For small businesses, ranking on local search is essential for reaching potential customers nearby. Local search is about making sure your business shows up in search results when people look for products or services near them. You can improve visibility and drive more foot traffic or online sales with the right SEO strategies.
In this guide, we’ll cover practical SEO tips that small businesses can use to dominate local search in 2024. We’ll focus on using Semrush, a powerful SEO platform that helps you with keyword research, local listings, competitor analysis, and more.
Why Local SEO Matters for Small Businesses
Local SEO optimizes your online presence to attract customers from nearby searches. Here’s why it’s important for small businesses:
- Increased visibility: Show up in local searches for customers in your area.
- Higher conversion rates: Local searches often have high intent. People looking for “best coffee shop near me” or “plumber in [city]” are ready to make a purchase.
- Competitive edge: Many small businesses still overlook local SEO. Doing it well gives you an edge.
Getting Started with Local SEO Using Semrush
To optimize your local SEO, you need the right tools. Semrush offers various features that help you track and improve your rankings in local searches. Let’s dive into the steps and use Semrush to streamline the process.
Step 1: Set Up Your Google Business Profile
A Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is essential for local SEO. This free profile allows you to appear on Google Maps and local search results, showing your business’s name, address, phone number, hours, and customer reviews.
How to Set Up and Optimize Your Google Business Profile:
- Claim Your Profile: Go to business.google.com and claim your business. If your business is already listed, you’ll need to verify it.
- Add Complete Information: Fill out your profile completely. Include your business name, category, address, phone number, and hours.
- Upload High-Quality Photos: Add images of your storefront, products, or services. Profiles with photos receive more clicks and interactions.
- Encourage Reviews: Ask satisfied customers to leave a review. Positive reviews improve your local rankings and build trust.
Use Semrush for Google Business Analysis:
Semrush offers tools that track your Google Business Profile performance and visibility in local searches.
Position Tracking in Semrush helps monitor keywords and track if your profile ranks for targeted local searches.
Step 2: Research Local Keywords
Finding the right local keywords is crucial for attracting nearby customers. Keywords should include your product or service along with a location (e.g., “bakery in Brooklyn” or “Seattle bike repair”).
How to Find Local Keywords with Semrush:
- Keyword Magic Tool: Use this tool in Semrush to find relevant local keywords. Enter your product or service and location to get ideas.
- Analyze Competitor Keywords: Look at competitors’ rankings in local searches. Use Organic Research in Semrush to see the keywords driving traffic to their sites.
- Focus on Long-Tail Keywords: Long-tail keywords (phrases with three or more words) are easier to rank for and more specific. Phrases like “organic bakery near me” or “24-hour plumber in Chicago” attract high-intent customers.
After you’ve found keywords, create a list of primary and secondary keywords for each page on your website. You’ll use these in page titles, content, and metadata to boost local rankings.
Step 3: Optimize Your Website for Local SEO
Your website needs to be optimized with local keywords to show up in searches. This includes using keywords in titles, descriptions, headers, and other parts of your site.
Key Areas to Optimize:
- Title Tags: Add primary local keywords to the titles of your pages (e.g., “Seattle Bike Repair Shop – 24/7 Services”).
- Meta Descriptions: These short descriptions appear below your website’s link in search results. Include local keywords here to improve click-through rates.
- Header Tags: Use local keywords in your headings (H1, H2, H3) to make it clear what your page is about.
- Content: Write helpful content with local keywords. Describe your services and locations clearly, and provide as much local information as possible.
Use Semrush’s On-Page SEO Checker:
Semrush’s On-Page SEO Checker provides recommendations for optimizing individual pages. It shows keyword suggestions, links to add, and other tips to improve each page’s ranking in local search results.
Step 4: Create Location-Specific Pages
If your business operates in multiple locations, create a page for each one. This lets you target each location separately and appear in more searches.
Tips for Location Pages:
- Use Unique Content: Write unique content for each location page. Describe the services offered in that area, highlight local landmarks, and address the specific needs of that location.
- Include Location-Based Keywords: Use keywords specific to each area (e.g., “plumber in San Francisco” or “window cleaning in Manhattan”).
- Add Contact Information: Include each location’s address, phone number, and hours.
Semrush Site Audit for Local Pages:
Run a Site Audit in Semrush to ensure each page is optimized correctly. The Site Audit tool checks for errors like missing metadata, broken links, and other factors that impact SEO.
Step 5: Build Local Citations
A local citation is any mention of your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) online. Citations on sites like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and local directories improve your credibility and local rankings.
How to Build Citations:
- Submit to Online Directories: Add your business to popular online directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and Bing Places.
- Use Consistent Information: Make sure your NAP information is consistent across all listings. Inconsistencies can confuse search engines and hurt your rankings.
Use Semrush’s Listing Management Tool:
Semrush’s Listing Management tool finds online directories where your business is listed and checks for consistency in your information. This tool also suggests other directories you may not have thought of, giving you more reach in local search.
Step 6: Encourage Customer Reviews
Reviews build trust and improve your local rankings. Positive reviews on Google, Yelp, and other sites send signals to search engines that your business is reliable and trusted by customers.
Tips for Getting Reviews:
- Ask Satisfied Customers: Politely ask happy customers to leave a review on Google or Yelp.
- Respond to All Reviews: Responding to reviews, both positive and negative, shows that you value customer feedback.
- Add a Review Link to Emails: Include a link in follow-up emails that directs customers to your Google Business Profile or Yelp page.
Monitor Reviews with Semrush:
Semrush’s Brand Monitoring tool allows you to track reviews and mentions of your business online. Use this tool to stay on top of new reviews and respond promptly.
Step 7: Build Backlinks
Backlinks (links from other websites to yours) help increase your website’s authority. Local backlinks, especially from sites in your community, are valuable for local SEO.
Tips for Getting Local Backlinks:
- Partner with Local Organizations: Sponsor events, collaborate with local charities, or partner with nearby businesses.
- Submit to Local Blogs or News Sites: Many local blogs or newspapers accept guest posts or interviews. This is a great way to gain visibility and build authority.
- List on Industry Websites: Find industry-specific directories or associations where you can list your business.
Use Semrush’s Backlink Analytics:
Semrush’s Backlink Analytics tool helps you track your current backlinks and find new opportunities. Look for websites that link to your competitors and reach out to them to see if they’ll link to you, too.
Step 8: Track Your Local SEO Performance
Once your local SEO strategies are in place, track your performance to see what’s working and where you can improve.
How to Track Performance with Semrush:
- Position Tracking: Semrush’s Position Tracking lets you monitor keyword rankings for your target location. You can see how well you rank for local search terms and track any improvements.
- Traffic Analytics: Use the Traffic Analytics tool to see how much traffic is coming from local searches and whether these visitors are converting into customers.
- Site Audit: Run regular audits to ensure your website remains optimized and error-free.
Conclusion
Dominating local search in 2024 is about optimizing for your specific location, using the right keywords, and consistently improving your online presence. By following these SEO tips and using tools like Semrush, you can boost your visibility, attract more customers, and gain a competitive edge in your area. Start applying these strategies today to make your small business stand out in local search results!
