Understanding how to navigate the treacherous world of SEO can be a challenging task. There are a lot of different aspects of it, some improving your site in ways that other aspects of it can’t. Local SEO can be a daunting challenge. However, local SEO is really about understanding what Google wants. By taking the time to learn about how to use SEO you can understand why it is so important to your business’s success.

What is Local SEO

Local SEO, or local search engine optimization, is the process of optimizing a business’s website to show up higher in search results based on location. This can be based on the user searching with the location in the query, or by using the user’s IP address to determine location. There are essentially 3 parts to a local search result, the map, the local pack (Google My Business in most cases), and the organic results (websites). 

How Do I Optimize for Local SEO

Utilizing local SEO is simple when you understand what your goal really is: make your business show up in local search results. The first step to show up in local search results is to set up or claim your business’s Google My Business page. 

What is Google My Business

Google My Business is the local pack that shows up on Google when you make a local search. It shows up below the map, before the organic search results. It is used by businesses to manage their presence on Google, like in local searches and on Google Maps. Google My Business collects a variety of information  about your business, including your:

• Business name
• Business category
• Address
• Hours
• Phone number
• Short name
• Website
• Services menu
• Highlights and attributes
• Description 

Google My Business is there to help your business’s image and presence on Google and it an important tool to utilize when performing local SEO. 

Create Localized Content

Another important part of local SEO is creating new localized content. Localized content will help Google to know that your site is in a certain location and will pick up on keywords for the location that you are targeting. 

On-Page Local SEO

One of the simplest ways to boost your local SEO is to change the title tags and meta descriptions so that your location is everywhere. The more places that your location is mentioned the better, because Google will use it to place you in local search results. 

Why is Local SEO Important

Local SEO is an essential part of making your business succeed. Tapping into the local market is great for growing your business, and can help you in the long run by creating relationships with the community. Not only that, but it will boost your ranking in Google and allow you to show up higher, getting more traffic to your website. Overall, taking time to work on your local SEO is definitely worth any time and effort put into it.