My Top 6 Local SEO Tips to Boost Visibility in Your Community

Did you know that 46% of Google searches have local intent? Your audience is searching for local solutions, and with these local SEO tips, you’ll be front and center!

Even if you’re a fully online business, you can benefit from local SEO strategies. And guess what? It’s not that hard to implement!

I had the pleasure of talking to Ali on the Brand and Market podcast about this topic! You can listen to the episode right here:

Key Takeaways:

• An explanation of what local SEO is and how it’s different from regular SEO.
• Some local SEO tips to help you start.
• An example of local keyword research for a realtor

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO is a strategy to help your business appear in local search results. When people type a search with the keywords ‘near me’ or ‘in (city name)’, those are local searches. They want to find something nearby.

Most people search online before visiting or working with a business. They want to learn what they can on their own first, then inquire or visit a business.

Local SEO can help small businesses compete with larger national brands. Instead of trying to work with everyone, you’re focusing on a smaller group of people—your community. 

You have a better chance of ranking higher in search results by targeting more niche and local keywords.

6 Local SEO Tips

These actionable local SEO tips will improve your visibility in searches in your community. 

And before you ask… Yes, online businesses can benefit from these local SEO tips, too! Who wouldn’t want to work with a business in their community?

1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile is the little bio that appears in local searches and gives people quick information about your business. Here’s mine:

If you don’t have one yet, create one for free! Add your hours, location, website, phone number, social media profiles, pictures, and description. Make sure everything is accurate and consistent across platforms.

This profile will earn you extra visibility in search results.

2. Use Location-Based Keywords on Your Website

Sprinkle in some location-based keywords on your website! You don’t have to go overboard with this, but it doesn’t hurt to mention that you’re a web designer in Chicago or a blog writer in Denver 😉

3. Get Listed in Local Directories

Local directories and listings are a powerful way to increase your visibility in local searches. 

Some allow you to create a profile for free, and others require a membership. 

You’ll create a profile with your business information for potential customers to explore. Plus, you get a backlink to your website!

Here are some resources to look into:

• Local Chamber of Commerce
• Nextdoor
• Tourism boards
• Local news websites
• Regional lifestyle magazines

4. Ask For and Respond to Reviews

Ask your current and past clients for Google reviews! Businesses with more positive reviews and recent activity tend to appear higher in search results.

It’s also a way to increase the keywords you rank for. Clients will probably naturally use keywords related to your services in their reviews.

Make sure to always respond to Google reviews you receive!

Side note: Don’t copy and paste these reviews onto your website. Google might see this as duplicate content and penalize you for it. Instead, embed Google reviews onto your website.

(P.S. If you love my content and want to leave me a Google review, I’d love you foreverrr ❤️)

5. Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly

Google indexes and ranks the mobile version of your website first. A lot of searches (especially local searches) are performed on mobile devices. 

Mobile websites with super tiny text and buttons, unclear navigation, and weirdly sized images are a turn-off to potential customers.

6. Publish Local Content

Every time you publish a new blog, you have another chance at ranking for new keywords. 

Your main pages can only do so much, but blogs give you the chance to talk about a lot of different things. The more keywords you rank for, the more traffic you receive, which ultimately leads to more client inquiries.

It also builds your authority and expertise, and gives you tons of content to repurpose on other platforms.

Again, sprinkle in local keywords where you can within your blogs, but don’t overdo it. You don’t have to use this strategy in every single blog you publish, just the ones that make sense.

Example: Local Keyword Research

Let’s go through an example of what this could look like for a realtor.

Local SEO helps realtors appear in search results specific to their location, which will help them compete and attract the right people to see their listings. 

By using specific keywords like “5-bedroom beach house rental in Laguna Beach, CA” versus “beach house”, you’re showing up in search results specifically in Laguna Beach instead of anywhere in the world. 

You’re getting more qualified traffic to your website because you’re being more specific about the keywords you’re targeting.

I like Ubersuggest, but there are other tools out there to help you research keywords.

Type in terms you think people will use to find listings. Maybe “Laguna Beachfront house” would be one. 

Then, Ubersuggest will show you the data for that term, as well as other related options. 

It might come up with “Laguna Beach house for sale” or “Laguna Beach waterfront homes for sale.” You might not have thought to phrase your listing that way, but it could have a better potential to rank in search results..

When you’re doing local keyword research, try to find keywords that have high volume and low competition. This means a lot of people are searching, but not many companies are trying to rank for it.

You also want to consider the search intent behind a keyword. When someone types “beach house,” are they looking for a short-term rental, homes for sale, how they’re built, or design ideas? Your keywords should be specific so misunderstandings like this don’t happen!

Implement These Local SEO Tips!

Local SEO all comes down to delivering a great experience. Search engines love it, and your audience loves it. Make it easy for both parties to find and engage with your website and content.

Could some of your old blogs be optimized for local SEO? My Blog Optimizations package will make sure search engines and your audience can find and engage with your content. Explore the package!

FAQs About Local SEO

Does local SEO still work?

Absolutely! Google still prioritizes local results, which is based on these local SEO tips. By skipping this step, you could miss out on potential local customers.

How long does local SEO take?

SEO is a long-term game, but it compounds and grows over time. I would say you’ll start to see results 3-6 months after implementing a strong local SEO strategy, but the real momentum comes between 6-12 months. 

Don’t let that scare you away from trying! It’s much easier than constantly hustling on social media, in my opinion.

Do you need backlinks for local SEO?

Earning backlinks from your community can certainly help your local SEO! It’s worth the effort to get listed in local directories, blogs, events, or news outlets.