Search results are not consistent. Users in different locations can enter the same query into a search engine and receive different results. Due to this, an effort should be made by businesses to expand their online presence. This is especially important if a business wants to be visible to customers who search for them locally.
Local search runs on proximity, relevance and prominence
When showing local results, search engines assess three main things: how close a business is to the searcher, how well the business meets the searcher’s needs, and how well known and trusted the business is. You cannot do anything to change how close you are to a customer, but you can do things to change how well a business meets a customer’s needs and how well known and trusted the business is.
Being visible in the right places is important to being relevant. Being listed in the right directories and being mentioned on other websites increases prominence. To capture attention when potential customers search for SEO Leicester businesses, it is important for companies to have signals of relevance and prominence.
Your Google Business Profile matters
Local search results often include a map, and in some cases listings from your Business Profile, before other results. This means your Business Profile is extremely important. Complete and correct your Business Profile, especially your name, address and phone number, opening hours and categories. You should also provide a selection of good quality, clear photos of your business, your team and your products or services.
Look out for questions and reviews that are posted. Reply to every review, good or bad. Though it can be frustrating to get a bad review, staying calm and attempting to resolve the issue can serve as a better endorsement for your business than good reviews ever will.
Consistency across the web
Details about your business are all over the place, from business directories to your social media pages, and to industry listings. Search engines will have less trust in any of those websites to provide your business’s accurate information if your address and phone number are not consistent across the web. Take an afternoon to find the places where your business is listed, and update any outdated information.
Write for the people in your area
Pages pertaining to the places you serve, the problems your customers have and work you have done nearby, provide context to search engines. These pages also let customers know that you understand their area, and possibly build trust. There’s no reason to copy and paste the same text to a page for every town, as it provides no additional value and looks bad.
Case studies, FAQs and other short form content are easy to consume and increase the likelihood that readers find what they are looking for. A lot of people search using questions, and writing content in a question/answer format helps satisfy those search queries.
Reviews build trust, and they help you rank
Recent real reviews are the strongest signal to a local business. A happy customer is in the best position to give a review and should be encouraged to do so as quickly as possible after the job is done. Make it as easy as possible by providing a link. Writing or soliciting reviews yourself may seem like an easy way to get reviews, but it is easy to cross a line that gets your business in hot water.
Think about mobile users
Most local searches happen on a mobile device with the intention of getting an answer quickly. Make sure your site loads quickly, your phone number is clickable to call, and your address is clickable to open a map. A visitor who has to pinch and zoom to read your site will usually leave.
Be patient and track the right things
Local SEO almost never results in immediate improvements. Focus on enhancing your profile and your pages, while also cultivating honest and objective reviews. Track calls, direction requests, and messages, rather than solely focusing on rankings. Be aware that rankings are location dependent, and can vary a lot.
Do not neglect your service pages
Local businesses often have a single page that attempts to capture everything they do. Giving each main service its own page with a clear heading and a way to get in touch can help your visitors and potential customers understand what you can do for them. Add sample rates where you can. Also, consider including the questions customers ask most. This can be especially helpful for potential customers who don’t know enough to ask the right questions.
Be sure that all pages can be reached within 2 clicks from your home page, and link related pages to one another to facilitate your visitors’ movement.
Link with other local businesses
Mentions from other trusted local organisations can improve your reputation. Some examples are suppliers, trade bodies, charities, and local newspapers and community groups. Links from these organisations tell search engines your business is legitimate and is actively serving the community. The value of these links is more for the relationship than the link itself. So focus on the relationships you would value, and the links will follow.
If you are short of time, start with the basics. Fill in your Business Profile fully, create accuracy everywhere, maintain a constant stream of reviews and build a website that is mobile-friendly. All of these steps are low cost and increase your business visibility in your area.