The challenge for local businesses online is not whether or not there is a tool to take advantage of that will propel their businesses. This tool exists, and it is none other than local SEO.
To say that local SEO is a goldmine for businesses online would be an understatement. The statistics surrounding customer search for businesses is just too impressive to ignore.
The real challenge, though, is taking advantage of this tool in the best ways possible. Whether you happen to run a brick-and-mortar business in the physical world or a strictly online business, having the perfect keyword strategy is the first step for you to take advantage of the huge potential that is local SEO and take your business to the next level.
Implementing the Perfect Keyword Strategy
The perfect keyword strategy is the one which gets your business found. There are customers all around your vicinity looking for the exact products/services you offer. They don’t know you and you don’t know them, but they know you’re out there and you know they’re out there.
The only way they can find you is by searching the web using a string of keywords. It is up to you to put yourself in a position where you’re the one who shows up in the first page when customers search for these keywords.
How exactly do you do this? Through a series of keyword optimization steps, the most important of which we list below.
Keyword Planning
The first step in a good keyword strategy is proper planning. This is the stage where you create an overarching roadmap for your entire keyword optimization campaign. First thing you want to do here is take stock of your services and products and determine what you want to rank for in general.
The general keywords, of course, will most likely be too competitive but they’re going to act as a roadmap to finding less competitive keywords down the line.
Competitor Analysis
Competitor analysis is just as important in local SEO as it is in general SEO. Here your goal is to identify what your competitors are ranking for and how they’re doing it.
Luckily, there are a handful of tools online that are made specifically for competitor keyword analysis. While most of them are paid, you will definitely find a few free options, though they may not be as effective.
Geo-Specific Keywords
As a local business, geo specific keywords are a priority. You want to key in on specific keywords that target your location as much as possible. This includes getting as specific as the street, town, and city that your business is in.
Adding these keywords to the general long-tail keywords of your products/business creates an even more targeted keyword campaign for your business.
Key Business Information on Directories
Once you get your keywords noted, the next step is to insert them in appropriate areas. An online business directory like ours is one of the best places for local businesses to perform their keyword optimizations.
Online directories usually have a high level of search engine presence already established. By listing your business and incorporating your keywords on these pages, you’re taking advantage of a working framework to push your visibility even further.
Optimizing Google My Business
Google My Business is a free platform by Google that helps local businesses to increase their online visibility, generate more traffic, and get more customers through search engine pages.
Google My Business is remarkably effective at what it does, and as a local business, you simply have to take advantage of it.
Luckily, to do this all you’ll have to do is register an account, fill in the necessary information, and optimize your page.
Benefits of Proper Keyword Planning & Execution
Once your keyword strategy is implemented, you should start to reap the benefits, the best of which include:
- More Traffic: Search engine pages can boost your traffic volume by unimaginable folds. Proper keyword optimizing for your business is the catalyst you need to enjoy this incredible boost in traffic.
And of course, with higher traffic comes higher sales potential.
- Higher Conversion: Traffic to your business page is great, but as any seasoned internet marketer will tell you, not all traffic is created equal. Some are just more valuable than others. And when it comes to internet traffic value, search engine traffic remains one of the absolute best of the best.
Not only are they ultra-specific, but they also have a higher rate of conversion, meaning you won’t be getting just any visitor, but visitors that are willing to spend.
- Less Costs on Advertising: Even though it can be done for free, proper keyword optimization tends to cost you a few bucks along the way. But this cost usually ends up being infinitely cheaper than what you would spend on full-on advertising campaigns.
- Stronger Reputation: Online reputation for your business is a measure of not just how popular you are, but how well-received your business is. Naturally, anyone looking to work with you will have to find out just how solid your reputation is.
The first place they go to do this is to consult search engines. This is another reason why proper optimization is absolutely crucial here. With the proper keywords, you get to decide what people see about you when they look you up, therefore greatly improving your reputation in the process.
- Sustainable Growth: Thanks to its longevity and cost effectiveness, local search engine optimization offers businesses an avenue for sustainable growth. Once your business establishes a solid presence and reputation, all you have to do is continue to do what you’re doing, consolidate on your position, and you should dominate for a long time.
Of course, there will always be other businesses looking to knock you off the top, but that’s just how business is.
Final Thoughts on Keyword Strategy & Benefits for Local Businesses
So there you have it, our concise step-by-step guide on how to maximize the power of search engines to build a truly successful business. Proper keyword strategy begins with proper planning. Analyze your keywords, optimize your websites, make use of online directories and Google My Business and you should be good to go!