8 SEO tips for successful geo-targeting

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a simple step to grow awareness and searchability of your business. Engaging in SEO practices will allow you to rank higher and be found by more potential customers online. According to Google, almost 46% of search results are location-driven. Consumers depend on Google in order to find a local business close to their home and work. Not implementing an SEO campaign could mean that you’re needlessly passing up potential sales. Zib Digital’s 8 SEO tips will assist you in increasing your Google positioning.

What does Local SEO or Geo-Targeting mean?

SEO Geo-Targeting, or Local SEO, works by showcasing different content to each of your customer groups searching for products or services within different geographical areas. For example, a customer might google “café near Merivale” or “hair salon in Christchurch”. You can shoot to the top of these search results by using Local SEO targeting.

1. Register Your Business on Google

It will be beneficial to you to ensure that when people search for your business, or your business category, that your company appears as a registered business. This is a free service that Google offers and will give your business a Google Maps presence as well as listing your contact information. This will also increase your odds of appearing in Google search across all viewing platforms.

2. Stay Connected on Google

Google’s ‘My Business’ expands into numerous other online catalogues where you can list your company. Work to ensure that your online presence across all of these areas is consistent to give consumers an accurate representation of your company. Don’t overlook these areas, as it very well may be where potential buyers are looking for information about you. You can choose to post photos, respond to customer queries or reviews or keep your customers informed about business hours all through your business profile.

3. Optimise Your Site for SEO

Use on-page SEO by targeting keywords that are popular for your industry and suburb or location. Find support through a professional SEO company or commit to spending a significant amount of time researching and writing your site content in order to keep it up to date. Whichever option you choose, this is an essential step to make sure you’re appearing within location searches.

4. Create Location-Based Landing Pages

You can create specialised landing pages for location-based searches within your industry or product area. This will allow your potential customers to find your site and instantly receive all of the information they’ve been searching for in one spot and referencing only the area that they’re interested in. This can help shorten the sales funnel and convert leads quickly.

5. Start A Blog

Blogs allow you to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise within the realm of your products and services. By giving clients access to free information, you solidify your skill in the market while becoming an indispensable source of data. Blogs will also drive more traffic to your site, expanding your trust score and working to help you get higher rankings in search results.

6. Improve Website Loading Speed

Utilise sites like Google Page Speed and Pingdom to test your site speed. Customers aren’t waiting around for your site to load and if this is a problem for you, they’ll quickly move on to the next result on the search page. An ordinary website should load within seven seconds, and the page size should not exceed 3MB.

7. Mobile Friendly

Guaranteeing that your website loads correctly on tablets, mobile phones, and computers will mean that you can target users across all platforms. Have you ever loaded a website on your phone just to find that it’s not optimised for mobile? Making your customers scroll across their phones to find the information they’re looking for might make them hit the back button and look for a new company instead.

8. Create Local Backlinks

Backlinking is the practice of linking to a source outside your URL within a webpage. As backlinks are a significant factor in SEO rankings, it’s a good idea to link to significant connections or pertinent sites for your industry. You could link to a blog that speaks on your brand or the future of the industry, to Google maps for directions, or to outside sources you’d want your client base to access.

You’re now on your way to optimising your local SEO rankings. By using these eight simple tips, you’ll significantly increase your chances of being featured in search for local consumers.

If you’re looking to optimise SEO but still need assistance enhancing your site, Zib Digital is a leading specialist in SEO and digital marketing work. Get in touch to learn what we can do to boost your search rankings and enhance your digital presence.