How can I improve my local SEO ranking?


For businesses that serve local customers in a particular geographic region,

local search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial. Where your business ranks

in local pack listings on search engines can make a massive difference in driving foot traffic, calls,

and sales from nearby searchers. While local SEO takes time and effort,

implementing the right strategies can significantly improve your local business visibility and search rankings.


Fully Optimize Your Google My Business Listing for Maximum Visibility

Your Google My Business (GMB) listing is one of the most powerful drivers of local SEO success. Ensuring your GMB profile is completely filled out with accurate business information and contact details is a must. Include high-quality photos that give searchers a good visual representation of your business location, offerings, signage, and team. Customer reviews on your GMB listing also act as local ranking signals—make it easy for happy customers to leave detailed positive feedback about their experience.


Target Key Local SEO Keywords and Optimize On-Page Content  

Conduct thorough keyword research to identify your most relevant local keywords and phrases, including nearby city names. Incorporate these targeted keywords naturally throughout your website content, page titles, meta descriptions, image ALT tags, and URL structures. Create locally-optimized landing pages and blog content that focus on topics your ideal local customers care about.


Build Local Citations and Listings to Strengthen Your Signals

Getting your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) consistently listed on high-authority local business directories, review sites like Yelp and Citysearch, and niche citation websites helps reinforce your local SEO authority. Including your complete NAP details on your website and social media profiles also contributes to this consistent local signal building.  


Encourage Customer Reviews on Relevant Sites to Demonstrate Local Popularity

Positive local reviews on sites like Google, Facebook, and Yelp help establish trust and popularity for your local business. Prompt happy customers to leave detailed reviews, and always respond professionally to any negative feedback. Getting more in-depth validated reviews signals to search engines that people in your area love your business.


Pursue Relevant Local Link Building Partnerships and Opportunities

Look for link-building opportunities from locally-focused organizations and directories, local event calendars, niche publications, sponsored blog posts on regional sites, guest posts on complementary businesses’ blogs, local sponsorships, and community support. These types of authoritative local links and partnerships organically raise your local search visibility.


Implement Structured LocalBusiness Markup for Clearer Signals

Adding structured LocalBusiness markup to your website’s code clearly tells Google about your business name, street address, phone number, opening hours, and other key identifying information. Implement markup on your homepage, contact page, and individual location pages. This helps search bots better understand your business type and location specifics.


Target Optimization Efforts Towards Ranking in the Local Pack 

Identifying keywords that tend to trigger the 3-pack local listing results can reveal profitable local

SEO opportunities. Incorporate relevant city, region, or neighborhood names into content

when strategically relevant. Appearing in those coveted Local Packs leads to more calls and walk-ins.

Create Locally-Relevant Content and Blogs

Regularly publishing blog posts and long-form content that cover topics highly relevant to locals gives search engines more quality pages to index. Blog about community happenings, area guides, things to do in your city, local events, and tips that make locals’ lives easier. Position your business as a knowledgeable local authority.


Pursue Prominent Listings in Relevant Directories

Actively pursue getting your business listed in top local directories like Yelp. Fully optimize these listings with engaging photos, detailed local information, and incentives to attract customer reviews. Keep listings updated, and respond promptly to customer feedback requests. A strong directory presence indicates an established local business.


Leverage Google My Business Features Like Posts and Offers 

Posting regular photos, videos, offers, events, and updates on your GMB listing helps bring it to life. Show customers what makes your business special. Highlight local partnerships, community involvement, and what people can uniquely expect from your in-store experience.


Run Geographically Targeted PPC Campaigns to Raise Local Visibility

Advertising on platforms like Google Ads and Facebook by targeting local zip codes and radii around your business location can complement your organic local SEO efforts. Local PPC campaigns raise brand visibility and help drive foot traffic from nearby searchers.


Research Local Competitors to Identify Optimization Opportunities

Look at what types of content, keywords, and marketing channels your most visible local competitors are leveraging. See what is working well for leading area businesses, and find ways to differentiate your local SEO strategies from theirs. Learn from their successes.


Implement Local Schema Markup for Events, Services, and Products

Further enhance how search engines understand your local offerings by markup up local events, services, and products you provide with relevant schema. Clearly highlighting your local inventory, menu options, specials, classes, appointments, delivery options, etc. can be hugely beneficial.


Pursue Strategic Local Partnerships to Boost Credibility and Awareness

Identifying partnership opportunities with prominent neighborhood businesses, sponsoring local events or teams, getting involved with local organizations and causes, or contributing to local publications can build goodwill and credibility. These mutually beneficial partnerships can raise awareness and create local SEO link-building potential.

Prioritize Speed and Mobile Optimization for the Majority of Local Searches 

With a strong majority of local and maps-based searches happening on smartphones,

ensuring fast mobile load speeds and seamless responsiveness on mobile devices is critical.

Avoid pitfalls like excessive server load times, insecure connections, and painful pinching/zooming.

Speed and usability convert local searchers.

Create Location-Specific Landing Pages Dedicated to Service Areas

For businesses that serve an entire region with various locations, creating localized

landing pages dedicated to each individual city, neighborhood, or suburb your service can be beneficial.

Optimize service area pages with keywords and content specifically focused on local communities.

Track and Monitor Your Local Rankings Over Time

Use ranking tracking tools like Moz Local to monitor your local pack rankings for target keywords as well as your top competitors’ positions. Identify new optimization opportunities and areas to focus on further improving based on this intel. Consistently tracking local SERP movements reveals what strategies are moving the needle.


Employ an Integrated Local Marketing Strategy Across Channels

While SEO is important for visibility on search engines, it is just one piece of an effective localized marketing strategy. Traditional advertising, social media marketing geotargeted in the area, local PPC ads, flyers, partnerships, and more can complement your organic efforts.


Maintain Consistency Over the Long Term to Build Lasting Local Authority 

Improving local SEO visibility requires playing the long game, as progress tends to be gradual and incremental. But with a comprehensive, evergreen strategy - continually publishing locally-optimized content, monitoring listings/citations, gaining links and reviews, and tracking competitors - lasting authoritative local ranking gains are achievable.