Local SEO and Local Marketing Strategies
Local / regional search engine optimization is used for direct and effective advertising via the web within your city and/or region. More and more users are finding relevant information or companies from their immediate surroundings through Google, Bing & Co. This is supported/propped up by the local/regionally-oriented search engine optimization, also known as "Local SEO". Search engines have replaced the traditional phone book.
Whether searching for addresses, opening times, appointments or orders, the internet is becoming increasingly important for many users, to help them find information about suppliers from any place/district. Thanks to search engines like Google, people are able to find doctors' offices, law firms, agencies, businesses and companies, both locally or regionally. Current and detailed information about almost everything and everyone are only a few clicks away.
Local SEO involves putting your regular keywords next to your regional names. So for example if your webpage concentrates on five keywords, such as: Bakery, Georges, Local Bakery, Pie shop, Greggs. Then lose one of them and add your place name such as: Bakery, Georges, Local Bakery, Kent, Greggs.
Try another page with your area name on and a few longer tailed keywords. So let’s say your company is called George’s Bakery. Try: Kent, Local Bakery, Georges Bakery Kent, Georges Opening Times. These pages would then be optimized, so that if your potential customer typed in “George opening times in Kent”, then you would be even more likely to appear first.
Don’t make the mistake of weaving hundreds (or even over 5) place names onto one pages text/content, meta tags or description. If you do that, then you simply dilute the effect of local SEO, which means that any page that has only one of the multiple place names you entered, will appear above you in the search engine results pages.
Print products are usually associated with high production and distribution costs. These factors are omitted in digital search engines, unlike in a phone book. So, registration within relevant online directories is often even free, giving a clear economic advantage, particularly for smaller companies.
The web allows providers of services and products to advertise directly and effectively in their home region with the help of local SEO. This gives a great many advantages over traditional telephone books but also over other "location independent” advertising, such as posters, leaflets and newspaper ads. If you invest time in local or regional search engine optimization, then it can save you money on your more conventional regional advertising, especially if your business relies on local consumers, such as, gyms, bakeries, swimming pools, etc.
