As a small business, your goal is always to have more customers. To do that, you need to create a quality marketing strategy.
Fortunately, the marketing options nowadays are countless, as you can use everything from billboards and flyers to blog posts, social media, and influencers.
However, one important aspect of reaching a wider audience you cannot overlook is using local SEO in order to attract local leads.
Some Useful Tips That Will Help You Reach Your Goals:
1. Fill out your Google My Business listing:
For starters, you surely know that most people will simply google what they need before they turn to other ways of looking for a business – you probably do it too.
Therefore, a logical step would be to claim your Google My Business listing. This tool is very valuable when it comes to reaching local customers as it lists the top three places where certain services or products can be found nearby.
After you’ve claimed it, you need to add as many details as possible about your business.
You will be asked to verify your name, address, and phone number, after which you can easily add your email, working hours, price range, and so on.
One important thing you don’t want to overlook here is choosing the right category for your business as it will allow you to add more specific information.
Finally, you need to add photos that will entice people to check you out in person. According to data, listings that include images get more clicks and phone calls.
So, include everything from your exterior and interior to your team and products if you want to dominate your local area.
2. Add your company to other local directories:
Besides Google My Business, there are other directories where you should add your business in order to be found by interested locals.
Some of the most popular online local directories are Yelp, Yellow Pages, Trip Advisor, Angie’s List, and Foursquare, for instance. When adding your information online, it’s essential that you keep it consistent.
In that way, regardless of which method potential customers use to find you, there will be no conflicting information in terms of your phone number, address, or hours of operation.
What is more, in case you add conflicting information, your Google My Business listing could be suspended.
If you’re struggling to stay on top of it all, you can also look for tools that will spot all problems and inaccuracies for you and make it easy to sync up everything.
3. Pay attention to the reviews you get:
To attract local leads, you also need to manage the reviews you might be getting online.
Whether it’s on Google My Business or some other directory, you want to keep an eye on what people are saying and take time to engage with your customers.
For example, if the comments are positive, you want to reply by acknowledging them for taking the time to rate your business and showing gratitude for their support.
On the other hand, even if the comments are negative, you should still respond. Express your remorse for the unpleasant experience they’ve had and offer reconciliation by promising you will work harder to meet their needs.
4. Make sure to target the local keywords that apply to you:
Something very important that you don’t want to forget about is targeting the local keywords that apply to your business. These are specific phrases that typically include a location.
So, for example, “best bakery in Sydney” or “coffee shop in Brooklyn” are local keywords.
Of course, you need to use the location that refers to your business and come up with various other phrases that people might look up when searching for services and products that you offer.
There are various ways you can research keywords but relying on experts for local SEO in your area is probably the best approach as you will have time to focus on your core operations and ensure your clients are happy with your offer.
5. Create a website that is mobile-friendly:
In order to be able to rank high on Google’s search results, you need a website that is mobile-friendly.
Nowadays, people look up a business’s working hours on their smartphone to see if it’s still open on their way home from work or use their phone to find the directions to a store they need.
Moreover, people that search for something on their mobile devices are more likely to visit a brick-and-mortar shop within the day if they can find a product or service they require there.
To have a mobile-friendly website, it’s best you incorporate responsive design, which will adapt your site to the device that is being used. If you turn to professionals to create your site, they will know what to do.
6. Don’t forget about voice search:
Lastly, you don’t want to forget to optimize for voice search.
From using assistants like Alexa at home to asking Siri when on the go, more and more people are relying on voice search when looking up something, due to it being very handy.
With that in mind, optimize for questions and provide concise answers, remember to use local phrases and slang, and keep it short.
If you’re looking to dominate the local market, you need to invest in local SEO. Keep these tips in mind for the best results.
