SEO (local search engine optimization) is crucial for your digital marketing strategy.

No matter if you have one or more locations, you can drive brand awareness and increase your revenue. According to studies, 46% of searches on Google are local. Are you able to find your brand?

Local SEO can be especially useful for brick-and-mortar stores and businesses that are restricted to a particular service area. 

What is location-based SEO?

Search engine optimization (SEO), which is based on location, allows your brand and content to search for specific locations. You need to set up your site if you want to increase your search traffic and be a leader in local searches.

The location qualifiers are the state, city, zip code, and/or service area.

You should have a strategy for multiple locations so search engines like Google can recognize them and give you the right one.

Start Point or Housekeeping

To be found in local search results, your brand must have an address or physical location. Google Maps or any other search engine must show your business.

If your business address has not been updated in Google My Business, it won’t show up when someone does a “near me” search.

Next, ensure that your brand name, address, and phone number are consistent across all online directories. Google search will not be able to recognize discrepancies if they do.

The real work begins now that the housekeeping has been completed.

Every Location Needs a page

No matter how many locations you have, each location needs its page. Many brands have all of their locations listed on a homepage or contact us page. They stop there. This is not the best way to rank your location on page 1 of any search engine.

Clients often ask “is this necessary?” Will the page not have the same information as the previous one? It is an important step, we tell clients.

It is all about organization and easy navigation when creating a website. This will give you the best user experience. Search engines need to understand your website to rank higher in search results.

There is no difference in creating location pages. First, make sure the URL is clear. The best way to do this is business.com/locations/city or state. It should be clear and precise. Google should index the pages correctly.

SEO on the Location Page

Next, optimize the pages to make search engines understand them.

• Title tag – A concise listing of the location and service or product.

• Meta Description Keywords, location, and any enticing information about the service or product must all be within the allotted characters count to get the user to click on the URL.

• Alt Text – Images on the page must have keyword descriptions and locations.

• Content The content should include keywords and include location keywords.

Google My Business

Google offers a Google My Business service to control the way a brand appears in Google & Maps. It is important to create a GMB account, optimize it, and help local customers find your business.

GMB offers guidelines for optimizing your locations. These include adding photos and listing hours. You can also manage and respond to reviews.

Review

You will want reviews from all your locations as social proof to gain new customers. A brand’s reputation can be affected by reviews.

SEO is not just about getting reviews. It is also important to manage reviews for every location. This can cause serious damage to your local SEO. Google shows reviews alongside business listings in search results. You should comment on all reviews. Thank positive reviews and give a professional response to negative reviews.

Consistency wins the race 

SEO is not something you can do overnight. You need patience. SEO can take time before you see dramatic results. Make sure you review the analytics and reports. Your results will improve the more you work and are more consistent.

Kobe Digital can help if your company doesn’t have the time or resources to invest in SEO and other digital marketing in Los Angeles strategies. Our team has been trained in content marketing, web design services in Miami, SEO, social media, CRM marketing, PPC, and social media. We can get you more customers than your competitors and will blow them away. Get in touch with us today to schedule a consultation.