The Ultimate Local SEO Checklist – 10 Easy Steps
- September 28, 2021
- by Emma Parkar
![blog](https://rvsstaging.idevelopment.site/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/The-Ultimate-Local-SEO-Checklist.jpg)
Estimated reading time: 14 minutes, 32 seconds
Do you own an online store? Then you must be aware of how important it is to have Local SEO to gain foot traffic. So if you want to know all about the Local SEO checklist then this blog is worth a read.
As we all know, most users use their smartphones to do searches. Either they use voice-activated searches or type “near me” in the search engine.
Whether you own a salon or garment store, local SEO can be your “Wingman”. Even if you have a brick and mortar store, it is necessary to do local SEO. The reason for the same is that people are so advanced these days. They don’t like to waste their time. If they spend hours of their day visiting the local market or shop, they will want to know about the famous shop in the town. And the best way for doing so is searching for the same on the internet. This is where local SEO comes into picture. It helps businesses to gain recognition and traffic.
Having local SEO is very crucial whether you have an offline sweets shop or an online thrift store. To get more knowledge on local SEO, tap on the local SEO guide.
Do you know that around 46% of searches on Google have local intent? You might not have paid attention to it, but in one of the press releases, Google itself claims that this number will grow in upcoming years as most people are using mobile over desktop. Not only this, but people are also leaning towards GPS based apps to find local shops. Consumers use these apps to navigate their way through the shop.
Further, to stand out in the crowd, many business owners put their energy on local intent. Considering all this, if you are still not following the Local SEO, you are redirecting your customers to your competitors. Most people have heard about the benefits of local SEO, but only half of the users are doing it right. So if you are still confused about what to do and what not when it comes to local SEO. Then, we have prepared the complete local SEO checklist.
The points mentioned below are essential, and they can help your business appear on the first page of the search engine. Know that the first page of a search engine is a place where most business happens. Every business owner in the world is fighting for that spot. Without a doubt competition is high. That’s why it is more important to follow a local SEO checklist.
One of the common misconceptions people have is that traditional SEO tricks are not necessary for local SEO. That is not true. In local SEO services, it is a primary task to optimise the website for search engines. If you have a website, you need to follow all the conventional methods to rank it on Google. It doesn’t matter what kind of business you have; the website must be flawless, optimised, indexable, structured, mobile-friendly and all. Other than this, there are some crucial points you need to consider from a local SEO perspective.
There is no denying that content is a crucial part of every online business. If SEO is the kingdom, then the content is the iron throne. The importance of content should not be overlooked in any way. Make sure that your website has engaging and unique content. Below are the ways to generate unique content to have a positive impact on local searches.
Citations are by far essential components of any effective local SEO plan, and they’re also one of the simplest things to do. To improve your local connection in Google’s sights, make sure your business name, phone number and address are all provided online in the same way. When similar material appears on several reliable websites, it becomes more credible and likely to be accurate. As a result, Google is much more likely to show it, propelling you higher in the results. The points to keep in mind while doing citations for local SEO are:
Citation building is a time-consuming process, so either you can do it manually by yourself or choose to pay for the service
If you don’t have a profile on Google My Business, you will surely miss out. Google My Business can help attract clients, distinguish yourself from the competition, and produce more revenue. And this all can be done without paying a single penny. Click here to learn how you can create Google Business account. It is certainly the foundation block to generate more foot traffic and visibility in your local area. With 86 percent of customers using Google maps to find a business, there are plenty of options to increase engagement. And the best part is building a profile on Google My Business taxes only minutes. Below are some of the points to keep in mind.
Search engines algorithms work on keywords. So the importance of keywords needs no introduction because your business would be nothing if you are not employing the right keywords. Your business and service should cover the intent of the general audience. Every local SEO company prioritises keyword planning because it is an integral part of the SEO strategy.
Let’s take for an example; I am looking for the best pizza place near me, so the keyword here is best pizza place and based on my search Google will displace the results, And guess what, the one who appears on the top is the one who has optimised his site for the best pizza place keyword. The points you need to keep in mind while doing keyword research for local SEO.
Location is an essential element when you are targeting the demographic in your area. Ensure that all of the business listings reflect the NAP references on your location website in terms of punctuation, look, and so on. All this information contributes to the validity of your company’s listing. If it’s not done right, then customers can have trouble finding your business, as well as problems with the algorithm’s assessments of your on-site local SEO. Some points should be kept in mind regarding the location for better local SEO impact.
Reviews and ratings are important for local SEO. If your site has reviews and ratings, then Google will show it higher on the search engine. So it is important to ask customers for a genuine review. You might have noticed whenever you visit some fancy place or location, then on your way back home; a notification appears on the screen asking about the place.
By writing a review, you are contributing to Google Maps and helping the local business. Not just this, customers also love to read reviews before paying a visit to a place. So reviews and ratings should not be overlooked in any case. Some of the points you should keep in mind are as follows.
Link building can help you generate more local traffic. These are the traditional SEO practices, but it plays an important role in local SEO too. Backlinks are the most important ranking element. But it requires a considerable amount of time to work. If you write content around relatively high local keywords and then have high-authority local celebrities link to it, your odds of climbing the ranks skyrocket.
To understand it in a better way, let’s say there is this place named cream and cones that sell brownies. It is something new, and nobody knows about it, but then suddenly many people start appearing on the site because some food critic mentioned it. This is the power of backlinks; if a high authority site mentions the service, you will get more traction and recognition. So the process of building backlinks should go side by side to the online business. Some points to keep in mind while building backlinks are:
Do you know that 76% of online searches are made through mobile devices. And not to forget that mobile plays an essential role in local SEO. Many businesses are unaware of the value of having a mobile-friendly website, yet not having one harms your SEO and the public’s image of your company. It has been revealed in a report that 52% of consumers leave the site right away if they find the mobile experience not up to the mark. So it is essential to have your site well optimised for mobile devices too. Some points that will help you in achieving high mobile usability.
Local business schema is a structured methodology of data markup code that you may use on your site to help search engines figure out what kind of company you are and how you are serving local people. This is an excellent approach to enhance the local SEO performance.
By including Schema code on the website, search engines will display ‘additional’ data about that in search results, such as star ratings, pricing, or review details. Some of the things you can’t overlook when you are implementing Schema.
That’s all! Here we have listed down all the crucial points of the local SEO checklist. The whole purpose of having a business is to generate more revenue. And when it comes to income, you can’t overlook the importance of the digital medium. Whether you are offline or online, the customer’s of today’s world are using the internet. So it is crucial to have an online presence. To be very clear, to achieve the same, you can’t overlook the local SEO. It can take your business to new heights. Managing the SEO on your own can become a little overwhelming. That’s why you can reach out to RVS Media for any SEO related queries.