If you want your local business to soar, you also have to think about its online presence. That’s where local SEO tactics come along to help increase your search visibility and have your business more discoverable to thousands of online users around your area.

Based on advice from reputable companies, these are the seven best ways you can increase your local business’ search visibility!

How to Improve Local Business Search Visibility

Research the Right Keywords

If you are an area-based business, then the keywords you should target have to include your local area. That way, prospective clients can discord your business and know where you’re based.

For instance, if you run a bakery shop in Kolkata, then aim for keywords such as, “Kolkata bakery shop.” Focus on optimizing keywords around Kolkata and your specific area.

But take note that the more competitive the keyword is, the more difficult it may be to rank for it. That’s why using more specific and long-tail keywords is a great method to rank higher.

Besides this, you need to understand the language your target market uses when searching locally for businesses similar to yours. This helps in finding the right keywords you should target.

There are many different keyword research tools online, such as the Google Keyword Planner. Such tools can find appropriate keyword phrases for better website traffic and provide spreadsheets with various keywords you can use. Once you have a list of keywords, narrow it down and include your location, so you have a gist on what content to make around it.

Optimize Your Website and Content

The best way you can draw free and organic search engine traffic to the website is to update it with original content regularly. Not only does this help with your SEO rankings, but it also improves user experience.

But how can you optimize your website and content for local searches?

You should add relevant content to your website and blog regularly, using keywords researched about the content. However, do NOT stuff your content with keywords, which won’t work and may have you rank even lower while losing potential customers. Add keywords where they fit in naturally and be sure that it’s interesting and relevant to your target audience.

Besides this, you should also focus on your website and business’ “Contact” and “About” pages. It should be well-written and with all the information one needs to know about your business and how to reach you. You can even place keywords if deemed appropriate so it boosts your website’s local search rankings.

On your website, be sure to include your business name, the address, phone number, and embed your geo sitemap.

Get On Google My Business

If you want to become even more discoverable, you need to set up your account on Google My Business if you haven’t yet! Google My Business offers detailed listings that show up on the right part of the screen, which shows information of your business, its location, opening hours, as well as the Google Map that points where your business is located.

Hey can also show up in separate sections on top, below the ads, as you do local searches. This is very powerful, so you need to set it up properly.

Head on to Google My Business and select, “Get on Google.” After that, enter your business name and address, and you have to option to select or add the business. Verify your business using the PIN code Google will send you, and then confirm.

Add even more detailed information so people will know what you’re all about and how to reach you. Constantly update this page as needed to avoid missing any opportunities!

Create and Claim Local Listings

Besides using Google My Business, you also need to create and/or claim your own business listings as much as you can. Go on review websites, other search engines, and local business directories, where you can either find and update, or create your business listing.

Each listing is a citation for business, meaning, your business is mentioned online. These citations can do wonders in boosting your search engine rankings, which make you more visible.

Perform Local Outreach and Link Building

You can also reach out to other local blogs that are relevant to your business, seeing if they are willing to write or post something about your business, linking back to your website. They can even just include a backlink to your website within any relevant and existing content.

Besides that, you can reach out to them and ask if they are open to guest posts, which will also include backlinks to your business’ site. This will help gain more traffic from the posts and links, especially when you have even more high-quality content on and about your site.

Manage Image and Video Rankings

When studying SEO, you usually think of measuring metrics like visitor rates and CTR. However, you’re missing good opportunities from your image and video rankings, too!

Optimize your images and compress them, reducing the overall file size, and make sure that they are formatted properly. You can also add image tags so they can be seen on search engines as well.

As for videos, optimize them and change the titles and metadata to something more clickable or “clickbait.” You may want to include a relevant keyword that shows the business’ area as well. Besides this, incorporate attractive thumbnails and transcribe your video text, which helps YouTube index your videos.

Encourage Customer Reviews

Whether it’s customer reviews, case studies, and other testimonials about your business, these are all important in ranking. These will also help potential customers decide whether they should transact with you or not!

So after transactions, encourage customers to post and share their reviews about their transaction. They can post online on various websites and/or you can post their reviews on your own.

Start with these small changes and it can impact your website immensely. Share queries and your own local SEO tactics for better search visibility in the comments section below!