Zelst’s Guide to Local SEO

Here at Zelst, we partner with Uberall to run a custom check online to identify areas of improvement and ensure it is linked. This means that when you work with us, you can expect your site to rank higher, increase your local customer base, and maintain a strong and consistent reputation across all your platforms.

Learn more about our local SEO services.

Local SEO refers to the optimisation process that we carry out to ensure your site shows up in the local search results online. The aim is to aid users in finding the most relevant content based on their location and individual requirements.

For example, if the user is in Harrogate and wants to order a pizza, a well-optimised site for local search will appear that is close to the user and for a business that sells pizza. With the right use of SEO on your website that allows a search engine to establish that the content is relevant to the local search and using other tools such as Google Business Profile, you can monopolise the search engine results page for relevant queries in the local area that match the services or goods you offer.

How Is Local SEO different from SEO?

While both SEO and local SEO aim to elevate your rankings in the SERPs, they have a key difference. Local SEO focuses on heightening your search visibility in local search rankings, while regular SEO attempts to boost your SERP rankings on a larger scale – typically nationally or globally.

Many local SEO benefits are similar to the benefits of digital marketing. A strong local SEO strategy can help you enjoy the following:

• Increased search visibility

• More traffic

• A better reputation

• Continuous business growth

Learn about the importance of local SEO in more detail to understand why your business should be investing in it.

To compete with big companies, you can learn how to improve local SEO rankings with our best practices or allow us to do the work for you!

Formerly known as Google My Business, Google Business Profile is your first step to local SEO success. With this, you can set up a local listing with details about your company. The fantastic thing about a Google Business Profile is that it’s completely free and lets your business crop up on Google Maps and the SERP map pack.

You’ll need to fill in business information such as:

• Contact details

• Opening hours

• Imagery

• Facilities

Optimising this profile will increase the chance of your site ranking highly when prospective consumers search for relevant terms.

Some online profiles are more detailed than others. If you want to get competitive, fill in every data point you can to increase the chances of Google scoring you highly.

After adding and verifying your Business Profile, fill in the basics as well as things like category selection. This includes a top-level category describing your company as well as secondary categories, which may affect the searches you’ll rank for.

Don’t forget to add information to the Services and Products tabs, showcasing to Google what your business actually offers. Linking to your socials won’t hurt either!

If you’re already familiar with SEO, you’ll know a thing or two about keyword research. However, local keyword research involves sourcing search terms that users type in when on the hunt for local services and products. Ensuring you rank for these specific keywords can help increase your site’s targeted local traffic, which can, in turn, increase conversions.

You can identify keywords by using specialist tools on platforms like Semrush or Ahrefs. With these at your fingertips, you can look at what your local competitors are ranking for and what people are searching for. Here’s an example of the kinds of keywords Ahrefs suggests if you sell pizza in Harrogate:

Additionally, tools like Google Keyword Planner also help you research keywords for local intent. Have a look and see what you can find!

Make sure you keep everything spick and span on your Business Profile. Being active will demonstrate to both Google and potential customers that you are an organised and attentive business owner, which can help elevate those rankings and pull in new conversions.

For example, always ensure your business details, including your address, phone number, and opening hours, are accurate.

You could also publish Business Profile updates about new special offers, promotional blogs, or events to interest and engage users:

A NAP citation is an online mention of your company’s name, address, and phone number – your key details for local SEO. Some ways to acquire NAP citations include:

• Claiming your business profile on Google Business Profile and any other relevant directories

• Include NAP information across your social media profiles

• Engage with guest posting on other sites, including NAP information within the author bio

• Create a press release, including NAP details

Having your NAP information displayed across multiple directories can increase your visibility and local positions, making users more likely to trust your business.

Have you ever decided to pick one restaurant over another just because it had better reviews? If you answered ‘yes’, you’ll know that positive online reviews should be taken seriously – they make your reputation stronger, increase your rankings, and can tip potential customers over the edge into converting.

You can encourage online reviews by asking satisfied customers to leave a review after purchasing a product or service and offering easy access through simple QR codes or embedded widgets on your website. If people find it tricky to figure out how to leave a review for you, they won’t do it – simple as!

Not only should you encourage reviews, but you should also respond to them, good or bad. Responding to reviews demonstrates to other users that you are engaged in receiving feedback and constantly improving your business.

Learn how to respond to bad reviews and remove fake reviews to maintain a solid brand image. There are many ways you can use content to repair a damaged reputation, too.

We’ve mentioned a few local SEO tools earlier in the article, but we want to emphasise here that you should make full use of all those available for the best results. Other than Keyword Planner, you can use these tools to improve local SEO rankings:

• You can employ Google Search Console to monitor your site’s search performance. As well as sharing how much traffic you’re receiving, you can discover what keywords are driving this.

• Google Analytics 4 can help you explore how users engage with your website.

• With a Google Reviews Widget, you can embed the Google reviews you receive on your site.

• Semrush’s Listing Management is a fantastic local SEO tool that manages and distributes your business details. You can add NAP information, submit to directories, and address reviews here.

• Finally, Google Business Manager enables you to manage your Business Profile. And the best thing? It’s free, so there’s no reason why your business can’t enjoy it!

If you have an About Us, Find Us, or Contact Us page, embedding a Google Map can be a handy way to show Google where you are specifically located.

Simply find your company in Google Maps, tap the menu in the left-hand corner and select Share or Embed Map. Click Embed Map, cho8. Make use of local SEO toolsose a size, and copy the code on your site’s text editor.

It’s important to note here that local SEO isn’t just a one-off task – you need to consistently ensure your profile is up-to-date and monitor how well your website is performing.

Tracking results with tools like your Google Profile Manager can be a great way to guide your future strategy. However, if you don’t feel like doing this, leave the job for our experts to do!

So, you’ve mastered our top strategies on how to do local SEO above, but how can you further support these efforts?

Improve your on-page SEO.

On-page SEO and content can aid your local SEO efforts. On-page SEO refers to optimising your pages to help them rank higher in organic search.

• Optimise your meta

Target location-based keywords in your meta titles and descriptions to improve your organic CTR for local audiences. Just remember how long meta descriptions should be, and don’t go overboard!

• Target location-based keywords

Remember to use location-focused keywords above the fold, preferably in the H1 and H2 tags. Google prioritises local results for users looking for products and services in specific areas, so placing location keywords above the fold can signal to the search engine that your content is highly relevant to a local audience. In turn, this elevates your chances of ranking here for location-based queries.

Learn more about keyword research for content writing.

• Create a backlinking strategy

Try to build backlinks from other sites. Backlinks are important, a great ranking signal in Google’s book, so it’s worth taking up a few backlinking strategies to create success. Some ways to build local backlinks include reaching out to non-competitor local businesses, asking to guest post on local websites, and supporting or sponsoring events in the area.

Just remember that not all links are good – learn how to disavow bad backlinks to maintain your reputation.

• Create location-specific content

Writing content that focuses on local topics shows users that your business is an active part of the community. It also offers the opportunity to target location-specific keywords. Engaging local users in this way can even prompt them to share your content online.

• Check your website contact details

Ensure your website's NAP details align with that shown on your Business Profile. This will tell Google and other search engines that your company is the real deal, helping with local rankings.

• Optimise for mobile and local search

Nowadays, many local searches are conducted on mobile phones, and Google even uses mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor. With this in mind, make sure your site is mobile-optimised to improve not only your user experience but also your local search ranking.

If you’re looking for local SEO services, Zelst always has your back, partnering with Uberall to provide seamless solutions that work to enhance your online presence. We’re well-experienced in making clients more visible, which you can probably tell by glancing at our case studies section.

Discover how we grew location visibility with Google Business Profile by 84% for a legal client and how we can similarly deliver fantastic results for your company.

Our team of SEO specialists are ready to be put to the test, so reach out to us today to have a conversation about how to do local SEO or ask us a question about this local SEO guide. We’re here to help you dominate the SERPs today!