Regardless of what you’re looking for online, you’ll eventually turn to Google to find it. This is why it’s so important for local businesses to get listed there. In the past, accomplishing this was easy. However, as a local business, you’ve probably noticed that your local website is pushed down further and further in the SERPs thanks to things like local review information, Google Business Profiles, and the Google Map.
Ranking high up in the SERPs today means creating rich local content so you rank well for less competitive, local keywords. This is only the beginning of what you must learn if you want to get ahead of your local competitors.
What Is Local SEO Content?
There are many types of local SEO content (text, images, videos) that’ll appear on your website, its landing pages, your Google Business Profile, and many other places that influence your site. Your goal while creating this content is to ensure that it meets the needs of the residents who live by your business. So, when you write this content you need to think about these people, the businesses around you, and how you can create a deeper relationship with all these entities.
How Do You Create This Type of Content?
Unfortunately, there isn’t any “right way” to create local SEO content. This is because people don’t know exactly what it takes to get ahead here since search engines don’t offer many hints. However, there are a few things that SEO experts have discovered that will enable your site to rank better in the local SERPs.
Use Schema Markup
Google’s search results are continually growing richer and more interactive. For this reason, schema (tags added to your website’s HTML to improve how Google sees and ranks your website) is also growing more important. This is because it helps Google’s algorithm understand how your content relates to other content. When you add this to your local business website you’re not only highlighting your expertise, but you’re also giving your website more authority.
Sprinkle Local Phrases Throughout Your Content
More important than local keyword research is understanding how the topic that led you to choose your keyword phrases fits into your website’s content. This requires you to consider your business as a whole before simply adding local mentions to your content. Taking time to do so will give your conversions a great big boost.
Write the Same Way You Talk
Although voice search isn’t new, it is quite popular. In fact, 76% of people who own a smart speaker use them at least once a week while 53% say they use them daily. With this factor in mind, you can see why you want to use a conversational tone when writing content for your website. Doing so allows you to target longer voice search queries in the SERPs.
Don’t Overlook Images
Unfortunately, many businesses don’t pay any attention to images when working on their local SEO. What they don’t realize is that using unique images plays an important role in their optimization. You don’t want to use stock images here. Invest in original, complementary images that help you tell your brand’s story. Doing so will help you rank better in the SERPs.
Move Your Site Forward with Local SEO
This is only the beginning of what you need to know if you want to rank high in the SERPs today. You also need to know what types of content to create using these techniques. However, if you’re already feeling overwhelmed by all these things, we want you to know that’s fine. We’ve got you covered here at the Local SEO Tampa Company in Tampa, FL.