Every eCommerce business needs multiple ways to promote its products. A combination of paid advertising, social media marketing, and SEO would be enough to succeed in an online environment. Businesses with offline shops must attract customers to the shop and the website or Instagram account. This article will share five local SEO strategies that can help you with that.

What is Local SEO, and Why is It Important?

Search engine optimization improves website pages to ensure they appear on related searches. For example, these pages appear for the keyword “opal ring.”

Local SEO comprises location-specific searches on Google. In some cases, searches only make sense with a location in mind, like “Thai food places.” With most searches, the user wants to see places near them. In many other cases, they search for a location alongside a word, like “opal ring NYC.”

Typically, Google will serve a local pack result for such a search, like Google Maps features Google Business Profiles (GBP) in this image. Local SEO strategies are centered around making it to that top 3 or the more extensive list that opens once a user clicks on the map.

Regular search results will also feature the websites of local businesses, and having your site appear there is great for local commerce.

So, what is local SEO strategy about? It’s about optimizing your Google Business Profile and website to appear in local searches.

Here are the five local SEO strategies that can aid you in this.

Strategy 1: Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Your website is not the only thing that needs to be optimized in local SEO strategies. Google Business Profile is just as important an asset for local search, if not more important.

Your first step is to create or claim your business location. Sometimes, Google will create a location for you, which leaves you to prove you’re the owner to claim it. Once you go through verification, start optimizing it.

After you have verified your GBP account, add the basic business information:

• Business name
• Address
• Phone number
• Website address
• Business hours

Make sure this information is up to date. It can appear in SERP to inform potential clients. It’s also important to build local citations later on.

Next, add a couple of good-looking photos of your business. You should encourage customers to add photos as well, as people look at these the most, but you have to start with your photos. They will be displayed as a separate category in your GBP.

See how these companies set up their businesses.

Add product and exterior photos to let customers see what your storefront looks like.

Next, add products. You can do this in the GBP admin panel by adding a quality photo, price, and product description. These products will be displayed in product carousels for nonlocal searches and in your GBP.

Adding products can also help with discovery on local product searches and with increasing click-through rates and sales for local searches.

After uploading photos and products to your GBP, encourage customer reviews on the profile and engage with them. Answering both positive and negative reviews in a timely manner shows other users you are actively working to improve your business and resolve possible problems.

Update your GBP regularly with new photos, products, and review answers to show your business is active. Update the key information, like the phone number, to make sure you’re not losing clients due to outdated information.

Strategy 2: Leverage Local Keywords

Performing the first local SEO strategy is a good way to ensure your GBP shows up for local search results. However, it will be advantageous to develop a strategy that helps your website appear in those local searches.

The best thing you can do to help is find local keywords and optimize your website for them.

In keyword research for regular search queries, look only at the keywords at hand, their search intent, the competition, etc. In local SEO strategies, look for an additional factor: local context.

In most cases, this means finding keywords with the word “near me” next to them or a location word. In others, the keyword can come without additional local words, and Google understands it to be local by context.

Understanding the competition is also tricky, as search results will differ depending on user location.

Using a local SEO tool, like a Local Rank Tracker by SE Ranking is best. With your location name or zip code, this tool will show you how SERP looks for all of your keywords in your specific location.

Once you have a list of local keywords, add them to your product and category pages. Add the keyword with the most traffic to the most important locations on the site:

• Meta title
• Meta description
• URL slug
• Alt tags on images
• Headings

Create local content based on these keywords. Write blogs about local events and activities that incorporate local keywords, and you may start receiving local informational traffic.

Strategy 3: Building Local Citations and Backlinks

Google determines which pages to show for a local search query based on three major factors:

• Proximity to the user
• Relevance of the page
• Perceived authority of the page

You can’t really influence proximity, but you can signal relevance by including the right keywords on the page. The best way to signal authority is to have several authoritative websites link to yours, with links working as votes of confidence.

Here are a couple of strategies you can use for local link-building.

• Leverage local directories and business listings. Websites like Yellow Pages provide lists of businesses by location. Create an account and add your website and NAP (name, address, and phone number).
• Cosponsor events. Event websites and websites of cosponsors can link to yours.
• Contact websites that create listicles. Search for lists of best products or businesses in an area and add your company or product for a review. This can bring both a backlink and relevant traffic.
• Write guest posts. Find blogs that write about your industry or location and write professional content for them. Leave a link to your business in the article.
• Leave comments on news media. Local news sites will happily quote a professional and link to your business. Use a platform like HARO or reach out to local reporters directly.

Start with links that are easiest to gain — local directory links. Make sure you leave the correct business information there. The more your NAP is cited across the web, the better for local SEO strategies.

Strategy 4: Optimize for Mobile and Voice Search

Optimizing your website for mobile search is essential for eCommerce, but even more so for a local SEO campaign. Most local searches are done with a mobile device — a user might be outside, looking for businesses physically close to them.

Most modern website frameworks and builders are optimized for responsive design, which shifts the layout depending on the user’s device. You can go further with mobile optimization and run a Lighthouse report in Chrome to see how well your site loads on mobile devices.

It will return a website health score and some recommendations.

If your score is low, here are a couple of local SEO strategies and tips for mobile optimization.

• Minimize images and have lighter image files load on mobile.
• Avoid pop-ups on mobile.
• Prioritize loading the most essential resources that are above the fold first.
• Solve bugs and inefficiencies in JavaScript code.

Another aspect of mobile searches is voice search. Users who are on the go might opt for it, and optimizing for voice search can add foot traffic to your offline location.

To do this, look for long-tail keywords formed as questions during local keyword research. This could be questions like “Where can I buy a ring right now?” or “What is the closest jewelry store in Brooklyn.”

Incorporate them into your category page text in the FAQ section and provide answers to the questions.

Finally, use structured data to provide more information about your business to both the search engine and users. This is especially useful for mobile searches, as it allows users to learn more about the company without having to use the site.

Schema markup is a JSON-LD document with code that provides your business information, such as your industry, rating, pricing, business hours, etc. Read up on the operators you can use in LocalBusiness Schema, then create the JSON-LD document.

If you have coding knowledge, you can write it yourself, use a plugin, an AI tool, or Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper, or use the Structured Data Testing Tool to confirm it displays as intended.

Strategy 5: Utilize Social Media and Online Reviews

Having your NAP consistently cited online helps with local SEO strategies. Local business directories are not the only place to mention your business’ name and address. You can also do it on social media.

In addition to having a social media page, try to be active on these platforms. Engage with locals by sharing their content about your store, talking to them in the comments, and sharing local events and news.

Social media pages can rank in SERP and can be a way to confirm your business’ credibility for some users.

Customer reviews can be beneficial for your GBP. Simply ask users to share their experience after a purchase. You can also offer a small perk, like a 5% discount for leaving reviews.

Respond to the reviews and handle negative reviews carefully to showcase that your business is trustworthy.

You can also use these reviews and user-generated content from social media on your website as social proof.

Summary

Creating a local SEO strategy is key to improving online and foot traffic to your store. Follow this guide’s five local SEO strategies, and your business will appear in more searches.

If you don’t have the budget to focus on all five at once, start with optimizing the Google Business Profile and amassing reviews. This ensures your business appears in local pack results above the organic results. It has the most potential for bringing people to your shop and online sales.

Perform a local SEO audit once a quarter to confirm you’re doing everything right.