While some people think that search engine optimization is only for large businesses seeking a wider audience, much of the way consumers use search engines has to do with local activities. People who understand the need for solid local SEO strategy know that up to half of Google searches annually have to do with finding local businesses, community events, and other locally based information. If it’s been some time since you last evaluated your local SEO strategy, it’s time to take a second look.
Your local SEO Strategy
Here are a few reasons why some changes may be in order.
Evaluating Your Content
Content remains important to all types of SEO strategies including local ones. It’s important to ensure that the content displayed on your pages provides real value to readers. It shouldn’t just take up space. The major search engines continue to refine their algorithms. This helps higher quality content get to the top of search engine results. You may find that reworking your page content will result in higher placement in those results.
How’s Your Use of Keywords?
Keywords are also important to any local SEO strategy. In order to be effective and find favor in the eyes of the major search engines, those keywords must be relevant to your business and to the subject matter addressed on the page.
You also want to make sure the keywords are not used too many times. Gratuitous use of keywords and keyword phrases is one of the easiest ways to earn penalties and ensure those pages show up lower in search engine results. If you are still following the recommendations for keyword use that were popular several years ago, some changes are definitely in order.
Time to Update Page Descriptions?
Page descriptions also matter. Take a look and determine if they are direct, to the point, and somewhat engaging? Since those descriptions are likely to be what a consumer sees when the search engine results are displayed, you want the short description to immediately grab attention. If it doesn’t, your SEO strategies need some fine-tuning.
Adapting Pages for Mobile Searches
There are multiple reports that indicate the use of mobile devices to conduct searches is equal to or has surpassed conducting searches using desktop or laptop computers. How well will your pages display on a smartphone screen? If the answer is not all that well, your efforts at local SEO will be undermined. That means consumers are more likely to pass your site and move on to one that does display properly on their devices. Until you make some changes, expect the number of hits and resulting sales to remain stagnant or even decrease.
Never underestimate the impact of proper SEO strategies on your local business. Talk with a professional today and arrange a full audit. You may find that the site needs no more than a few changes. You’ll attract more visitors, and it will ultimately help you gain more clients.
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