What is Local SEO: 7 Key Components That Help Your Local Business

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO is a region-based form of search engine optimization that helps you improve your business’s online visibility for local searches. For example, if someone searches ‘best restaurants near me’, restaurants with a good local SEO and a physical location may appear higher in search results on platforms like ‘Google Maps’. Where conventional SEO is considered good for nationwide or global popularity, local SEO is helpful to attract consumers from a city or a particular region.

Why Local SEO is Important

Offline stores have to generate more revenue from local consumers. So, local popularity becomes more popular in this case. Also, suppose you own a stationery shop, where the average order value barely exceeds 50 bucks. A wise consumer may prioritize purchasing from a physical store over buying a book or pen online.

On the other hand, suppose you own a store that sells comparatively expensive goods, such as mobile phones or luxury products. In this case, consumers may be hesitant to buy a product for thousands of bucks blindly. So, they may prefer experiencing the product once before buying it. Here, you can capitalize on and attract them to visit your store.

Whether you are selling stationery, FMCG, electronics, or anything else, local SEO is important to attract those who prefer an in-store experience. Here, we’ll discuss its seven core components that will help your local business grow online.

7 Core Components of Local SEO

1. Google Business Profile Setup and Optimization

• Create or Claim Your GMB Profile: First of all, create your profile on Google My Business (GMB). If it already exists, you can claim it. Consider choosing a perfect business category to help Google understand your products or services.

• Add NAP and Other Business Details: NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone Number. They need to appear consistently on your website and other directories. Also, add your website URL and business hours. If you provide doorstep services, you can select ‘service area business’ and add the area you cover.

• Verify Your Business: You can use methods such as a Postcard by mail, a phone call, email, or instant verification (if eligible). Your business can only appear on Google Maps and local search results after it gets verified and goes live.

• Add Media: Upload your logo, cover photo, store photos, and product or service photos. Consider uploading clear and high-quality pictures, as businesses with such images tend to receive more clicks.

• Optimize Your Business Description: Write a clear description of up to 750 characters that naturally includes keywords and location. For example, ‘This is the oldest store in New York City to get 100% authentic branded clothes’.

• Utilize Products and Services Section: Add details about products or services with pricing (if possible). Consider showing your menu, product catalog, or service list, based on your business, to improve visibility for specific searches.

• Enable Contact Options: You can turn on chat messaging, so customers can directly contact you. Also, ensure your number is correct and available for call-based inquiries.

2. Local Keyword Research

• Understand Search Intent: Local searches usually include product/service+location. Sometimes, customers also perform ‘near me’ searches. For example, ‘best pizza in Los Angeles’ or ‘best pizza near me’.

• Start with Seed Keywords: After performing or outsourcing keyword research, prepare a list of your products or services and combine it with your location.

• Use Free/Paid Tools: Analyze how your competitors appear on Google Maps search results. You can use Google Keyword Planner for search volumes and paid tools like SEMrush, Ubersuggest, etc, for detailed info.

• Focus on Long Tail Keywords: Instead of just a product or service, use the keyword with adjectives and location. For example, ‘emergency plumber in Washington’ or ‘24/7 plumber near me’. Long-tail keywords have higher conversion rates and less competition.

• Include Local Modifiers: Add keywords with city/area names, neighbourhoods, landmarks, and ZIP codes.

• Organize Keywords: Differentiate primary [best (business type) in (city/area)], secondary [best (service/product) in (city/area)], and support keywords [How much does a (product/service) cost in (city/area)].

• Optimize Content on Website and GMB Profile: Add local keywords to page titles, meta descriptions, headings, URLs, and content. You can also use them in your Google Business Profile description, services, and posts.

3. On-Page Optimization

• Optimize Meta Titles and Descriptions: Include the main keyword and location naturally in meta titles and descriptions. Keep titles under 60 and descriptions under 160 characters.

• Use Header Tags: Include one page title (H1) per page and subheadings with local and secondary keywords (H2/H3).

• Optimize Content with Local Keywords: Use primary and secondary local keywords naturally in paragraphs, including landmarks, neighborhoods, or service areas. Consider at least 500–1000 words of valuable content per page.

• Add Local Business Schema Markup: Use schema.org LocalBusiness markup to help Google understand your NAP, so your business can appear in rich results.

• Optimize Images: Use descriptive and meaningful file names and add alt texts with relevant keywords and location information. Also, compress images for faster page loading.

• Improve Internal Linking: Add hyperlinks on keywords to other relevant pages, so users and search engines can easily navigate your website.

• Mobile Optimization & Page Speed: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly and doesn’t take more than 2 seconds to load. If you’re creating a website using ready-made solutions, consider purchasing responsive website templates.

4. Create Content for Local People

• Local Guides and Tips: Write blogs or posts like ‘Top 10 Cafes in Los Angeles for Weekend Hangouts’ or ‘Best Fitness Spots in NYC’, so locals can see you as part of their lifestyle, not just a business.

• Cover Local Events and Festivals: Share content around festivals, fairs, or city events, along with offers and pictures or short videos of your participation.

• Highlight Community Stories: Share stories of local customers, staff, or collaborations to build emotional connection and trust. [Example: Meet (name), who trusted our clinic for his knee replacement.]

• Location-Based FAQs: Create content that answers local queries. It works great for SEO and helps locals directly.

• Naturally Use Local Keywords: Consider adding area names, landmarks, and neighbourhoods in your blogs to make content relatable and searchable.

5. Online Reviews and References

• Collect Reviews and Respond to Them: Ask satisfied customers to leave a Google review. You can also offer discounts on their next purchases in exchange for reviews. You can consider responding to both positive and negative reviews in a polite and thankful way.

• Use Reviews for Marketing: Highlight positive reviews on your website, social media, and brochures. You can also create a dedicated ‘Testimonial’ section on your website’s homepage. Video reviews or customer stories can help you boost credibility.

• Focus on References: List your business on local citations and news/media websites, and ask community groups, associations, or local bloggers to refer your business to others. These references help Google validate your business authority and improve local SEO.

6. Directory Listings

• NAP Consistency: Consider keeping your name, address, and phone number consistent across all directories to avoid creating confusion.

• Optimize Your Listings: Add categories, services, photos, and website links, and include local keywords in your descriptions. Consider updating listings whenever you change contact details, address, or working hours.

• Third-Party Services: Reach out to Theme Bitrix for the Directory Submission Service to reduce your workload and improve outcomes.

7. Build Local Backlinks

• Partner with Local Businesses: Collaborate with nearby shops, gyms, cafés, service providers, or social media accounts and exchange links on each other’s websites under ‘Local Partners’ or ‘Recommended Businesses’.

• Collaborate with Local Influencers & Bloggers: Reach out to popular influencers in your city. You can offer a free trial, meal, or service in exchange for a review on their blog.

• Local Press & Media Coverage: Send press releases about new openings, special offers, or events. You can also advertise your business in local online news portals.

How Our Local SEO Service Helps You Grow Your Business

At Theme Bitrix, we provide professional Local SEO services to help your business grow locally.

• Reduced Workload: We have a team of experienced professionals to provide the best local SEO services. So, you can focus on improving your products or services without worrying about marketing.

• Attention to Detail: We cover many of the aspects discussed above, so you can get a nearly one-stop solution for local SEO.

• Stats-Based Implementation: Before working, we deeply analyze where your business stands in the market, so we can implement strategies that can deliver results.

• Detailed Competitive Analysis: Analyzing competitors is a part of our service. We analyze your competitors who are more successful, and try to adapt or make strategies accordingly.

FAQs

Is Local SEO really important?

Yes, local SEO is quite important if you own a physical store and expect footfalls. When everyone is searching for products or services online, your business must appear with sufficient information.

What if I don’t respond to reviews?

Not responding to reviews may result in lost credibility, as consumers might create perceptions of a lack of support or respect.

How much should I spend on Local SEO?

You can spend USD 100-150 on local SEO, based on your requirements. However, the Local SEO Service of Theme Bitrix costs just USD 60. It is ideal for all businesses, and you can expect better results.

What is NAP? Why should I keep it consistent across all listings?

NAP means Name, Address, and Phone Number. Consumers may not trust your business if your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) is inconsistent across all platforms, so it's essential to keep it consistent.

When will I need both conventional SEO and local SEO?

If your brand operates nationwide, internationally, or globally with multiple retail outlets, you need both strong traditional SEO and local SEO.