Local SEO is a search engine optimisation (SEO) strategy that helps your business become more visible in local search results on Google. Local search engine optimisation is a branch of SEO that focuses on optimising a website to be found in local search results.
Local seo
is the practice of increasing the online visibility of local businesses. It is similar to organic SEO, but with an added geographic component.Local search marketing is everything that is done on the web to promote a physical business that establishes face-to-face contact with its customers. It applies to single-location small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as national business brands and chains. If a business meets its customers directly, either through a storefront or a service area, it is called a "local business" and a unique set of techniques and skills can be used to increase its visibility on the Internet. This can also be referred to as "local SEO", or local search engine optimisation.
For brands with multiple locations, Google My Business and local SEO can be confusing and frustrating. Google's local algorithm is a horse of a different colour compared to the organic one most SEOs are familiar with. Learn how to build your local presence through outreach to other local businesses, schools and events in this video from the Moz Academy. Local SEO success lies in the technical details, but comprehensive SEO audits can be too expensive and impractical.
The paradox of local search has always been that it is one of the most time-consuming areas of SEO, yet the businesses that stand to gain the most have the smallest budgets and the most limited internal resources. If you have a local business, such as a shop, restaurant or agency, you want your web pages to rank for specific search queries made by a local audience. It will show you how to give your local search efforts personality so that local searchers want to know who you are. According to Moz's local SEO report, Google My Business signals, including proximity and keywords, are the main ranking factors.
However, while claiming your Google My Business listing is a good place to start, local SEO is much more than that. In this quick video series, Moz's customer success experts explain local marketing best practices and how to put them into practice with Moz Local. Be the local authority in your industry by promoting local industry meetings, news, employees and other educational content on your blog. But while writing about general topics will appeal to a broad audience, sometimes it's more important to sharpen your focus and write about local or industry news to attract a local audience.
Here we'll explain what local SEO is and guide you to more in-depth reading that will help you make your website findable in your area. But with personalisation and localisation playing an increasingly important role in every SERP, local can no longer be seen in its own silo, every search and social marketer must refine their understanding.
