Local SEO is a way for local businesses to improve their search results over competitive mainstream search results. Best of all, Google recognises and indexes local search results for people seeking products or services near where they are.

But to ensure you do show up in local search results, there are a few things you need to ensure your business is doing so Google can index you and local customers can find you. Let's go through a few pointers:

Google business profile

The first thing you should do is create a google business profile listing. This will allow you to list where your business is located geographically when Google (and your potential customers) are trying to work out where you are.

In fact we've actually written an entire article which talks about using a google business profile which you can check out.

Google is all about showing the most relevant search results, so if someone is looking for a business like yours in their area, having a google business profile helps verify your location.

You can also upload photos and receive and respond to Google reviews. For example, if you have a physical location, and one or more of those photos shows proof of that location, that's even better for your customers as it shows you're there and real.

And if other locals write their reviews, this too can help make the legitimacy of your local proximity to those other potential customers seem more authentic and genuine.

Address & hours of operation listed

The most obvious way to show Google you're in a local area is to list where you are. If customers can visit a physical address, include that on your website.

If you don't have an address that customers can visit, but you service a specific area in your business, then mention what suburbs you service on your website. Is it north of the river? A cluster of suburbs together in a specific area? Make it known.

And also, list your business hours on your website. It helps customers and also shows you're at least in the time zone of the local area you're in. Lastly, make sure your address/area you serve and your hours are the same anywhere you have yourself listed online. Be consistent.

Keywords targeting local-based searches

Using geo-located keywords on your website can help with local SEO. or example, if you have a bakery in Hillarys, you'll want to include the word Hillarys Bakery in your page title, headings, and text content, not just that you are a Bakery in Perth.

Social media

Social media allows you to connect with locals in your area and again, list your local address or show what suburbs you service. If your content is good, the more local people that see your social media post, the greater chance you'll have of others linking to your website or mentioning you.

Link building from other local, credible sites

Think where most of your potential customers go, where if they found you mentioned elsewhere, it would interest them.

A great start is local business associations where you can become a member and get listed as a local business like many others.

Business directories, online local newspapers, local blogger websites into what you provide or sell as a business worth mentioning. You get the idea. It can be hard work, but reaching out to these websites, or offering to guest post is a way to give them a reason to link to you.

The best links are those from other local websites that happen to link to you without you even asking. This usually happens because what you provide is very useful or valuable. Another good tip is to ensure you're providing great content on your website to give them a reason to want to link to you.

Important tip

Ensure sites you're getting to link to you are credible and relevant. You don't want a collection of spammy looking or questionable websites, even ones that look non-legit or irrelevant to your business linking to you. Look for websites that have some relevance as to why they would link to you, that also look credible and trustworthy—the more relevant, credible, and trustworthy, the better.

Events and initiatives that get you mentioned

Everyone loves a good story, and occasionally businesses get mentioned in local news or by word of mouth by other locals online. If you generate interest in an event you might run, or an initiative you start, and they link to your website when they mention you online, this too can improve your local SEO ranking. Why? Because it's more evidence that your business is real, it's recognised in the local community and nearby in a particular area.

Are you looking for a local SEO company to help you optimise your website, so you get seen in your local area? Thriving Web Design, a local SEO agency based in Perth, can help you rank your website to the right people searching for your products and services. Contact us today to see how we can help you.

Attracting customers with local SEO

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