Local search is contextually relevant for a certain span. It gives users the solutions to pressing problems right when users need the most. For example, if you have ever searched “Brokers in Portland”, it may not always be the window-shopping; rather you have the problem in actually that you want to solve quickly. Now, you may have the question, how to rank your local business site well in search engines? What are the steps involved in it? Read on this blog to know more such reasons and further steps to get into local SEO:
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Free traffic: Paid campaigns for advertisement are very effective and it is almost next to impossible to get free of cost. If you boost your organic Google ranking, you can take advantage of ongoing stream of free traffic whom you could convert into buyers.
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Google is the New Yellow Pages: Until now, it has been the strategy for local businesses to place an ad in the yellow pages and wait for the people to ring. At present, 97% of the people search for local businesses online and Google is the preferred one for all.
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New level to compete: Local SEO is one area, where small local businesses get a common filed full of huge scope for national businesses. Upon the implementation of local SEO strategies, it is not impossible to get first-page ranking within 30 days’ span.
Few steps that could drive you towards your goal:
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Step1: Select your keywords: Ask your chosen Portland SEO company to pick some simple keywords that can explain your services better. For example, a property seller may use phrase like “Brokers for property seller”, until and unless he/finds a reasonable comprehensive list. Thereafter, you may sign up for free Google AdWords account and get access to free Google keyword planner. Do not worry! You do not have to pay for the ad campaign but this helpful tool can help you input selected keywords to see how much traffic they generate and suggest related keywords that you have not considered yet.
Selected keywords are classified into two categories, which are research intent and buyer intent.
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Research intent: It shows whether a site visitor is looking casually or potentially to handle the work himself. That person may choose your services eventually, but not now. For example, a person is searching for “how to fix leaks with plumbing services” may not want to hire plumbers right now.
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Buying intent: Keywords go with buyers’ intent shows people searching for services with this keywords and looking for your product and services now. For example, “plumbers to fix leaks” want solutions as soon as possible and such keywords are more likely to generate leads and customers for your business.
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Step 2: Optimize your keywords: Soon after finalizing the keywords, you need to optimize them. You should optimize keywords for your website and Google My Business page. Find what you do-
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Google My business: Google My Business Page could be a mini website that shows the Map section of Google local listings. Google prefers to show My Business Page for lots of local searches above the regular website results. Follow the steps below to claim your Google My Business Page:
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Claim for your page through Google verification process
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Make Sure to keep NAP (Name, Address and phone number) up to date and identical across your Google My Business profile.
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Go for Google categories, which focuses more on services instead of results and it ensures success on Google Maps.
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Try to give a brief overview of your business that closes with a Call-to-Action (CTA)
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Mention operating hours of your business, which would be identical across the Internet.
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Use images to increase customer engagement.
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Website optimization: Start with service and home page optimization, which are most important sections in your online business. Use buying intent keywords for these pages and later move towards the blog and FAQ sections and optimize them with research intent keywords. Find it how-
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Service pages: You should have separate page for each service. Optimize each page with buying intent keyword. For example, if you are orthodontics, you should have separate page for each practice (cosmetic dentistry, routine dentistry, dental implants etc.) Each of these pages should get optimized with service related keywords and location-based keywords, such as, “Orthodontists at Portland” etc.
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Homepage: Try to give title tag of 50-65 character and Meta description should be 100-150 characters long. Describe your core services in Meta description and close it with Call-to-Action. Finally, the page copy should contain 500 to 1000 words and keyword should appear in a natural fashion across the content.
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Separate pages for various locations: If you business at multiple locations, we recommend you to build a page for each location. Include a Service Area Section of your website if you travel to your customers and clients.
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Nap on Every page: Try to give accurate name, address and phone number (NAP) information in the footer of every page on your site.
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Step3: Developing citations and link:
Now, you are done with outlining your local SEO campaign and ready for links and citation. Both enhance your online reach and improve the Google ranking of your page.
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Citations: A citation is just a listing of your business NAP (Name, Address and Phone number) in online directory. You could find number of popular options like Facebook, Yellowpages.com and other local directories on the web. Press releases are options to build citations.
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Links: A foundation link is necessary to run the business with rapidity. Directories are good starting point to build link and citations as well. To keep the competitiveness alive, research your competitors to see path of incoming links. Aherfs.com, Moz Open Site explorer etc. are some tools could help identify the source of links your competitors use.
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Step 4: Ask for reviews: Google count online reviews to recognize your business as legitimate one and prospects find these reviews as a trusting factor for your services and products. It would be better if you send your customers a direct link, where they can post review. Try to send links of your Google profile through mail by hyperlinking it in your content and ask, “Click here to leave us a review”.
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Step 5: Track your results: It is important to track results with local SEO and know what is working, what is not, and how you can improve over time. Find these metrics to track improvement:
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Ranking: Google mostly displays customized results based on your browsing records and location. Some tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, Google Search console, Advanced web ranking etc. can give you consistent ranking metrics. Such tools provide automatically updated ranking data from SEO campaigns and track performance of webpage and Google My Business page automatically.
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Traffic: Google analytics can help you track traffic or visitors of your website. Be watchful about the trends in organic search traffic on a long and short-term basis. For example, you can review SEO traffic trends last year (2016) and compare it with recent months (January-February 2017). You will gradually sense the difference between current and previous traffic volume.
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Leads: You may find it quite tricky to track leads you are generating from your website. Google analytics can help you in this case by tracking submitted contact form on your website or number of sign up for a coupon for your email and newsletter.
According to the studies, 51% of all the website traffic comes from organic search. It is just not about the about volume of “traffic” but the “targeted traffic” for your online business. Highly targeted nature of local traffic means you have much better chances to convert visitors into buyers. Use the steps mentioned above and start your local SEO process to boost your business reach and revenue as well. SEO Companies in Portland, Oregon are watchful to track the keyword ranking, organic traffic, top pages to drive traffic, bounce rates etc. and map their strategies accordingly.
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