Do you want to rank higher when customers type your business name or keywords into the local search engine? When you hear the words Search Engine Optimization, the first thing that comes to mind might be keywords. But the truth is, SEO is not all about meta keywords and long-tail headers. There are a few things you need to be aware of to succeed in local SEO among your competition.
As you go through the information presented here, make sure you check your site to make sure you are not under-doing or overdoing any of the guidelines. When you follow all the steps, you should see an increase in your ranking. Of course, when it comes to local SEO, you should not take the information here as the be-all and end-all resource. Going about with a fresh slate and an open mind will help tremendously.
The reason is that nothing is constant, not even SEO. It is a good thing to remember that search engine optimization and advertising in the real world work the same in the virtual arena. For newbies, this will help get your feet wet about the topic of SEO.
- Make it easy to navigate. Go on your website and look closely at your front page. Is it easy to navigate? Web crawlers, believe it or not, are beginning to acknowledge easy navigation and page layouts, among other factors. Crawlers will notice if your links work and are visually feasible. They will check for consistency and accuracy as they click each link. If you have error, or bounce back pages, your site could be “dinged” in Google, which counts against you in terms of search ranking.
- Online spiders are not looking visually at your page. They look at it as a code. If buttons have no tags, they won’t load pictures to decode the presented information. They will only see it as a link and words, or code. Be sure to have an image alt tag added to the image to describe what a person would be seeing on the page.
- Make sure that the information about NAP or Name, Address and Phone is clear. Keeping a widget of a business card is highly recommended. This ensures that all the information is consistently and accurately copied across your site. Check all your ads and use your widget there as well. Being consistent with your NAP is important. You can add your logo with this to help build your brand.
- Focus on natural content and assist the reader with any questions they may have. Offer value, more than anything else. This ensures that your clients come back and feel that your site is not just worth visiting again, but that it was worth their time and effort.
Whether you have a national or local business, Search Marketing Resource helps businesses increase their ranking in search engines. Contact us for a free national or local SEO optimization services quote!
