Local SEO: better targeted website traffic

Local SEO: better-targeted website traffic

A clarifying example

Suppose you have a supermarket in Bruges. There is someone (person X) who works in Bruges but lives in Kortrijk. For example, the supermarket closes at 6 pm and person X works until 5:30 pm. He/she wants to do some quick shopping after work. Person X looks for a 'supermarket' at work with his smartphone. Then, as the owner of the supermarket, you naturally want your business in Bruges to appear first in the results. You also offer a customized solution for person X, because this way he can do the necessary shopping soon after work before the stores close.

Who is local SEO for?

Local Search Engine Optimization ( SEO ) is for every company that wants to reach prospects or customers locally. If you have a physical address and you want people to visit you online, then you should take local SEO into account. It can range from doctors and dentists to supermarkets, restaurants, and cafes, web agencies, ...

Start with local SEO

How should you start with local SEO? First of all, make sure you are signed in to Google My Business. Create a Google business page. There you can add your location to your account. To verify this, you will receive a code from Google at the specified address. This can be done either by post or by telephone. Enter the 6-digit number on your account. Fill in the rest of your account as well as possible: the URL of your website, opening hours, category, telephone number, etc. The more complete, the better! To radiate trust and credibility, it is good that you (Google) collect reviews. As soon as you have five reviews, your company will receive score stars. This ensures that potential customers will click through to your website faster.

Local SEO and mobile

Google My Business page is also interesting to attract mobile visitors. If people search for your business and you have a Google business page, they will see a map with your location, your opening hours, a link to your website and a click-to-call button, which they can use to call you right away without entering the phone number to test. It is very important that you enter your details correctly, otherwise, you will, of course, miss out on leads. When it comes to branding, a Google business page gives you the chance to stand out from the crowd. You can add a header photo, additional with additional photos and you can give a virtual tour.

Local SEO and content

As you may have already read in our blog, there is a close link between SEO and content creation. By using the right keywords in your web texts and positioning them correctly, you ensure that you are found online faster. Just as you determine your keywords with 'normal' search engine optimization, you should do the same with local SEO. It is important that your keyword is your location. Is your company in Bruges? Then use this in your titles and body text. Also, make sure that the address of your company is clearly visible on your website. Preferably you do this in text form. Text on an image is not read by search engines. For your address data, it is important for Google that you formulate this in the same way, even when it is mentioned in sources other than your website.

Entry by other local companies

Hyperlinks are important for both local and standard SEO. For local SEO it is important that you are mentioned or that you link to other websites of similar local companies in the area. That can be on local news sites, by participating in local events, and so on. But even without direct reference to your website, it is already beneficial that others mention you. It may be sufficient for you to be mentioned on important websites in the industry with your company name and address. These are then quotes. These are important for your search results because you appear credible to search engines.

Adjustments behind the scenes

Unfortunately, it is not possible to adjust all the things that are needed to score well locally in Google yourself. Some terms and values ​​must be stated in the source code and must, therefore, be executed by your web builder.
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