Local SEO is essential for smaller businesses that are operating regionally, rather than nationally. Even though national SEO is focused on ranking in searches across the country, local SEO puts a priority on appearing the SERPs for a certain location. This strategy relies on marketing a brand, the products, and the services to local customers and leads.

If you are ready to ensure your local SEO efforts are successful, keep reading.

Create a Google My Business Account

When starting out with local SEO, one of the first things you should do is to claim your business on Google My Business. This is going to establish your presence, at no cost to you, in search engines. It also means that your business will begin to appear on Google Maps. Not only will your business show up on all devices used for searching, but when Google has authenticated your business as being legitimate, it may also appear in the sidebar of a Google Search, which is a great position to be in.

Get Reviews from Happy Customers

Asking your customers to write great reviews for your business is good for several reasons. First, it helps you optimize Google My Business presence you have created. It also helps to encourage even more local customers to make a purchase from you, instead of the competition.

Optimize for Voice Search

With voice search, you can grow quickly in the coming years. As a result, when you are implementing local SEO efforts, it’s essential that you think about how people will be searching when they are speaking into their phone or another device, rather than how they are typing out a search.

With voice searching, people use more long-tail keywords. This is why you need to adjust your content. Create pieces that are more conversational – the way you talk – rather than just focused on “nothing but the facts.” By doing this, you can begin to capture the attention of people who are using voice search nearby and looking for the products or the services you offer.

When it comes to local SEO efforts, there are more than a few factors to consider. Be sure to keep the information here in mind to know what to do to improve your efforts and begin getting the results you want. Being informed is the best way to ensure that the desired results are achieved and that your local SEO strategies are effective.