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What is Local SEO?

Local SEO refers to the practice of optimizing a business's online presence to attract more local customers. It is the process of optimizing your website, Google My Business (GMB) profile, and other online properties to rank higher in local search results. Local SEO helps businesses increase their visibility in local search results, attract more foot traffic to their physical locations, and ultimately drive more sales. This type of SEO is very important for businesses that have a physical location, such as restaurants, shops, and other local businesses.

How Local SEO Works?

The local search algorithm used by Google takes into account three extra factors in addition to the normal ranking factors when determining which match is the best:

Relevance (how closely a result relates to the search keywords entered by the user) (how closely a result resembles the searcher's query's keywords)

Distance (how distant Google feels a person is to a business when they search) (how far Google believes a user is to a business when they search)

Prominence (how important Google believes a business is to its competitors) (how important Google thinks a business is to its competitors)

Then, for local searches, Google shows two different types of search results.

the organic results and the "local pack" results (Google Maps and Business Profiles).

Organic results are the "typical" blue link search results on Google that we're all accustomed to seeing.

A Google feature called a local pack (or map pack) displays the top local company listings along with a map.

But, Google doesn't restrict its local search results to those that include a particular city, state, or "near me" term. Google will provide local results if it thinks the purpose of your search is local even when the term isn't localised explicitly.

For instance, if you searched for "Restaurants" in Santacruz, Google would still provide a local pack of restaurants in Santacruz results.

Here are some recommendations for finding local SEO keywords:

Brainstorm Local Keywords - Start by brainstorming keywords related to your business and location. This might include terms that are associated with your goods or services as well as geographical terms that describe your city or neighbourhood.
Use Keyword Research Tools - You may uncover relevant keywords for your local SEO plan by using tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs. These tools allow you to see search volume data, competition level, and related keywords.
Analyze Competitor Websites - Analysing your local competitors' websites can also give you ideas for relevant keywords. Look for the keywords they target in their content and meta tags, and use this information to inform your keyword strategy.
Use Google Autocomplete - When you enter the search field, Google Autocomplete will offer possible search terms. Finding long-tail keywords that your target market is searching for may be made easier with the help of this tool.
Use Location-Specific Keywords - Including location-specific keywords in your content is essential for local SEO. This could include your city, neighbourhood, landmarks, or other local identifiers.
Use Google My Business Insights - Google My Business Insights provides data on how people find your business on Google. This can include information on the keywords they are using to search for your business. Use this data to optimize your local SEO strategy.

3. Build Citations and Local Backlinks

Citations are online mentions of your business's Name, Address, & Phone Number (NAP) information on other websites, such as directories, review sites, and social media platforms. Building local citations helps search engines verify the accuracy of your business's information and improve your local rankings. In addition to citations, local backlinks (links from other local websites to your site) also play a role in improving your local SEO.