SEO changes constantly. When it comes to local SEO, it's important that you stay on top of trends and yes, become a local SEO expert.
Here is your ultimate, expertly curated guide to local SEO in 2017. Help your business rank higher so your customers can find you before your competitors.
How To Be A Local SEO Expert In 2017
Metadata Still Matters
Yes, titles and description tags are still one of the most important things that you should focus on.
Local SEO experts utilize their metadata as miniature advertisements, as they should reflect the content of your page or your services and, of course, your location.
Keep your titles and headlines short enough that they don't get cut off by Google and unique enough that your click-through rates don't suffer.
Always keep in mind that if your business is being searched, the Google result is your first impression and your one shot to get a click.
Online Directories
Neglecting to claim your business listing in search engines like Yelp can be a big missed opportunity. A large number of local consumers turn to these search engines before they turn to global ones like Google.
A local SEO expert will also tune into local business directories such as local newspapers or Chambers of Commerce.
The more consistently your business is registered across the web, especially in legitimate directories, the better your local SEO.
Don't forget about Google My Business, an online business directory.
Encourage Reviews
The importance of online reviews for your customers should not be underestimated, and a lot of local businesses are rushing to stay on top of the game.
The biggest and best way to boost your business with reviews is to encourage them on both your business' Facebook page and Google My Business page.
This is because these reviews show up in search results. Thus, good reviews can improve your business' visibility and your conversion rates.
Schema Markup
Schema markup, or structured data markup, is code that can be added to your website to provide search engines with more information about your business.
Utilizing a schema markup is a key local SEO strategy because only a little over 30% of businesses are actually taking advantage of it.
Structured data can be a relatively easy, one-stop shop for improving your rankings and helping your business stand out online.
Make Room For Voice Search
Local businesses should stress voice search optimization moving forward with their marketing plans.
What this will boil down to is using more natural language in your site's content and tags.
This should not be too difficult to manage since local SEO experts have been encouraging natural sounding copy over over-optimization, which can sound robotic, for years.
Near-me searches and micro-moment events will tie into the rise of voice queries, so local businesses should do all they can to optimize their sites for voice search optimization.
Here at Overflow Local, we specialize in helping businesses stand out and get found on the major search engines, review sites, directories, and mapping sites. For more information, contact us.