While there are many ways you can boost your local SEO, there are also several means you can ruin it. Because ranking high on search engines for local queries versus global ones requires different methods, those who are not aware of this might be wondering why they are performing better on one and not the other.
To ensure you do not mess up your local ranking efforts, here are some of the mistakes you should avoid when working on your local SEO.
1. Missing a GMB profile
One of the biggest mistakes you can ever do is not having a GMB (Google My Business) profile. That is because you store all your relevant information on it, such as name, address, and phone number (NAP), to bring customers to you.
If you have ever tried searching for a local store for a specific service, you will be given a bunch of details for it, such as address and the like. That is often from the business’s GMB profile and not their website. Having a GMB profile allows potential customers in your area to find your business easily, giving you an edge against your competition.
2. Not including relevant categories
Once you do have your GMB profile set up, there are a few things you need to do, one of them is choosing the category for your business.
You should take this step slowly. Think about this carefully so that you can select the right categories. Otherwise, your page will show up where it is not relevant. Meanwhile, do not choose every category there is because it is against Google’s ToS to select any category you do not fall into.
3. Not utilizing social media
Social media always plays an essential role in SEO, local or not.
While people have argued for a while whether social media affects SEO, we can all agree that it is always an excellent channel to reach out to your target audience. With a social media account set up, you can bring more awareness to your brand, send out ads, and attract people to come to you.
4. Not offering a mobile-responsive website
More than half of all website visits are done using mobile devices, and if your site is not mobile-friendly, you will lose out on a lot of potential customers. Also, knowing that many people are usually on-the-go when looking for local businesses, this becomes even more important.
With that, this is a factor that Google takes as extremely important as well, meaning that if your site is mobile-responsive, your local SEO will enjoy a hefty boost.
Conclusion
You should keep an eye out for many other mistakes when trying to improve your local SEO, such as duplicating your listings or including inconsistent NAP information. Be aware of these mistakes and potential problems, and we promise you that you will soon enjoy a great rank on your local search engine results page.
Do you want to know an excellent way to boost your local SEO? Local SEO Pro offers you a platform with features from voice search to link-building. Reach out to us today!
