Like the fashion industry, SEO is in continual change. Every now and again, something new comes along and becomes a trend. Today, we will talk about the latest digital marketing trend – Local SEO.
The global pandemic was an awful situation for the entire world. The world has looked inwards, and never before have people looked to spend their hard-earned money away from big corporations and on the businesses at the end of their street as they are doing now. Still, as in everything in life, adversity becomes an opportunity.
Small businesses need support, and they have tended to be the ones who have provided well-needed support to people in lockdown. Hence, the community spirit is back with a bang. And in this article, we’ll look at 5 ways you can enhance your standing on Google to make sure you are at the forefront of the new trend and buzzword in the digital marketing arena.
How to Utilise SEO titles and your meta descriptions
Creating a solid headline and meta description is vital. It’s the equivalent of going on your first date, naturally, generating interest is the primal instinct but at the same time, not giving everything away. It works in precisely the same way.
You want to attract customers to you with something that stands out. Use your meta to let them know what you are all about; they want more information and click through your website.
These act as the newspaper’s front page and advertise what will be content-wise in the following few pages.
In 2018 Google reduced search result snippets, so again, like a first date, you have to make an impact and a solid first impression. So you look for something that is on-point.
When creating an SEO title and your meta description, remember every word counts, so here are tips to guide you:
- Utilise your long-tail keywords through your local SEO title and the meta description throughout the website.
- Ensure you continually mention the city, town and area you are in so Google’s crawlers will pick up and identify this
- Don’t forget a call-to-action
- Make sure your companies name is at the consistent end of every SEO title
If you aren’t sure how your title and meta will look when a Google search is conducted, you can add Yoast’s SEO Plugin, which works seamlessly with WordPress.
Yoast will give you a base to start from and show you how to use the best title and meta description.
Understanding the importance of the correct titles and meta descriptions as competition in the marketplace in 2022 is rife.
Feedback and reviews
How often do you write reviews positively for a product, company or service?
We all tend to talk about one of the above, but how often do we take the time to actually type what we think?
Online reviews are critical to Google and your Google My Business page.
Never overlook your customer’s opinions. OK, maybe some of them you won’t like, but it helps you understand how you are perceived and adjust accordingly.
But if you are providing a good product and service, you don’t need to worry about that, and in doing so, positive reviews and engagement will enhance your visibility, ranking, and your local SEO.
Consistency on online directories and listings is critical
For a small to medium-size enterprise (SME), it is vital to get listed so a local SEO service will benefit your business and your local community that has become polarised throughout Covid-19.
BUT you must ensure your listings are correct and all your information up-to-date. Therefore, if you use a local SEO service, they will get the results and rankings you are looking for.
It sounds obvious, but ANY spelling mistakes or incorrect address or contact details will confuse Google’s crawlers, bringing your rankings down.
Get your Google my Business listing immediately
I cannot tell you how important this is for 2022. If you don’t have it, you must have it!. Google my Business is your lift-off point and free to gain local exposure, which has become more prevalent since the global pandemic. You have the link above so just click on it to get started.
Getting yourself featured on local searches is now more critical than ever. And there is no need to be scared of Google. They want you to deliver a good service for their users, making it simple to use and easy to follow.
When you follow the instructions and verify your business, it will be a significant step forwards. All you need to do are the basics, make sure your address, contact details, opening times, and industry category are correct and add your logo.
Note: Google’s terms of service avises that the business owner only can claim the business. However, suppose you use a local SEO service to assist you with your campaign. In that case, you can give them permission to be your page manager.
Never forget that content is still king
Content has never been more critical to websites and overall SEO strategy than it is now. However, you must ensure that it is fresh, constantly updated, unique and unique for your niche.
Local SEO is the new buzzword within digital marketing, so this is solid advice. Be sure to jump on it. It is way easier to get rankings for local SEO than for the state, interstate and international pages of Google when you are up against businesses with a bigger budget than you. Underestimating this can cost you valuable ranking points. As long as you are relevant and regularly posting to enhance your local SEO, you will benefit.
Note: Be sure to engage with your local customers. It will help generate word of mouth, and viral leads are just as important as organic SEO. This may seem a little overwhelming at the start. Still, Google makes it easy for you to do this, so if you genuinely have the best products and services within your area, make sure everyone knows.
SUMMARY
Local SEO has become a sensation for businesses struggling to compete against more prominent companies. Register with Google my Business and follow the links above. You will be on the right path and establish yourself as a significant player in your local town or area, which can lead to bigger things further down the road. I wish you good luck in 2022.
