In order to succeed in the modern age of business, it’s more important than ever to have an online presence. Consumers use sites like Google and Yelp to find businesses close to them, so it’s critical that your business comes up when people search for terms related to your industry and location. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how you can optimize your business listing on Google in order to attract local customers who are looking for exactly what you offer.
Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches. This is related to the geolocation that the search engine uses, as well as the algorithms that are to support our search intent. When you think of an Italian restaurant, you don’t want to look for it in Italy, just close to your home, right? This kins of optimization includes your Google My Business listing, creating local content, building citations, and more. Still wondering if it’s worth it? Remember that nearly half of all searches across the web are for local searches.
Every reliable company should have a business card. However, they are especially useful for startups, small and medium-sized enterprises, local companies, professional experts and professionals from various industries. A business card is primarily a source of information as well as a promotional tool. It makes it easier to find a company on the Internet. You don’t need specialist knowledge to create your own business card, just a few little tips.
Google My Business is a free and easy-to-use tool for businesses and organizations to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. By verifying and editing your business information, you can help customers find you, contact you, and learn more about your business. It is a main part of local SEO Google strategy. How to get started?
Creating a business account on Google is free and easy. Simply go to the Google My Business page and click Add your business. From there, add your business details and verify that your listing is accurate. If you don’t already have a Google account, you’ll need to set one up before proceeding. Google will also ask for a phone number and an email address so it can contact you about your business listing if necessary. Once verified, Google My Business will list your business information and link it to your account.
To optimize your Google My Business listing, you’ll want to make sure you’ve selected the correct category and subcategory. Next, click on Manage this business in the top right corner of the screen and then select Listing Settings. Once there, scroll down until you see Category where it says Select from common categories, or if it says Add new Category then click there and add one from those listed. Make sure to also choose your Subcategory from there as well.
Take a look at other listings in your area. See what they’re doing right and wrong, and make note of any opportunities you see. You can also use Google’s People Also Search For feature to get ideas for what keywords and phrases to target.
If you want your business to show up in Google Maps, you need to make sure your Google My Business listing is optimized. One important way to do this is by adding photos. Photos can help potential customers get a sense of your business, and they can also help Google understand what your business is all about. Choose the size you want for the photo (we recommend at least 500px).
Make sure you take the time to respond to any comments or reviews left for your business on Google. This shows potential customers that you care about your online presence and are willing to engage with those who leave feedback. The more positive reviews you have, the higher your ranking will be in local search results.
One of the most important local SEO strategies is building citations or links from other websites to your business listing. Google sees these links as votes of confidence, and the more votes you have, the higher your ranking will be.
Keywords are the foundation of any good strategy, and they’re especially important for local businesses. When you create a Google My Business listing, you can use keywords that best describe your business to ensure your listing appears in search results for those keywords. You can also add words related to your location. If someone searches for these terms on Google Maps, then your business should show up.
If you’re looking for help with your local SEO efforts, working with the best SEO agency in your area can be a great option. An agency can take care of all the tedious tasks that go into optimizing your business listing on Google while providing monthly reports on the progress they’ve made so you know exactly what’s going on. You’ll have someone who is invested in making sure that your business stays at the top of Google rankings and is able to adapt quickly when Google changes its algorithm again.
As you can see, there are a few simple steps you can take to ensure your business is visible in local search results on Google. By optimizing your Google My Business listing and using relevant keywords in your website content, you can increase your chances of being found by potential customers who are searching for businesses like yours. Make sure that all contact information is up-to-date on your page as well so that people know how to reach you with questions or feedback. Finally, stay active on social media channels so that people will have an easy way to find you when they’re not actively looking for something nearby.
Main photo: Kaleidico/unsplash.com
