5 Ways You Can Use Local SEO to Boost Your Business

If you’re a local business and you’re not using local SEO to increase your visibility online, you’re missing out! Optimizing your business for search engines unlocks possibilities that can take your business to the next level.

If you want people to know about and visit your business (online or otherwise), local SEO—search engine optimization—plays a crucial role. By optimizing your online presence for local searches, you can attract more local customers, build your business fan club, and increase your revenue.

In this post, you’ll learn five things you can do to improve your local SEO so you can start building your local fan club today!

What is Local SEO and Why Does It Matter?

Local SEO refers to the process of optimizing your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches—searches from people in your city, town, community, etc. These searches take place on search engines like Google from people seeking out a business just like yours. Common searches often specify a location and the type of business.

Here are a few examples:

“coffee shop near me” 

“plumber in PEI”

“best florist PEI” 

“wedding photographer Prince Edward Island” 

For businesses that rely on local customers—like restaurants, law firms, or boutique stores—Local SEO is invaluable. It helps you stand out in local searches, making it easier for potential customers in your area to find and choose your business—even when the market is competitive.

5 Ways You Can Use Local SEO to Boost Your Business

Are you ready to make some tweaks to your online presence ASAP and encourage the local community to notice you? Here are five things you can do right away to improve your local SEO.

Optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP).

You know that little map and location thingy that shows up at the top of Google search? Those are Google Business Profiles—and they are a must-use tool for local SEO. Ensure your profile is fully optimized by including up-to-date contact information, business hours, photos, and a detailed description of your services. 

Regularly update posts and respond to reviews to engage with your audience and get recognized as an authority in your space by Google.

Leverage local keywords.

Research and incorporate local keywords into your website content, meta descriptions, and headers. These keywords should reflect the terms your local audience is searching for, like the examples we shared above. 

Most of these types of keywords are pretty intuitive—they call out your location and what you offer. That said, it never hurts to use a free keyword tool (like Ubersuggest) to check the traffic potential of yours.

Encourage customer reviews.

Positive reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook can significantly boost your local SEO rankings. Encourage your customers to leave reviews. Pro tip: Make it a point to respond promptly—whether the feedback is positive or negative. Quick responses reflect your professionalism and promptness… and Google likes that!

I have seen small businesses gain a significant lead on long-standing local competitors on search just by focusing on garnering great reviews. One way you can go about this is by following up with previous clients and sending them the link to review you.

Create content focused on local interests.

If you want to capture the attention of your local audience, you have to create content that resonates with them. This can include blog posts about local events, news, or guides that showcase your involvement in the community. Local content not only improves SEO but also strengthens your connection with the community.

If you have an opportunity to collaborate with other local businesses, make it a point to shout them out (with a link to their website) so you can support each other’s growth.

Build local backlinks.

Backlinks are links on another website that link back to your website. You can increase the backlinks to your site by partnering with local businesses, organizations, or influencers. You can also seek out PR opportunities and get covered by the local media. Another fun way of building backlinks is by guesting on a local podcast! Make sure the podcast includes your website link in their show notes.

Local backlinks signal to search engines that your business is an active and trusted part of the local community, which can enhance your local SEO strategy.

Invest in Your Growth with Local SEO

What if you could identify and target the right keywords to attract local customers? As an experienced SEO strategist, I can find those aligned keywords and to help you create an SEO strategy that ensures you won’t go unnoticed online.

I specialize in optimizing websites to improve search engine rankings. My goal is to help you become more visible to your local community, driving traffic and boosting your business. Whether you’re looking to get your Google Business Profile poppin’ or you need an expert to support your growth long term, I’m here to help.

Take Your Local Visibility to the Next Level

Local SEO is a game-changer for businesses aiming to capture the attention of their community. By optimizing your online presence, you can increase visibility, attract more customers, and grow your business. 

Ready to elevate your local SEO strategy? Let’s make your business the go-to option in your area.