More than 50% of Google searches are for local products or services. Here are the top ways to optimize your local SEO:

Set up a Google Business Account

Previously known as Google My Business, Google Business is the single best thing you can do to boost your local SEO. Even if you do nothing else, having a Google Business listing will ensure that you will be found when someone searches locally.

Creating a Google Business Account is free and allows you to manage how you appear on Google Search and Maps. You can add features such as your business name, website address, location, hours, service area, services you offer, photos, and more. Have you ever searched for a business where proximity is important (like “Dry Cleaner Near Me”)? Those businesses that use Google My Business will show up first and depending on how you set it up, can appear near the top of the list.

There is a trick to appearing near the top of the list:

• Add posts often to the account even if it’s only a photo or image. The more you update your account, the more Google takes notice.

• Encourage your clients or customers to leave a review. Respond to that review quickly. Again, your account will be updated and Google will respond.

• Add business posts often (at least weekly). Front-load the first 80 characters with keywords that potential clients or customers may use.

Ensure Your Business Info is Consistent Everywhere

Accurate and consistent Business NAP (name, address, phone/also known as local citations) is the single most important thing you can do to ensure that Google, Bing, Apple and every other search engine recognizes you. When you have conflicting information out there, you will be flagged in a negative way.

There are a few ways to address this.

• The least expensive but most time consuming way is to scour the internet yourself to find every mention of your business, then reach out to each source and correct any mistakes or inconsistencies.

• You can use an online service that will check everything for you and update your information. Just be sure you choose one that will make permanent changes and only charge you once. There are several services out there that will make the change but once you stop paying, will reverse the information.

• You can hire a reputable firm to work with (like Charlotte’s Web Designs, LLC) who will take care of the entire process permanently for a one time fee and supply reports as the work progresses.

Add New Keyword-Rich Content Often

Blogs are one of the best online tools you can use to drive readers to your website, lend credibility to your business, and give ammunition to search engines. If done incorrectly, however, blogs can actually turn people away and hurt your rankings.

A well-done blog can:

• Lend credibility to your business by showcasing your expertise

• Be used as a marketing piece to drive people to your site

• Help your website stay current and viable

With well-executed onsite SEO, keywords in the right places, and relevant content, blogs are loved by Googlebots as they scan the web for new material.

Not a writer or feel confident you understand how to create a well-written blog? Click here for instructions or contact Charlotte’s Web Designs, LLC for blog writing services.

Optimize your Website for Voice Search

Voice command searches are becoming more popular with a vast majority of smartphone users. You must have a complete Google Business profile set up (Step 1 above) and ensure your local citations are consistent (Step 2). Last, ensure your onsite SEO is geared toward long-tail keywords (like “best hardware store near me”) and location.

Improve your CTR (Click Through Rate) and Optimize Your Snippets

All content (including images, blog posts, videos, etc) needs to be optimized to ensure they will quickly appear in a search or scrolling through your website. Not only is slow-loading content one of the fastest ways to lose interest but it will be flagged unfavorably in the Google Search algorithm.

When Google and other search engines crawl your site, they are looking for content that answers searchers’ queries the best. A snippet is a few sentences at the top of any landing page that summarizes that page’s content and has the best full answer to to the question.

Try to Get Authentic Reviews Often

Fake reviews are immediately recognizable and will hurt a business’ chances of invoking trust. Try to get as many positive, authentic reviews as possible on all platforms like Google, Yelp, Facebook, etc. by making it as easy as possible for your customers or clients. Have a visible link on your website or send a follow-up email with a link.

Optimize your Website for All Devices (especially Mobile)

Having a mobile-friendly site is one of the highest-ranking factors in any search engine’s algorithm. Design should be responsive (meaning it adjusts accordingly for any screen size), content load quickly, and all content is clear and readable.

Ensure Your Website Has Local Keywords

Use Google Search Console (it’s free) to get a list of trending local keywords and check out what your competitors are using. Then add these keywords and phrases in key locations throughout your website (H1 and H2 headers, metatags, etc).

Have a Website/SEO Audit Performed

Check your website to ensure it does not have any onsite SEO errors or omissions and can include a number of other factors:

• Keywords analysis

• Site speed

• Number of local citations

• Reviews

• Competitor analysis

You can subscribe to a service and perform this audit yourself or contact Charlotte’s Web Designs, LLC for a free site audit.

Ensure Your Website is Professional and Contains Error-Free Onsite SEO

If you want both your customers and search engines to take you seriously, a professional website is a must. Website generators like Wix, Weebly, Sitebuilder, and even more advanced ones like Squarespace or WordPress make it fairly easy to create a passable website but unless you have the training and experience to optimize your site with the correct metadata, image, and video optimization, mobile responsiveness, alt-tag information, and a multitude of other mandatory tasks, your site will not be able to compete. Working with a reputable, experienced web designer like Charlotte’s Web Designs, LLC will ultimately save you money in the long run.

If you need help with any of the steps above, please feel free to schedule a free consultation.

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