When you think about improving local SEO, do you think about content?
Maybe not.
I admit, it’s not always the first thing that comes to my mind.
But here’s the thing – content directly affects local SEO, and ignoring it is a huge mistake.
Yes, there may be limited text fields and places where we can enter something.
But listen to me. It’s more than you might think.
Key Differences Between Local and Organic SEO Content Strategies
You probably know what Google likes to see on a website and how to optimize it to show up higher on search engine results pages.
But what about local content?
What’s the difference?
Here’s the thing, content strategies for local SEO and broader organic SEO are actually not that different.
Regardless, good information content should always be a priority.
The main difference between local SEO and organic SEO content is user intent.
For local SEO, users’ intent is to find goods or services near them, so they include location indicators in their search queries.
For example, you can search for [Kansas City hair salon], [hair salon in Kansas City]or [hair salon near me].
The location indicator tells Google to prioritize and display user results in their area.
This has been the case for a long time because Google wanted to offer more Localized SERP Features (such as map results) for local intent-aware searches.
So when you’re writing for local SEO, make content that highlights your location.
getting Started
Before you start writing content for your website, you should always take a moment to think about your end goal.
Ask yourself what you want to achieve.
How can your content and information help you achieve your goals?
For example, let’s say you want to improve local SEO so that more people visit your brick-and-mortar storefront, ultimately increasing sales and revenue.
This is a great goal.
Good local SEO can help you make it happen, but creating a Google My Business listing isn’t enough.
Prioritize creating high-quality content that highlights what you have to offer and where you are.
Local content moderation
If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to do Local content moderation.
When conducting a content audit, ask yourself what your ideal local customer is looking for.
Are they researching available resources in the target area?
Read reviews?
Want to visit a location now?
Looking for suppliers to come to them or deliver products?
Knowing this information can help you determine if there are gaps in your content that you can fill to help rank better in local searches.
Another important part of local content moderation is competitor research.
Check out competitor websites to gather information about the keywords they target and the structure of their content to entice their local customers or customers to convert.
Once you know who your target is and what they are searching for, you can start writing.
Now, let’s dive into specific content strategies you can use to improve local SEO.
On-page local SEO content
Here’s the good news, if you have a well-optimized website with quality content, you won’t need to change much to optimize it for local search.
Just a few tweaks here and there.
One of the most important things you can do to improve local SEO is to put your address in the footer.
If you have less than ten places, I recommend putting them all in your footer.
Also, it’s important to create dedicated landing pages for each location you serve.
Each of these pages should have original content specific to that region/location.
Don’t simply copy and paste information from one page to another, even if you do the same everywhere.
This will be duplicate content and can hurt your SEO.
General tips for creating good pages:
- Write informative and engaging content that describes the product or service you offer.
- Organically optimize your pages for correct Location-specific keywords (Don’t keyword stuff).
- Add photos or infographics and refine alt text.
- Make sure your pages are optimized for voice and mobile searches.
- use local-specific schema flags.
- refresh content Keep it fresh and relevant every now and then.
write a blog
A blog is a powerful tool that can provide your clients with useful information and make you an expert in your field.
In short, it has the power to increase your expertise, authority and trust (EAT) in the eyes of Google.
But beyond that, blogging is a great way to highlight your location and boost your local SEO.
First and foremost, it provides Google with fresh content that reiterates your location.
It can also help you target those pesky local keywords that might be hard to rank for, like “pubs near me.”
Also, blogging allows you to get backlinks from other local businesses.
Also, it gives people the opportunity to comment on or share your articles, two things that improve local SEO.
But I’d be remiss if I didn’t remind you that one of the most important things you can do with a blog is share it on social media and any local lists that allow it.
Get comments, get likes, and drive local traffic to your articles.
Off-site local SEO content
Google Commerce
Your Google Business Profile is the first and most visible off-page location for local SEO content.
Adding content to your Google business profile is important when improving local SEO.
You can do this in a number of ways, but the first priority should be to optimize your profile by including as much relevant information as possible.
You can add a description of your business, hours of operation, product information and services. For example, restaurant food menus and photos.
when Optimize your Google Business Profilemake sure that all the information you provide is correct.
If there are any changes, such as your business hours, please update your profile accordingly.
Another valuable thing you can do is post photos, current blog posts, related topics, and updated policies and procedures on your feed.
This communicates to Google that you are a valid listing to promote because you provide users with valuable information.
Ultimately, well optimized Google Business Profile Receive more clicks and requests for directions.
A key part of building a good local SEO strategy is collect comments and respond promptly.
When it comes to content, reviews of user-generated content carry a lot of weight.
Notes on the map pack…
Let your business map pack Very important.
It allows users to view your listings before scrolling through the SERPs.
A few content-related strategies can help you get one of the coveted locations in the map pack:
- Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile.
- Write hyperlocal content.
- Provide dedicated landing pages for each of your locations.
- Use pattern tags.
- Collect and respond to comments.
- Optimize your website for voice and mobile search.
Other listing services
When it comes to SEO, Google is undoubtedly a major player.
So it’s no surprise that the main thing related to local SEO is Google Business.
However, we shouldn’t ignore other local listing services like Bing Local, Yelp, Thumbtack, Yellowpages.com, Foursquare, and more – it depends on our industry and focus.
Posting content and other updates can provide citations to your site and increase local credibility.
If you’re on these sites, don’t forget to give them some attention every now and then, and make sure you reply to any comments you get — even if you’re using a data aggregation service to push your data to a third-party directory.
Your online reputation is important to Google and shouldn’t be forgotten.
social media
I believe you already know, Social Media Helps SEO.
Hence, having a Facebook and Instagram business listing is important.
It increases your audience so your articles get more views.
Also, more pageviews means more backlink opportunities.
Ultimately, having a strong social media presence and posting useful content on your social feeds affects your E-A-T and makes you appear more credible in the eyes of Google.
final thoughts
Good content is an important part of a good SEO strategy.
When it comes to local SEO, quality content with location indicators prompts Google to rank higher in local search results and map packages.
Just creating high-quality content for your website isn’t always enough. You should also share it on your Google Business Profile, other local listing sites, and your social media feeds to drive traffic and demonstrate your expertise and credibility.
For more tips on content marketing, check out SEJ’s The Complete Guide to Content Marketing.
For more guidance on local SEO, get your free copy of SEJ Local SEO eBook.
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Featured image: Gaudi Lab/Shutterstock
