In this rapidly changing digital landscape, anybody who operates a business knows how important their visibility is on search results. It is extremely important to apply effective strategies to reach a target audience. For this, Content optimization on the website and Google Ads are important factors, but wait! There is also a third important factor, which is Local SEO.
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO focuses on improving a business’s visibility. It includes strategies like optimizing Google My Business Listings, NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) throughout the web consistently.
Top 5 Local SEO Tips
A comprehensive list of tips made with the help of UK trade business experts:-
1. Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile :
One of the first steps towards having an effective Local SEO is to use a Google Business Profile. It is a free tool that lets you connect with customers via Google Search and Maps.
Experts recommend:
- Claiming your Google Business Profile (GBP) and verifying your details
- Maintaining a consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone number). This ensures that all points of communication stated in the services are similar and do not mismatch, which might confuse Google’s algorithm
- Selecting the right business category
- Consistently posting high-quality photos and videos
- Maintaining an active customer-business relationship by responding to reviews
- Using Google Maps to full effect by listing the services on the map
2. Maintain NAP consistency and create citations
Customers are always on the lookout for contacts and addresses. A good way to ensure that they can always access credible sources is by maintaining the same contact numbers and address spellings. This simplifies the work of the search engine and users so that they can get a higher ranking.
Experts recommend:
- Auditing your NAP. By inspecting directories and listings using Moz Local, Bright Local, Yell, Local, and Bing, you can identify duplicate entries, outdated information, and minor inaccuracies
- Building new citations. By building new citations, you can appear in trusted user review platforms like TrustPilot or industry-specific platforms like Checkatrade, TrustMark, Which, and Trusted Traders.
- Maintaining your consistency. By maintaining your consistency, you keep things uniform. Small changes like “street” and “st.” can considerably impact your rankings.
- Rectifying and standardizing. By creating a master document that lists the single and original name, address, and phone number, you can minimize mistakes by using the same URL with the details on all platforms.
3. Make full use of Local Keyword Research and On-page optimization :
To understand local customers is to first understand what they are searching for. Their searches involve specific keywords, not stuffed ones that appear all over the place.
Experts recommend:
- Conducting local area keyword research, for example, ‘Local electricians near Manchester’, ‘ Carpenters in Gloucestershire’
- Including keywords that naturally fit in with the flow of the content
- Creating location-specific content. Including local landmarks and area-related webpages. This can have testimonials from local clients
- Publishing know-how articles, DIY articles, and blog posts based on regulations and the trade. Information with case studies, community events, or local news also helps
- Incorporating questions that customers are highly likely to ask into articles
4. Prioritizing A Mobile-Friendly Website
A high number of cellphone searches affects SEO rankings. Not creating a website that adapts to mobile view is a bad move. As Google uses mobile-first indexing for ranking.
Experts recommend:
- Incorporating a responsive website design. A website that fits the screen of all devices is convenient for everyone
- Super fast loading times. A super-fast loading time is important for reducing bounce rates and user frustration
- Easily navigable buttons like contact and booking service appointments. An easily accessible call-to-action button will gather more leads and clicks
- Creating a secure website. A secure website enhances credibility
5. Local link building through schema markups and managing reviews
Creating a network through partner websites and community events is extremely important to further improve visibility.
Experts recommend:
- Building links through newsletters, websites, and old customers
- Using feedback forms and local schema markups to categorize and structure your business details well
- Actively engage with customers to leave reviews on TrustPilot, Yelp, and industry-relevant websites
- Responding to both positive and negative reviews
- Showcase customer testimonials using a different webpage link
- Partner with local businesses that are interrelated. For example, you can have a tie-up with a business that sells electrical items, and you are an electrician. By placing your website link on the electric items suppliers’ site, you get more customers.
Recommended packages
Here are Local SEO packages UK recommendations included, recommended by trade business experts that will guide the reader/trade business owner like you to get an idea of what is considered best.
1. Trade business type: ASmall trade business with minimum requirements available in only one area.
Package recommended: Trade Design’s Bronze package ( £75 a week)
What you’ll get:
- A landing page
- Basic SEO
- Google business profile setup and verification
- Support
- Multiple variations of lorem ipsum
2. Trade business type: Medium-sized trade business with moderately large customer base in local and 2-3 areas
Package recommended: Trade Design’s silver package ( £105 a week)
What you’ll get :
- A landing webpage with 1-2 website pages
- Keywords and Optimization
- SEO analysis
- Title and metadata
- Competitor research
- Competitor traffic
- Competitor analysis
- Analytics
- Search engine code and UI
- E-commerce website to sell products
- Sitemaps that are constantly updated regularly
- Google Business Profile setup
- Ongoing support
- Code and programmatic changes
3. Trade business type: A large trade business that covers local and 4-5 areas
Package recommended: Gold (£165 a week)
What you’ll get :
- Landing page (one-page website with multiple sections) with 3-4 website pages
- Keywords Targeting & Optimization
- SEO Analysis & Suggestions
- Title & Metadata writing (Selected landing page)
- Competitor Research
- Competitor Traffic
- Analytics
- Analyze Competitors’
- SEO Efforts
- Search Engine Code & UI
- optimizations Suggestions
- Code/Programmatic
- Change Suggestions
- Sitemaps (Creating, Submission & Updating regularly)
- Search Engine
- Submission
- Blog Post SEO Optimization
- Google Business profile setup and verification
- Ongoing support (unlimited revisions)
- E-Commerce Website to sell products separately
Final thoughts
A business owner no longer has to rely on word-of-mouth or traditional techniques to spread their business. Growth and visibility depend on how you can integrate these five tips as strategies.
It does not matter if you’re the sole trader or a multi-location dealer. There will always be the right kind of SEO package suited for you. So start your journey by using Trade Design’s SEO packages that are made as per your requirements and your visibility goals!
