Is your business struggling to rank for local searches? Applying local SEO strategies is a big help. Specifically, you should focus on SEO for “near me” searches.
Today, online users use mobile devices and voice assistants to find local solutions. Also, they prefer local results that are convenient and very accessible. Adding “near me” to their search terms satisfies these needs.
This search trend stresses the importance of optimising for “near me” searches. When you do, you become more visible in local searches, find customers with high purchasing intent, and drive physical foot traffic.
The question is, how do you do this?
In this article, we’ll walk you through optimising your website for “near me” searches to help you perform better in the local search results.
The Fundamentals of Local SEO
Optimising for “near me” searches is not about keyword stuffing your website with “near me” terms. That’s because Google now treats them as proximity indicators rather than literal keyword matches.
That only means you have to use other methods that put your business close to the searcher’s location. You can start with the following strategies.
Claim and Optimise Your Google My Business Profile
Your Google My Business (GMB) profile is like your resume. It has to have the correct details so potential customers will know you are the local business they need.
Make yourself stand out by:
- Completing your GMB profile: Add accurate NAP details (name, address, and phone number). Also, provide other pertinent information like website and operating hours. The more detailed, the better.
- Adding high-quality photos: Showcase your store, products, or team through eye-catching images. People will want to know more about you when they see attractive visuals. Follow our step-by-step guide to update your GMB cover photo, too.
- Getting more positive reviews: Feedback or reviews are endorsements that help attract more customers. So, apply ways to gain more Google reviews and make it easy for customers to rate your business.
Gain More Local Citations
Local citations are online mentions of your business information from other listings or platforms. When you get multiple local citations, Google sees them as validation of your credibility and authority. As a result, you become more visible in local searches and relevant to users.
To build local citations effectively, be sure to:
- Keep your NAP details consistent: Inconsistencies make it hard for Google to verify your business. Customers are also hesitant to deal with sites with inaccurate info.
- List your business in local directories and review sites: Start with sites with extensive databases like Yelp, Yellowpages, Facebook, and Foursquare. You can also send your NAP details to industry and location-specific platforms.
- Check and update your local citations: Regularly monitor your local citations to ensure everything is correct and updated.
Also, you can learn more about the importance of local citations to local SEO in our previous article.
Optimise Your On-Page SEO
Boosting your on-page SEO for “near me” searches is very effective, particularly if you have a business in multiple locations. That’s because you can create individual pages for each, then:
- Create a URL with your business location: If you have ABClawfirm.com as your landing page, for example, you can make ABClawfirm.com/Melbourne or ABClawfirm.com/Brisbane as your location pages.
- Optimise your title tags and meta descriptions: These appear on the search results. Adding your keyword and location here boosts your SEO “near me” search rankings and makes your links more appealing to users.
- Add appropriate alt tags to images: For example, you can add photos of your office and insert location keywords for the alt text.
- Include location descriptions for each page: Mention your address, business hours, landmarks or directions, and other location-based details.
- Use anchor text and internal links: For instance, you can put a link to all your service areas at the footer of your landing page.
Mastering “Near Me” SEO
Apply these additional strategies to fine-tune your SEO for “near me” searches.
Identify Local and “Near Me” Keywords
Use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner to find the best local keywords or phrases. Here are some ideas:
- Location-based keywords: Think of a keyword relevant to your business, then add the city, town, or landmark. For example, “best plumber in Melbourne” or “Sydney chiropractor”.
- “Near me” keywords: Think of a relevant keyword, then add “near me”. For example, “family law solicitors near me” or “property conveyancer near me”.
Focus on terms that have high search volume and low competition. Then, incorporate these keywords into your website content to connect with local customers and searches.
Create High-Quality Localised Content
What makes a great local content? One, it should bring value to your audience, and second, it should have the right local keyword. Here are some ideas to help your web content stand out:
- Write local blog posts: Publish stories, events, news, or tips that matter to your local community or audience.
- Make short videos: Complement your local-based videos with a 1 to 2-sentence description mentioning local keywords and your NAP details. Post your videos on social media or embed them on your website for a wider reach.
- Collaborate with local influencers: This strategy can help you connect with more people and spread the word about your business.
Our article on how to create content for local SEO has additional tips.
Leverage Geo-Targeting
Geo-targeting is a marketing strategy that directs your ads and content to a particular audience in a specific location (e.g. country, region, state, city). With this tactic, you can increase your website traffic and conversion rate at lower marketing expenses.
To build a geo-targeted website:
- Look for geo-targeted keywords. Use a keyword research tool to enter your seed keyword, then set the location filter to your target area. You can also review your web analytics to identify the keywords or phrases people use to find your website from various locations.
- Create title tags and meta descriptions with your location details.
- Make landing pages for your service areas.
- List your business in local directories.
Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly
Mobile technology has driven the trend of “near me” searches. People on the go prefer using their phones or tablets to locate nearby restaurants, banks, or clothing stores. So, be sure to apply these best practices:
- Implement a responsive web design that looks good on any device.
- Aim for fast loading times, preferably under 3 seconds.
- Add large click-to-call buttons to make it easy for users to reach you.
- Make buttons and navigation thumb-friendly.
- Have a search bar and turn on auto-correct.
Advanced Local SEO Strategies
Level up your local SEO efforts for “near me” searches using these techniques.
Use Schema Markup
Schema markup or structured data is a code describing a page’s content in a standardised format. Search engines like Google use this code to understand your page better.
Using a generation tool and plug-in, you can easily apply a schema that boosts your local SEO performance. For example, you can implement the following types of schemas:
- Local business gives Google pertinent business details like your address, phone number, and hours of operation.
- Review snippet allows customer reviews and ratings to enhance your local search visibility.
- Event makes it easy for users to discover and attend your conferences, workshops or festivals through Google Search or Google Maps.
When Google understands your local page better, you get better rankings and visibility in the local searches.
Build Local Backlinks
Link building for local SEO means gaining backlinks from local businesses relevant to yours.
Backlinks matter because Google sees them as signs of credibility and authority. These also make you more visible in the local search results, attracting more traffic with high purchasing intent.
To acquire more local backlinks, you can:
- Create and maintain a blog: Make articles about local topics, then share them on social media to reach businesses looking for good content to link to. Publish interviews of local influencers related to your business so they may link back to your site in return.
- Hold special events: Conduct surveys, contests, or workshops that you can advertise through social media or keyword-rich press releases.
Remember that link building is about quality, not quantity. So, stick to proper guidelines when acquiring backlinks.
Conclusion
Applying and mastering local SEO is the best solution to make your business thrive and rank in the search results. Optimising for “near me” searches is one way. However, to truly stand out, you should go beyond adding “near me” terms to your website.
A holistic approach involving the strategies outlined in this article will increase your chances of attracting more local customers. So, optimise your Google business profile, use local keywords, publish good content, acquire relevant backlinks, and keep your site mobile-friendly.
Additionally, keep updated on the latest trends to ensure you’re consistently applying effective local SEO strategies and best practices.
