Voice Search
Best SEO practice isn’t just about what questions people are asking but also how they ask them. Voice search is growing rapidly, so you should optimise your content for this.
This may require some adjustments. How people talk is more conversational, and, typically, involves more long-tail keywords. Voice searches tend to focus on requests for specific pieces of information.
Optimising for Mobile
Google prioritises the mobile version of your content for indexing and ranking purposes. Most users do their searches on mobile devices, and this includes local searches. It follows then, that if you’re optimising for local SEO, you need to optimise for mobile.
Major factors you should consider are:
- Page loading speeds
- Readability, including font size
- Plenty of space, so that the content doesn’t appear too dense
- An intuitive user interface and clear navigation
Relevant Local Content
If you’re developing a local SEO strategy, then you should also consider tailoring your content for greater local relevance. Addressing local issues directly is a great way of grabbing the attention of local customers.
This content can be in the form of blogs or videos, and you might focus on local charity events or news stories. You could also set up location-specific web pages on your site if there are different parts of a region you want to serve.
Local Keywords
Local keywords should be relevant to local customers. If you use the Keyword Planner tool Google, it will filter keywords based on location. This should give you a good idea of what keywords are popular in searches in a specific region.
From this information, you can create a list of locally relevant keywords to target.
Use these local keywords in your:
- Website copy
- Meta content
- URLs
You can also be more obvious in your targeting and include local places of interest, venues and references in your copy.
Location Specific Pages
These are essential if you’ve got more than one business location and you want to provide specific customer information about each one. This information can include opening hours, local offers and promotions and testimonials.
Be sure to attach Google maps to each location-specific page.
Online Business Directories
Local SEO isn’t just about the content you create for your own website. Another useful piece of collateral is to get your details into online directories that list local businesses. An obvious example is Yell.com (Yellow Pages) but there are plenty of others.
Provide contact details, a description of your business and a backlink to your website. Make sure all your information on local business directories is consistent, and if anything changes, update all your entries.
Grow Your Business Locally
If you’re going to harness the power of local SEO to grow your business, you need to look at it from multiple angles.
And you have to commit to managing this process and keeping your SEO strategy up-to-date.
Aqueous Digital are your local SEO experts. We can create an effective local SEO approach as part of a broader SEO strategy.
As an award-winning digital agency, we have the skills, expertise and experience to ensure that your business enjoys the benefits that an intelligent local SEO strategy can bring.
Take a look at the SEO Services we offer and get in touch on 0800 285 1424 or email agency@aqueous-digital.co.uk for an initial discussion and a free consultation.
Further reading on SEO
Aqueous Digital’s Guide to the Top 501 SEO and Digital Marketing Terms
Aqueous Digital’s Beginners Guide to SEO
How out carry out an in-depth Technical SEO Audit
SEO best practice
Aqueous Digital’s Ultimate Guide to the cost of SEO in the UK
How long does SEO take to work?
What is Technical SEO?
What is Local SEO?
SEO vs PPC
Link building and outreach
What are the most important SEO ranking factors?