If you want more local customers to find your business online, your content needs to be optimised for locality based searches.
Local SEO helps your business show up in search results when people look for products or services in your area. Whether you run a small shop, a restaurant, or provide services in a specific location, improving your local SEO can help more people discover and contact you.
Search engines focus on showing local results first, and studies show that nearly half of all Google searches have local intent. This means that people are frequently looking for businesses near them, making it essential to optimize your online presence. Having a good local SEO strategy can help your business appear higher in search results, improve your online presence, and connect you with customers when they need you.
What is local search optimisation?
Local SEO (search engine optimisation) is the practice of optimising a business’s online presence to attract more traffic from relevant local searches. These searches typically happen on Google and other search engines when users look for products or services near them.
Key aspects of local SEO include optimising a Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business), ensuring accurate business listings across online directories, and gathering customer reviews. Google uses factors like proximity, relevance, and prominence to determine local rankings, so businesses need to ensure their name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across the web. Additionally, earning backlinks from reputable local websites and creating locally relevant content can boost search rankings.
Why does local search optimisation matter?
Local SEO is essential for businesses that serve specific geographic areas, such as restaurants, law firms, medical offices, and retail stores. It helps improve a company’s visibility in search results, particularly in Google’s “Local Pack” (the map and business listings that appear at the top of search results).
For businesses, local SEO is a powerful way to compete with larger companies by targeting customers in their immediate area. With more people using mobile devices to search for nearby businesses, having a strong local SEO strategy increases the chances of appearing in front of potential customers at the right moment. Whether through local keyword optimisation, reputation management, or engaging with the community online, investing in local SEO can lead to higher visibility, more foot traffic, and ultimately, more sales.
Local SEO checklist: Top 9 things to win in local search
1. Select the right keywords
Like any successful SEO strategy, local SEO begins with thorough keyword research. Your keyword selection should be based on real search queries that your customers are using. Consider what they are discussing online, the questions they frequently ask, and the products or services they are searching for.
To start, type relevant keywords into Google and observe the suggested search queries. Additionally, review the “People also ask” section and the related searches at the bottom of search results pages. Other valuable sources of keyword inspiration include competitor websites, social media discussions, forums like Quora and Reddit, customer reviews, and direct interactions with your audience.
Once you have compiled a list of potential keywords, use keyword research tools to refine your selection. These tools will help analyze search volume and competition, allowing you to target the most relevant and high-traffic terms.
2. Optimise your website content for selected keywords
Once you’ve identified your target keywords, ensure your website content is optimized accordingly. Use these keywords naturally in strategic places such as headers, title tags, meta descriptions, image alt tags, and throughout your content where relevant.
Avoid keyword stuffing—search engines prioritize high-quality, valuable content over excessive keyword usage. Instead, focus on providing informative, unique, and relevant content that directly addresses user search queries.
3. Create locality-based landing pages
If your business has multiple physical locations, create dedicated landing pages for each one. These pages should be optimized for local search by incorporating geographically relevant content, such as a map, business address, phone number, and directions to your location. Including nearby landmarks, available amenities, and images of your storefront or office can further enhance the page’s relevance.
4. Post local content regularly
Keeping your website updated with fresh, location-specific content can improve engagement and local search rankings. This could include company updates, customer stories, local promotions, or news relevant to your business and community.
Sharing your local content on social media and Google Business Profile posts can expand its reach and drive more traffic to your website, further improving your SEO performance.
5. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly with a good user experience
A fast, mobile-friendly website is crucial for local SEO success. With over half of all web searches occurring on mobile devices—an even higher percentage for local searches—ensuring a seamless mobile experience is essential.
Google considers mobile-friendliness a key ranking factor, so improving site speed, reducing cumulative layout shifts, and ensuring intuitive navigation will enhance both user experience and search visibility. Tools like Google Search Console and PageSpeed Insights can help identify areas for improvement.
6. Optimise your Google Business Profile
Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) for each of your business locations. Completing every available field—such as service areas, product offerings, and operating hours—improves your chances of appearing in local search results.
Use keyword-rich descriptions, link each profile to the corresponding landing page on your website, and encourage customer reviews. Engaging with reviews by responding promptly and thoughtfully can also boost your local search performance.
7. Ensure consistent Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) across all digital platforms
Maintaining a consistent NAP (name, address, and phone number) across all online platforms helps search engines recognize your business and improve its credibility. This includes your website footer, Google Business Profile, local directories, and any other mentions of your business online.
Even minor inconsistencies, such as using “Street” on one platform and “St.” on another, can negatively impact your local rankings. Standardizing your NAP format across all listings ensures search engines associate all mentions with your business correctly.
8. Leverage social media for local engagement
Social media is a powerful tool for engaging with local audiences and driving traffic to your website. It provides valuable customer insights that can inform your keyword and content strategy.
Actively engaging with local communities on social media, sharing relevant content, and responding to customer inquiries can increase brand visibility. While social media links do not count as backlinks, they can increase content exposure, leading to more organic references and citations.
9. Get listed in local business directories
Local business citations—mentions of your business name, address, and phone number—help improve your local SEO. Submitting your business to reputable online directories increases your digital presence and can also generate valuable backlinks.
Many directories offer both free and paid listing options. Prioritize directories that provide “do-follow” links, as these can contribute to your website’s backlink diversity and enhance its authority in local search rankings.
Putting this Local SEO Checklist to use
We hang our hats on our ability to get local businesses in competitive environments better search results.
Found Online is a Local SEO agency with local SEO expertise and a local Sydney based team. That means we know how to get you superior search engine results for locality-based and near me search online. And we do it locally meaning we can create local content and we understand what is engaging your local market.
Give us a call or email us to discuss a package that suits your needs.