How to Optimise Your Website for Local Search - 13 techniques to improve your rankings locally

If you run a store-front business or offer a service that is within a specific local-based geographic area, then you will want to focus your marketing efforts on getting in front of local traffic.

Since many marketing initiatives are of a more global nature that don't help you at all, there's actually a few specific things you can do to ensure you get visible in front of the local people that you want to attract to your business.

Aside from using targeted Facebook and Google Ads, local search optimization can help your business be found in searches when people are looking for a business likes yours in their area.

So what can you do to get your website to rank better for local search?

Here's 13 techniques to improve your rankings locally:

How to add or claim your small business on Google

How does your business appear on a Google Search or in Google Maps? If it is not as good as your competitors it may be because you haven't claimed your business on Google!

This really helps you as you can update your profile, add your opening hours, gather reviews and start getting found.

This video, from Google shows you what you need to do help your small business and your Google rankings.

Still Not Having a Mobile Friendly Website in 2017?

In 2015, Google unveiled a change to the search engine algorithms which is now considered as a ranking signal in a website's mobile presence. For this reason, responsive design is a must.

In other words, a website has to be accessible on a smartphone.

It should contain the following elements: 

• Clear text that does not require zooming
• Enough space for tap targets
• No horizontal scrolling

You probably can recall that viewing a website on your phone some time ago was not a favourable experience at all.

During 2017, the amount of Smartphone users worldwide will exceed 2 billion.

Search Engine Optimisation: Why Small Business Gets SEO Wrong

Like it or loath it, search engine optimisation (SEO) is a necessary part of your online marketing strategy.

Many believe it involves gathering together a list of keywords, sticking them into a website and people will find you.

Sadly it doesn't work like that, which is why so many businesses are getting it wrong.

People also have the view that SEO is incredibly complex and time-consuming. In truth, it's not. 

Granted, it takes a bit of getting your head around it, but the on page stuff is easy to grasp, although you will need a web designer who understands SEO to get all the 'behind the scenes' stuff right. The problem is many can't be bothered to invest the time it takes to get to grips with what needs doing, and that's when it all goes horribly wrong.

So, what are the most common SEO mistakes that small businesses make? 

SEO Tips : Mobile Friendly Websites

For some time now Google has been making recommendations around the mobile experience; so it's really no surprise that it's now becoming a part of their algorithm.

One point we should highlight since writing that article, is that Google has refined its interpretation of 'Mobile Friendly'. Simply being able to use your site on a mobile device (i.e. not using flash etc.), is no longer sufficient; the new algorithm requires that you now either need a dedicated mobile site, or a mobile responsive site in order to gain Google favour.

So what does this actually mean? 

Learn the basics of Google My Business

Simple video here on the basics of how a Google My Business listing helps you reach customers on Google Search and Maps. 

The Complete Beginner's Guide To Schema Mark-Up

Click here for more information.

What is a Schema?

Schema is an advanced vocabulary for structured data, developed by Microsoft, Yahoo, Google and Yandex with the aim of developing structured data vocabulary that search engines can comprehend. It is particular vocabulary of microdata that can be added to HTML to enhance the representation of a page in SERPs.

Structured data is the information processed in a way that can be perceived universally and the search engines can easily make out about a web page, its content, components permitting them to send back vital results to the searchers. Leveraging the structured data enhance the understanding of a search engine about the contents of a site, augment the visibility of search through rich snippets, knowledge graphs and featured snippets. Structured data enables in creating search engine oriented signals, to affect the search rankings.

Thus, without structured data a webpage will only contain chunks of information with no relevant context. The various code forms add to a webpage the different components such as opening hours, images, dates or reviews and provide the meaningful context to a page.

How Schema Mark-up Performs: