What Is Local SEO?

August 23, 2021

Local SEO is the practice of optimizing your web content so your business shows up high in a search engine’s results page (SERP) when nearby customers search for your products or services. The higher your page ranks, the more visible your site is to local internet users, which makes local SEO one of the most effective ways to advertise to a local audience.

How does local SEO work?

Local SEO combines on-page elements and off-page marketing tactics. The main on-page elements include meta tags, title tags, H1 tags, alt tags, image tags, header tags, and descriptions:

Meta tags provide context information about a web page, such as keywords.
Title tags attract users to your site based on what they are looking for.
H1 tags identify the top-ranking pages for each search query, and each search query is assigned a unique URL that can be displayed on a web page.

These on-page elements work with off-page tactics such as directory submission, social bookmarking, internal linking, link popularity building, and content optimization. Organic results come from Google and Yahoo, while pay-per-click campaigns use your website as an advertising platform.

Why does local SEO matter?

A recent study found that over 80 percent of internet users conduct local searches that are specific to their location. When a user performs a local search, the URL of the website used for that search is sent to the user’s browser, and the location of the website on a user’s screen can determine where that user is located and how they view the site. With over 1 billion searches performed every month, businesses need to address local search ranking factors to be listed in Google results for their local target market.

What are the options for implementing local SEO?

Businesses have several options for local search marketing:

Create a localized website that attracts visitors from within your area, making products and services more accessible to local consumers. A well-designed site with high-quality content can lead to increased sales and traffic.
Develop a store within a shopping center through an internet marketing solution that offers integrated campaigns targeting that location, giving greater exposure for your products.
Use integrated optimization solutions that optimize web pages for local search terms, refine meta tags and keywords in meta descriptions, and create content pages targeting local searchers.
Use free services from companies that improve website ranking with techniques such as keyword density, internal linking, link popularity, content optimization, and social bookmarking.
Run paid search ads through Google and Yahoo, which allow smaller local businesses to compete with larger companies in a more competitive field.
Combine tactics by pairing local search marketing and optimization with pay-per-click advertising, depending on what the business owner decides.

FAQ

What is local SEO?

Local SEO is the optimization of your web content so your business appears high in a search engine’s results page (SERP) for searches from users in your local area.

What elements does local SEO include?

Local SEO includes on-page elements such as meta tags, title tags, H1 tags, alt tags, image tags, header tags, and descriptions, along with tactics like directory submission, social bookmarking, internal linking, link popularity building, and content optimization.

Why is local SEO important for businesses?

Over 80 percent of internet users conduct local searches specific to their location, and over 1 billion searches are performed every month. Addressing local search ranking factors helps businesses appear in Google results for their local target market.