Whether you are a freelance consultant or the head of an agency, you surely have a website that you dream of seeing ranked first in Google search results. However, it can be extremely difficult to position yourself on competitive keywords, at the scale of a country or a large city …
But if your business is aimed at a well-defined area, and provided you have an effective local SEO parramatta strategy in place, you can definitely consider appearing on the first page on Google for a user looking for a business like yours. near.
According to recent figures released by Go Globe , 46% of searches on Google are local. It would therefore be a shame to deprive yourself of this potential for visibility, which is also completely free.
If you are curious about how to boost your local visibility, discover four secrets to propel yourself to the top of the results!
1. OPTIMIZE YOUR METADATA
In 2018, the optimization of metadata is still relevant! The title tag and description tag are HTML tags that you can optimize to give a better idea of the content of your page. The title and description will appear in Google search results. So consider them as a mini advertisement and make Internet users want to click!
Be sure to include your main keywords as well as your area of activity in your title and description. Above all, keep in mind that you are writing for humans, not search engines!
If your site is under WordPress, nothing could be simpler. Just add an SEO plugin like Yoast and be sure to fill in the “title” and “description” fields.
2. CREATE A GOOGLE MY BUSINESS ACCOUNT
Have you ever noticed the business listings displayed to the right of the search results? These are the free Google My Business listings .
Thanks to Google My Business, Internet users searching for your establishment, or a similar establishment, will be able to see your company listing in Google search, but also on Google Maps. This company file includes, among other things, your contact details, your opening hours, your telephone number, your website, photos of your company or even your customers’ opinions. It would be a shame to deprive yourself of such visibility!
When creating your account, be sure to fill out all the information. Once your company profile is created, check your information regularly and keep it up to date. Indeed, anyone can edit the information in your Google listing.
Registering on Google My Business does not exempt you from registering your site on other local sites and directories (eg: CCI site, Kompass, Tripadvisor, Yellow Pages, Yelp, Cityvox, Gralon, etc.). In this case, it is essential that your name, your address and your telephone number (also called NAP in SEO) are consistent on all platforms.
3. RESPOND TO ONLINE REVIEWS
The opinions of your customers are precious! According to Bright Local , a major SEO player, 97% of consumers look to online reviews to get an idea about a local business and 73% of consumers trust a local business if they have read positive reviews about it. Visibility in search results, presence on Google Maps, transparency thanks to customer reviews… Google can be the best ally of your online reputation. But it can also be a threat if you don’t put your customers first.
The Google My Business company profile, like most platforms and directories, allows you to display your customers’ opinions. These comments represent a real advantage for your visibility on the Internet, but also a challenge, because they are difficult to control. If a customer leaves a negative review, always respond to them as quickly as possible. Be polite, concise and sincere. Thank them for their contribution and provide them with useful information.
You can also encourage your loyal customers to share their positive comments about your business, through a poster, a flyer, or simply by asking them. Discover more ideas for getting online reviews for your small business, seo agency, or micro business.
4. SET UP A LOCAL LINK-EARNING STRATEGY
External links pointing to your site can boost its ranking in Google search results in a remarkable way. However, few local players take the trouble to create a real link-earning strategy. Take your chance to outdo your competition! Visibility in search results, presence on Google Maps, transparency thanks to customer reviews… Google can be the best ally of your online reputation. But it can also be a threat if you don’t put your customers first.
You may have heard of link building and black hat tactics , including buying links, exchanging links, submitting massive press releases or links in forum comments. So 2013! These practices are over, and especially penalized by Google. Today, Google favors natural links, coming from credible sources, and pointing to unique and useful content.
So how do you earn these high quality links?
For example, you could sponsor a local event, host a meetup, make a donation to a local organization or participate in a local competition. If these events and associations have their own websites, you could ask to be listed there. You are also likely to be mentioned in the press.
Another very effective technique is to contact the local press when you have a strong news (ex .: launching your activity, opening a shop, exceptional growth, intensive recruitment, organization of an event, etc.). Journalists can include a link to your site if they feel it is relevant. To find journalists’ emails, visit the media “Contact” section. If no email is available, find the journalist’s name at the bottom of an article on a similar topic and contact them via Twitter or Linkedin. Your message to journalists should get straight to the point: answer the Who, What, Where, When questions.
CONCLUSION
Visibility in search results, presence on Google Maps, transparency thanks to customer reviews… Google can be the best ally of your online reputation. But it can also be a threat if you don’t put your customers first.
Thanks to a local SEO strategy, including quality content and links, and a genuine interest in your customers, you will soon see traffic not only growing on your site, but also in your physical establishment.
