How To Optimize Your Business For Local Search and Social Marketing
To push your local business targeting audiences in specific geo-location to the next level, you need to extend beyond the general guidelines of search and social optimization.
First, find your optimal keyword combinations containing both your geo-specific keywords and type of business. Use Google AdWords Keyword Tool to obtain global and local monthly searches to help in the analysis. Type your keyword combinations into a Google Search and look at the bottom of the page for “related searches”. Use the SEMrush tool to test the keywords ranking on Google.
Next, make sure that primary keywords (geo-specific keywords and type of business) are in your first 70 characters of the SEO Title Tag, first 165 characters of the Meta Descriptions, and in the Snippet about the website.
Include Local Address and Phone Number at the footer of all webpages for your site. But, be certain that the text is not in an image. Also, make the phone number clickable to facilitate mobile phone usage.
If you have more than one physical location for your business, create webpages that are dedicated to each location. Thus, anyone searching for your business in a certain location will get directed to the correct page for that particular location. Another helpful feature to make it easier to find your business is embedding a map of your location(s). Using Google Maps; enter the address of the location(s), customize sizing and other aesthetic and/or usability tweaks, get the HTML embedded code, then copy/paste the HTML into your website.
Create a geo-sitemap and Keyhole Markup Language (KML) file for your website using the Geo Sitemap Generator tool. Be sure to fill in all the necessary company information. Then download the KML files and upload back to your website’s root folder. After this, go to the Google Webmaster’s tools and add your website. Verify using your Google Analytics Code. Finally, add your geo-sitemap’s Uniform Resource Locator (URL) to the Site Configuration’s Sitemaps. This tells Google where you are.
For an off-site optimization, add your business to Google Places, making sure the profile is complete. Link YouTube videos and/or supplementary photos about your business, if so desired. Once submitted and verified, add good reviews for your website. The result should be that your business shows up in the first highlighted listings above the other search results.
Claim your listings on major local directories and networks to ensure others can‘t modify or remove your listing: Yahoo, Bing, Yelp, Merchant Circle, Superpages, Yellow Pages, because not all local directories have verification methods to prove that the person editing your listing is valid. A tool called Whitespark Local Citation Finder can help you find the best local directories for your business.
Boost your site’s visibility with social local search reviews by providing a method for your visitors to rate your website via button, in stores, in online ordering, or by confirmation emails. And if your site happens to get a bad review, respond quickly so new customers see that your goal is to make customers happy.
Also, work with related local businesses to have them add a link to your website. Get local bloggers to link to you. Search for local business resources and get your site listed. Use tools like Open Site Explorer to find out what backlinks your competitors have and try to get yourself listed too. Watch for local events and invest as an exhibitor or sponsor to get your link on their site. Sponsor or donate to charities so their “thank you” links back to your website.
Finally, take advantage of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.
All the above advice, if executed well, will increase traffic to your business.
This entry was posted on Saturday, August 25th, 2012 at 9:10 pm and is filed under SEO. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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Clear explanation of optimizing a website for a local business. if all the above steps are followed then definitely your business in the local will get more traffic. And also unique content promotion also boosts the local market.
pretty sure that Google has retired support for the Geo Sitemaps format check this thread. or does the above article still apply? http://blumenthals.com/blog/2012/03/28/google-still-supporting-kml-files-but-not-the-use-of-geo-sitemaps/