Growing your website and business in 2024 has become increasingly harder, with more and always improving competition it seems impossible to get ahead.
Although it seems hard, what seems harder is that you don’t where to start.
This is where Local SEO comes in!
Local SEO is a great first step and also one you can keep using to get increasingly better results.
As a London and Bromley local business we are in the perfect position to explain how local SEO works, how you should use it to get better results and better quality traffic to your website.
How does Local SEO work?
If you need quick results and not much time to get your website’s SEO up to scratch, get in touch and we can help you. If not, read on!
In this article we will discuss three simple ways to help better your website’s local SEO. This is meant to serve as a beginner guide, therefore if you need more in-depth advice
we will be posting a more advanced article in the future.
The topics we will cover include on-page SEO optimisation, local content creation and local directories.
On-Page SEO Optimisation
Optimise Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
Include local keywords in your title tags and meta descriptions to signal relevance to search engines. Also make sure images have relevant titles and alt tags, including locations here can also serve as an SEO supplement. Don’t know what these are? Let us explain.
What is a title tag?
The title tag is an HTML code snippet that goes inside thesection of a web page’s HTML document. The basic syntax looks like this:
<title>Your Page Title</title>
In search engine results, the title tag is displayed as the blue, clickable link. It is one of the first things users see, so it plays an important role in enticing users to click on your link.
Title tags are very important to consider for on-page SEO. Search engines love them and use them to grasp the content and context of a web page. Well-optimised title tags can help improve your rankings on search engine results pages, better yet well-optimised title tags with location key words included will help you get better result.
Here is an example for a well-optimised title tag for local bakery in Surrey:
<title>Best Bakery in Bristol | Fresh Bread & Pastries | [Bakery Name]</title>
What is a meta description?
A meta description is an HTML code piece that provides a brief summary of a web page’s content. It is typically displayed below the title tag on search engine results pages (SERPs) and helps inform users about the page’s content before they click on the link. Here’s a detailed look at meta descriptions:
<meta name=“description” content=“Your brief description here.”>
This description includes the main keyword (“best bakery in Surrey”), describes the offerings (“fresh bread, pastries, and cakes daily”), and includes a call-to-action (“Stop by for a delicious treat!”), making it informative and engaging.
Create Location-Specific Pages
If you serve multiple areas, create dedicated landing pages for each location with unique, relevant content.
Make sure that each page has a different and unique name and try grouping pages accordingly.
For example let’s use the Bakery in Surrey again, imagine this bakery delivers to other areas outside of Surrey or even better to specific areas within Surrey.
Areas within Surrey include Guildford and Woking, you can create a main page for Surrey and then two other pages for each Guildford and Woking.
This will help you create more focussed SEO that targets customers looking specifically for a bakery or delivery in their local area.
Local Content Creation
Blog About Local Events and News
Write content related to local events, news, and even activities to attract local readers.
You could attend a local event or festivity and blog on this. You could even set up a stand and take photos of your business, which you can then post as a blog. This will not only be great for your website’s local SEO ranking but will also serve as social proof.
Building trust amongst your audience and local community is a must and this should be your main focus with Location driven SEO.
Local Case Studies and Testimonials
Publish case studies and testimonials from local customers to futher build trust and relevance.
If you have just worked with a client within your local area, don’t hesitate to ask them for a review/tesimonial.
Futhermore you could ask them permission to write a Case Study where you could add their testimonial and what work you did for them.
Tailoring the blog so it mentions local keywords will be key to getting better quality leads.