How to Claim Your Space Online in a Competitive Industry using Local SEO Strategies
Could the right local SEO strategies elevate your business and help you stand out this year? Definitely.
But here’s the thing: The visibility game has changed. What worked on your website and Google Business Profile 5 years ago (or even two years ago…) won’t work the same now. Like any other marketing strategy, you have to stay on top of the shifts to stay ahead of the competition—especially when there’s a lot of competition.
If you’re reading this, I sense you’re willing to do what it takes to make this your most visible year as a local business ever. The rest of the puzzle is learning exactly which steps you need to take to be highly sought after in your industry—especially by the cool clients you just haven’t met yet.
Let’s get into it.
Local SEO Strategies for Growing Your Community Fan Base
Some of these local SEO tips are strategies you might already be implementing, but don’t scroll away. The rise of AI search has changed the game. A simple but strategic keyword strategy alone would have worked wonders five years ago.
Now, your approach has to be much more well-rounded and include the specific elements large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity are looking for in source material.
Here are some strategies local businesses should be using today to be found by more people.
Be Clear About Your Products/Services and Your Location.
This is a very basic but common SEO mistake. If you’re having trouble being found locally, ask yourself this: where on your website, GBP, and social platforms are you clearly stating what your offer is and where you’re located?
Here’s an example: A photographer has a beautiful website where they convey offering to “document your most precious milestones on the Island”. It sounds beautiful, but it’s missing what search engines and AI search are looking for. A rephrase (or addition to the copy) that would be more search friendly would be something like this: “capturing candid photos of couples during their unforgettable Prince Edward Island wedding”.
Create Content that Resonates with Your Local Community.
Every area has its own unique quirks, cadence, and stuff the community cares about—and tapping into that through creating blog posts, updates on your Google Business Profile, or your social media posts will get your local fan club more invested in you.
Take Prince Edward Island for example: there are a lot of common phrases unique to the Island ("who's your father?”).
Islanders are also incredibly tight-knit and pretty fierce about supporting local businesses—as long as they know you exist. The cadence of most communities is impacted by the Tourism industry. These are just examples, and how you use these local factors in your content may depend on your industry—but if you can put a community spin in your content you can get people to care.
And while you’re at it, remember to get out in your community and support local businesses too. You’re not just supporting the people around you—you’re also practicing what you preach.
Get More Google Reviews
If I were working in a highly competitive area and I wanted to rank higher on search engines and get recommended more by AI search to local clients, here’s what I would do: Build a system for acquiring Google Business Profile reviews from clients after our work together is done. Whether it’s a quick automated email or a link sent right to their phone number, the easier you make it the more likely they’ll follow through.
The natural language happy clients use in your Google Business Profile reviews often mirror what people ask for when using AI platforms like Google Gemini and Chat GPT, making it easier for the right people to find you. Your ratings also provide a strong signal to search engines that you’re a current, highly-reputable business, which means they’ll point more potential customers and clients in your direction.
Create Location-Specific Pages on Your Website
Creating location-specific pages on your website is one of the most effective ways to improve your local search visibility. Instead of having one generic services page, location-specific pages are pages dedicated to the specific cities or even areas of a city, province, region you serve.
When building these pages, focus on utilizing localized keywords and use details that speak directly to customers in that area.This kind of web copy helps search engines refine their understanding of where your business operates, which increases the likelihood that your website appears when someone searches for services in that location.
Use Local SEO Strategies Your Competitors Won’t Think To
If your business operates in a busy industry, your competitors are working on their marketing too. That’s why it’s so important—now more than ever—to go the extra mile…the one your competitors might not be willing to.
This is where having an SEO Strategist perform a Full SEO Audit on your website can really come in handy. Not only do we look at your competitors to see what’s working for them (not to copy, but to figure out how we can use it to your advantage), but we also have the time and space to think outside the box when building your custom SEO Strategy.
Is this the year your local fan base grows exponentially?
