Attract More Local Customers: 18 Critical Local SEO Ranking Factors for Small Businesses

There are no hard and fast rules set in stone for local SEO and improving search engine rankings as every business and situation is unique. However, here are 20 of the top-ranking factors for local SEO and local businesses that can help improve search engine optimization, help attract new customers, and increase profits!

1. Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile listing

Claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) listing is an important aspect of your overall local SEO strategy. Your Google Business Profile is a free listing on Google that provides information about your business, such as your location, contact information, business hours, and services. By claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile, you can improve your local search engine rankings and make it more likely that potential customers will find your business when searching for relevant keywords.

To claim and optimize your Google Business Profile, you will need to create a Google My Business account and verify your business. This involves providing basic information about your business, such as your business name, location, and contact information. You can then add additional details, such as your business hours, services, and photos, to make your listing more informative and attractive to potential customers. By claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile, you can improve your local search engine rankings and make it easier for potential customers to find your business on Google.

2. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly

Making sure your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly is an important aspect of local SEO and user experience. With the increasing popularity of mobile devices, it is important to ensure that your website is designed and optimized for mobile users. A mobile-friendly website should be easy to navigate and read on small screens and also load quickly without any technical issues. By making sure your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly, you can improve your search engine rankings, attract more potential customers, and provide a better user experience.

To make sure your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly, you can use a mobile-friendly testing tool to check your website’s performance and identify any issues. You can also use Google Analytics to see how much of your traffic is coming from mobile devices and to identify any pages or features on your website that are not performing well on mobile. By regularly testing and monitoring your website’s mobile performance, you can make sure that your website is mobile-friendly and provides a good user experience for mobile users. Norzer has an agency license for the superb WordPress plugin, WP Rocket, that we use for all of our clients that require it!

3. Include your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on your website and in your content

Including your business name, address, and phone number (commonly known as NAP) on your website and in your content is important for several reasons. First, it helps to establish credibility and trust with potential customers. Second, it makes it easier for customers to contact you or visit your business. And third, having consistent NAP information across your online presence can improve your local search engine rankings, making it more likely that customers will find your business when they search for relevant keywords online. It’s important to have a clearly visible call to action on every page of your website!

4. Use relevant and targeted keywords on your website and in your content

Using relevant and targeted keywords on your website and in your content is an important part of local SEO. Keywords are words or phrases that describe the content on your website and that people are likely to use when searching for businesses like yours. Be sure you take into account entities and not just keywords! This isn’t 2012 SEO anymore!

By including these keywords and entities in your website copy, image names, URLs, page titles, meta descriptions, and alt tags, you can improve your visibility in search engine results and make it easier for potential customers to find your business. It’s important to use keywords that are relevant to your business and location and to use them in a natural and unobtrusive way that helps improve the quality and relevance of your content. Focus less on writing for the algorithms and more on writing for what human beings are searching for.

5. Use structured data (schema markup) to help search engines understand your business and location

Structured data, also known as schema markup, is a standardized format for providing more granular information about a web page and its content. By using schema markup, you can help search engines better understand the context of the information on your website, which can improve your search engine rankings and make it more likely that your website will be displayed in relevant search results.

For businesses, it is important to use schema markup to provide information about your business name, location, and contact information. This can help search engines display your business information in relevant search results and improve your local search engine rankings. Norzer has an agency license to the fabulous schema plugin, Schema Pro, that we use on all client websites.

6. Encourage customers to leave reviews on your Google My Business listing and other review websites

Encouraging customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile listing and other review websites is critical for several reasons. First, positive reviews can help improve your local search engine rankings and make it more likely that potential customers will find your business when searching for relevant keywords. Second, positive reviews can also help establish credibility and trust with potential customers, which can lead to increased traffic and sales. Finally, reviews can provide valuable feedback that you can use to improve your business and better serve your customers.

Asking for reviews can be as simple as asking satisfied customers to leave a review on your Google My Business listing or other review websites, or you can offer incentives such as discounts or promotions to customers who leave a review.

7. Monitor and respond to customer reviews and feedback

You got the review. No what? Well, monitoring and responding to customer reviews and feedback is an important aspect of local SEO and online reputation management, especially on Google Business Profile. Customer reviews and feedback can provide valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of your business and can help you identify areas for improvement. By regularly monitoring your online reviews and feedback, you can quickly address any concerns or issues that customers may have, which can help improve your online reputation and credibility. In addition, personally responding to customer reviews and feedback can show potential customers that you value their opinions and are committed to providing a high-quality customer experience.

By monitoring and responding to customer reviews and feedback, you can improve your local search engine rankings and build trust and credibility with potential customers.  We have a very specific way we do this at Norzer that we teach you.

8. Get listed in local directories and online business listings

Getting listed in local directories and online business listings can help improve your online visibility and reach potential new customers. Local directories are websites that provide a list of businesses in a specific area, often organized by category or niche. By getting listed in local directories, you can make it easier for customers to find your business when searching for relevant keywords online. Similarly, online business listings are websites that provide information about businesses, such as their name, address, and phone number.

By getting listed on online business listings, you can improve your local search engine rankings and make it more likely that potential customers will find your business when searching for relevant keywords. Getting listed in local directories and online business listings is often free and can provide valuable exposure for your business. At a minimum, you should get into the core directories that everyone uses such as Yelp.

9. Use social media to promote your business and connect with customers

Using social media to promote your business and connect with customers can be a powerful tool for driving website traffic and increasing sales. By creating profiles on different social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you can reach a wide audience of potential new customers. You can use social media to share information about your products or services, promote special offers, offer discounts, and interact with customers. In addition to promoting your business, social media can also be a valuable source of customer feedback and business insights, which you can use to improve your products or services and better serve your customers. By regularly updating social media and engaging with your followers, you can build a loyal customer base and drive traffic to your website.

The bottom line is if you are going to link to your social media accounts you need to be using social media. No one wants to see a Facebook account that hasn’t been touched in two years!

10. Create content that is relevant and useful to your local audience

Creating content that is relevant and useful to your local geographic audience is an important aspect of local SEO. By providing high-quality, useful content that is relevant to your local area, you can improve your local search engine rankings and make it more likely that potential customers will find your business when searching for relevant keywords. Relevant content can include information about your local area, such as local events, news, and attractions, as well as information about your products or services and how they can benefit local customers. In addition to improving your local SEO, relevant and useful content can also help establish credibility and trust with potential customers, which can lead to increased website traffic and sales.

It is important to regularly update your content to ensure that it remains relevant and useful to your local audience. Google tends to prefer fresh content! Set a calendar reminder to update content so it doesn’t go stale. Especially content with dates in it.

11. Keep your website secure from hackers

Keeping your website secure from hackers is an important aspect of local SEO and online reputation management. Nobody wants to do business with a company that has customer information leaked. By taking steps to protect your website from security threats, you can protect your business’s reputation and credibility, as well as the personal and financial information of your customers. A secure website is essential for building trust and credibility with potential customers, and it can also help improve your search engine rankings.

To keep your website secure from hackers, you can use two-factor authentication, force strong passwords, use an application firewall, monitor your website for potential security threats, etc. It is also important to use secure connections and encrypted data transmission to protect sensitive information, such as credit card numbers and personal details. By following best practices for website security, you can protect your website from security threats and maintain the trust and confidence of your customers. Norzer has an agency license for the wonderful WordPress security plugin, iThemes Security Pro, that we use on all of our client sites. As great as it is, installing and configuring a WordPress security plugin like iThemes Security Pro is just one small part of properly hardening a website!

12. Encourage customers to check in on social media when they visit your business

Encouraging customers to check in on social media when they visit your business can help improve your online visibility and reach potential customers. When a customer checks in on social media, it means that they are using the location feature on the platform to let their followers know that they are at your business. This is a signal to Google that you run a good business and can help promote your business to the customer’s followers, who may then be interested in visiting your business themselves. In addition, when a customer checks in, it can also create a social media post or review for your business, which can help improve your online reputation and credibility.

Encouraging customers to check in on social media is easy and can be as simple as displaying a sign or asking customers to check in when they visit your business. This can be a powerful way to increase exposure for your business and reach potential customers without spending a dime!

13. Optimize your website for local long-tail and niche keywords

Optimizing your website for long-tail and niche keywords can help improve your local search engine rankings and make it more likely that potential customers will find your business when searching for relevant keywords. Long-tail keywords are more specific and detailed than short-tail keywords, and they are often more effective at attracting targeted traffic. For example, instead of using a short-tail keyword like “pizza,” a long-tail keyword could be “BBQ pizza delivery in Baton Rouge.”

Niche keywords are even more specific and focused on a particular topic or industry. For example, a niche keyword for a pet store could be “organic cat food in Baton Rouge.” By optimizing your website for local long-tail and niche keywords, you can improve your search engine rankings for relevant searches and attract more targeted traffic to your website. It is important to conduct keyword research to identify the most effective keywords for your business and industry and to use these keywords in a natural and relevant way on your website. Make sure you focus on entities and not just keywords as they are becoming more relevant as artificial intelligence becomes the norm in every aspect of our lives.

14. Engage with your local community through sponsorships, partnerships, and outreach

Engaging with your local community through sponsorships, partnerships, and outreach can help improve your local search engine rankings and drive traffic to your website in ways you may not think. Sponsoring local events, such as sports teams, festivals, or charity events, can help promote your business to a local audience and build goodwill in your community. Partnering with other local businesses can also provide valuable exposure for your business, as well as opportunities for cross-promotion and collaboration. Finally, engaging with your local community through outreach activities, such as donating or volunteering to local causes, can help improve your online reputation and credibility, which can lead to increased traffic and sales.

By actively engaging with your local community, you can build relationships and establish yourself as a trusted and respected member of your local business community. The key is to enjoy it. People appreciate authenticity!

15. Use Google Analytics to track your local SEO performance and identify areas for improvement

Using Google Analytics to track your local SEO performance and identify areas for improvement can be a valuable tool for improving your online presence and reaching potential customers. Google Analytics is a free analytics platform that allows you to track and analyze data about your website’s traffic and performance. By setting up Google Analytics on your website, you can track key metrics, such as the number of visitors to your site, the sources of your traffic, and the pages on your site that are most popular. This information can help you understand how well your local SEO efforts are working and identify areas for improvement. For example, you can use Google Analytics to see which keywords are driving traffic to your site, how long visitors are staying on your site, and which pages are performing well or poorly.

By regularly reviewing your Google Analytics data, you can make informed decisions about how to improve your local SEO performance and reach more potential customers.

16. Monitor your local search rankings and adjust your strategy accordingly

Monitoring your local search rankings and adjusting your strategy accordingly can help improve your online visibility and reach potential customers. Local search rankings refer to the position of your website in search engine results pages (SERPs) for local keywords and search queries. For example, Baton Rouge plumber.

By regularly monitoring your local search rankings, you can see how well your website is performing for relevant local keywords and search queries, and identify areas for improvement. For example, you can use a keyword tracking tool to see which keywords are driving traffic to your site and how your rankings for those keywords are changing over time. Based on this information, you can adjust your local SEO strategy to focus on keywords and search queries that are driving the most traffic and have the highest potential for improvement. Why waste time doing things that aren’t working? If you aren’t tracking what is working, you are going at SEO blind.

By regularly monitoring your local search rankings and adjusting your strategy accordingly, you can improve your online visibility and reach more potential customers. Join our expert SEO Discord server and ask me for the spreadsheet I use with my clients.

17. Consider using paid advertising to boost your local visibility

Consider using paid advertising such as Google Ads or Local Service Ads to boost your local visibility. Paid advertising, also known as pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, is a type of online advertising where advertisers pay a fee each time one of their ads is clicked. Paid advertising can be a powerful tool for boosting your local visibility and reaching potential customers in your local area. By creating targeted PPC campaigns that focus on local keywords and search queries, you can make it more likely that potential customers will see your ads only when they search for relevant keywords online. In addition, paid advertising can be a cost-effective way to reach a large audience, as you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. By using paid advertising to boost your local visibility, you can improve your local search engine rankings and reach more potential customers in your local area.

18. Use high-quality images and videos to showcase your business and location

Using high-quality images and videos to showcase your business and location can be a powerful way to improve your local search engine rankings and attract potential customers. High-quality images and videos can provide potential customers with a better understanding of your business and location and can help establish credibility, familiarity, and trust. By including images and videos on your website and social media profiles, you can show potential customers what your business looks like and what products/services you offer. In addition, images and videos can also improve the user experience on your website, which can help improve your search engine rankings.

Be careful not to upload huge images which will slow down the speed of your website. Make sure you optimize all images and videos that you put on your website! Finally, it’s best to stay away from stock photos as much as possible and use as many of your own photos and videos as possible! Google likes originality.

Conclusion

As you can see, local SEO can get pretty complex and is an ongoing process that never ends. It’s important to regularly review and update your strategy to ensure that you are maximizing your online visibility and reach. If you need help with this, let us know. We’d be happy to help your business grow!