines for your city requires a solid local SEO strategy. Optimize your Google My Business Profile, focus on local keywords, get reviews, and build local backlinks for the best outcomes.

All these things will be easy with a professional service provider. At Nextsol, you can hire our experts to regularly monitor your site’s performance and ensure your efforts are on track. Contact us now to implement the best local SEO strategies and take your business to the top with our Local SEO services.

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