Power your organic search visibility
Dive deep into the influential world of Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and explore the tactics and techniques that will improve local search visibility for your business and clients.
- Understand how to optimize a Google Business Profile for local search
- Build and manage local citations with consistent NAP data
- Apply backlink tactics to improve local SEO rankings
- Identify key local SEO ranking signals
- Conduct keyword research and track long-tail keywords
- Optimize page speed and metadata for better performance
- Leverage review requests and reputation management as SEO signals
- Package and resell local SEO services effectively
Given Google's dominance in search, SEO should be at the forefront of a digital marketing strategy. A business profile alone won't improve SERP ranking—you'll need to create a GBP account from which you'll manage and optimize your listing.
It's especially critical for local businesses that compete with big commerce to have one, as well as an SEO strategy in place. Listings on GBP are one of the best ways to be found in local search results. Managing reviews on Google will also help increase your clients' local SEO. By keeping the information updated you ensure that Google feeds correct information to Google Maps and the local 3-Pack results.
It is extremely important in local search to claim and own all relevant citations. A local citation is a physical building's name, address, and phone number (NAP data) that appears in a local search. GBP is a citation, as is Bing Places. Directory sites like Yellow Pages and Yelp are also part of local citations.
A business that doesn't have local citations with consistent NAP information is unlikely to rank in a local search. The more places that Google finds a business listed, the more relevance and authority that business will have.
Good starting directories: Yelp, Bing Places for Business, Yellow Pages, Yahoo, Foursquare, Chamberofcommerce.com, Better Business Bureau.
Vendasta can create, edit, and manage local citations on your behalf.
Local link building is one of the most effective tactics for improving local SEO rankings. A backlink is a link from one website to your client's site. It's actually easier for smaller local businesses to create backlinks than larger stores—local businesses generally have the support of their community.
Tactics
- Outreach: Local businesses, communities, forums, bloggers, social media influencers, and newspapers are viable sources. It's a numbers game—reach out to as many sources as possible. This is an ongoing effort.
- Find, fix, or eliminate broken links: Use SEMrush, Google, and Ahrefs. Identify broken links belonging to competitors and reach out to site owners with an updated or similar link.
- Local sponsorship opportunities: Donate to a silent auction, sponsor an event. Align with the business's values and the local not-for-profit landscape.
Sites you want to link with should have a "domain authority" score of 40 or higher. Use Moz Local or Ahrefs for domain analysis.
Google uses specific guidelines when evaluating pages. Key signals include:
| Signal | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Link signals | Number and quality of links. Industry-specific and local is better. |
| On-page signals | Keywords in landing page titles, metadata/tags, relevance across site. |
| Behavioral signals | Click-through rate, mobile clicks to call, check-ins. Consumer behavior. |
| Google Business Profile signals | Proximity, NAP data, categories, photos, reviews. |
| Citation signals | Consistency of NAP across citations. Quantity of citations. |
| Review signals | Quantity of reviews, keywords used, reviews with text (not just stars). |
| Social signals | Shares, likes, comments. Mentions from community sites. |
Keyword research helps you understand what consumers search for and how difficult it will be to rank for specific words and phrases. This is an ongoing endeavor—search language changes, new items are searched for, old products are phased out.
Long-tail keywords have potential for easier ranking because they're more specific than short-tail keywords. Example: "moderately inexpensive hotel with ocean view" vs "hotel."
Create a Keyword Research document to track optimal keywords. Find the right keywords and drive the right traffic to your clients' website.
Page speed
A slow-loading webpage is synonymous with a high bounce rate. The longer it takes to load, the more likely visitors will close the page. Bounce rates are highest for mobile shoppers. An optimized webpage should take less than three seconds to load. Longer runs the risk of losing customers and reducing ranking potential.
Metadata
- Meta descriptions: Describe the page structure and content. Show up under the title in search. Up to 725 characters, but 160 characters is ideal (Google truncates).
- Title tags: Like a headline. Improve CTR and SERP ranking. No more than 60 characters. Include keyword placement and active tone.
74% of consumers state that positive reviews build trust with local businesses. Positive online reviews show Google that your site is trustworthy.
3 tactics to boost reviews
- Automated emails for online purchases with a link to GBP or Facebook review page
- Send automated review request emails periodically to active customers
- Request in-store reviews using a QR code at the payment station that takes customers to a GBP review page
Local SEO & Reputation Management
Online reputation management and SEO share the common goal of building trust and credibility. Listing building, NAP updates, review responses, and social media management all impact online reputation. Essentially all reputation management practices that agencies are already doing for their clients are signals that Google uses in local SEO to rank businesses
SEO is a strong upsell for agencies that sell white-label cloud-based solutions. Most small businesses don't have the knowledge or resources to manage local SEO but recognize it's important.
Audit framework
Look for: website speed performance, keyword optimization (titles, meta descriptions, web copy), strategic internal linking, navigation functioning without JavaScript. Pointing out SEO shortcomings helps you sell SEO.
Vendasta's Snapshot Report can help—use the Local Search Results section to show prospects how they rank and how they compare to top local competitors.
Best services to provide
| Service | What It Includes |
|---|---|
| On-page local SEO | Keyword research, metadata, site speed, internal linking, mobile responsiveness, page content |
| Citation management | Claim the "Big 4": GBP, Bing Places, Yelp, Yellow Pages. Upsell for more. |
| Custom reporting | Track rankings, keywords, visits, sessions. Part of regular client communication. |
| Review management | Track review activity. Vendasta Reputation Management compiles reviews in one place. |
Package Local SEO and online reputation management together—they perform best together.
You audit a client's site: slow load, inconsistent NAP across directories, few backlinks, no review strategy. You recommend GBP optimization, citation management via Vendasta, outreach for local backlinks, and review request automation. You use the Snapshot Report to show their current ranking vs competitors. They sign for the full package.
Key Resources
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Package Local SEO and reputation management together. Use the Snapshot Report. Power your organic search visibility.