To really get moving in the local search results, you need rich local content. Google’s SERP (search engine results page) is sadly pushing local results further and further away from the user. Instead, you are often greeted with google business profiles, maps and local information. Company websites are quite a long way down the page, and research suggests that more than 65% of all Google searches now result in the user getting the information they needed straight from the search page. Here are some ideas to help you to tackle Local SEO…
What is Local SEO Content?
Local SEO content can consist of text, images and video to meet the needs of local searchers. It could appear on your website, on local landing pages or on your google business profile. If you are hoping to target local areas or postcodes, all the content on your site should be aimed at local residents. There is a key difference between bog standard content and local SEO content – that is the search intent. When you are creating your local content, think about the local user, their needs and what they could be searching for when they find your site.
How to develop better local SEO content
There’s not one set way to create good local SEO content, and any global marketing agency worth their salt would tell you the same. However, there are certainly things you can do to try to get ahead of the game.
- Make use of schema markup – schema helps the search engine to understand how content relates to each other. By adding schema to your local business, you are highlighting expertise and authority.
- Add in local phrases – local keyword research will be helpful for you. However, it is important that you utilise a wide range of keywords, not just focussing on the local ones!
- Write as you speak – voice search is a big deal, so writing your content in a more human way can be extremely helpful. Writing in a conversational way can help you to target those long tail phrases that often come from voice search.
- Use images – pictures and images can be easily ignored in SEO, however now that mobile search is a key player, it is important to optimise your images for mobile. Try adding in unique images with the correct alt text and schema markup.
What are some different forms of local SEO?
There are different ways of getting your site to rank for local phrases. One such way is to incorporate local landing pages. These landing pages are highly specific to their locations – you could directly mention local landmarks, any local idioms and ways of speaking to really hammer home how local you are!
Similarly, you could opt for a regional landing page, which talks about a local area rather than specific towns or cities.
Finally, local SEO works well for shops and restaurants which have special offers. Specials and discounts are ideal local SEO tools, and you can give customers what they want by personalising your special deals to local residents. By offering discounts to particular locations, you are appealing to your local audience. Local SEO has undergone a major transformation since local algorithms have changed and search result features have evolved to match consumer behaviour. The days of simply including your NAP on your webpages for the sake of ranking in the map packs are long gone.
