Thanks to search engine optimization (SEO), entrepreneurs the world over have been able to achieve fantastic results. By engaging in SEO, they make their website more visible, ranking them higher on the search results pages. But SEO targets a global market, and this is not beneficial for all businesses. Hence, it may be necessary to use the services of a local SEO company.
What Is Local SEO?
Local SEO uses the same techniques as regular SEO, meaning they inform the search engine spiders and bots about the existence of the page, but based on a specific geographical area. This means that the keywords, meta tags, titles, and so on include a reference to a locality. Through local SEO, companies are able to get found if they are geographically near to the customer searching for them. This is an important technique, and one that the search engines now favor.
There are many specific tools that help you achieve this, including Yahoo! Local and Google Places. Most of these have simple online forms to complete, and they will usually require you to register with their site as well. However, there is more to it than that, and a local SEO company will also help you do things such as attract reviews from local customers, social media optimization, and more.
Local optimization also goes beyond the main search engines (Google, Yahoo!, and Bing). It also targets websites such as YellowPages, InfoSpace, BigBook, Citysearch, Local.com, Yelp, and so on. These are the types of pages that people go to if they want to find a company near to where they are, and if they want to find out how that company is rated. Being listed on those sites is only the first step, therefore, and you should also try to attract positive reviews.
Social media is another hugely important element of local optimization. While the big social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) are very important, you should also consider others, such as Yellowikis, Tupalo, MojoPages, and CitySquares. These are directories where customers and businesses can interact with each other, meaning you also build up your reputation and brand trust.
Various classified websites also exist, including USFreeAds, Oodle, Backpage, Kijiji, and Recycler, which are all free to use. Classified ads are a great way to promote the existence of your business, while focusing on the local market.
Key Points to Remember
Local SEO is not just about getting listed in various local directories. It is also about making sure your profile is properly managed. You must make sure that you supply the same information to each of the different directories you register with, and you also have to engage in proactive reputation management activities, so that the image you build for yourself is a positive one.
While these are all things that you can do yourself, it takes a lot of time and research to actually do. This is why it is recommended to work together with a professional SEO company instead.