Are you struggling to get your local business noticed online? Do you want to improve your visibility in local search results? Local SEO is crucial, especially for small businesses in London, Ontario, and the surrounding areas. By optimizing your local SEO, you can ensure your business stands out to potential customers in your community.
Did you know that nearly 46% of all Google searches are seeking local information? Understand why local SEO is essential and how you can optimize your business for better local search rankings.
Local SEO is essential for any business looking to attract customers in their geographic area. It helps increase your visibility in local search results, drives more foot traffic to your store, and leads to higher conversion rates. Here are some key benefits of local SEO, with examples relevant to London, Ontario.
By optimizing for local search, your business can appear in the coveted “local pack” of search results, making it more likely for potential customers to find you. For instance, if you own a website design business in London, Ontario, optimizing your website and content for keywords like “best website designer in London Ontario” can help you rank higher in local searches. Using the phrase in your company description, services, Q&A’s, and blog posts that are relevant to that phrase topic is a good practice.
However, it is important to know that stuffing keywords is not recommended and goes against Google’s guidelines. For instance, if the phrase “Best website designer in London, Ontario” is not a part of your company name, you should not stuff the keywords into the name.
Local SEO helps you attract nearby customers who are looking for your products or services, increasing the likelihood of visits to your physical location. A restaurant in downtown London, for example, can use local SEO strategies to attract more diners searching for “restaurants near me” or “best dining spots in London Ontario.”
To increase your foot traffic, it is critical that your businesses’ name, phone, and address is accurate and consistent across all online platforms. This includes your website, social media profiles, and other online directories. Additionally, your website link should be functional and your profiles should include high quality photos of your work.
Local searches often have high intent, meaning users are ready to make a purchase or visit a store, leading to higher conversion rates for your business. A local gym can benefit from optimizing for searches like “fitness centers in London Ontario” to attract motivated individuals looking to join a gym.
Optimizing your business for local search intent slightly differs from general SEO practices. To optimize your business for local SEO, follow these steps to ensure you stand out in local search results:
Implementing these strategies can improve your search engine rankings and attract more local customers to your business. However, remember that this process takes time and you will need to be consistent in your efforts to build your local presence over time.
Local SEO is not an overnight process. It requires consistent effort, and the results may take time to show up. When it comes to citation submissions — a key factor in boosting local SEO — the process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Some citation sites will list your business right away, while others may take longer, depending on their processes and workload.
We aim to submit business data to the aggregators within seven days. However, how often a publisher fetches data can impact how long it takes to publish your business information, with the process ranging from a month to a year. These delays are frustrating, but unfortunately, you can’t avoid them. You can be sure that your data will eventually make it to the end sites, apps, and GPS services, as publishers pay aggregators for this data and are committed to publishing it.
Once these sites list your business, Google needs to index it to make an impact on your Google Business Profile and rankings. While we work to accelerate the indexing process through various techniques, you can expect to see your listings show up in Google search results within 4 to 6 weeks of the directory making the listing live.
To check if your listing has been indexed by Google, you can use this simple search query:
“your business name” “your zip code / postal code” site:citationsite.com
For example: “Big Bad Bakery” “90201” site:yellowpages.com
Be patient as local SEO progress is often gradual. However, with ongoing effort, consistent citation updates, and quality local content, you’ll see improved rankings and visibility over time.
Now that you have an understanding of how to optimize your business for local SEO, using strategies that compliments the process of local optimization will help speed up the process and create a larger online local presence for your business. Here are three effective strategies to boost your local SEO.
Getting listed in online directories and citations ensures your business information is consistent across the web. This consistency helps boost your local SEO rankings. Also, make sure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are the same on all platforms, including local directories, social media profiles, and your website.
Online reviews play a significant role in local SEO. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile and other review sites. Respond to reviews promptly, addressing any negative feedback professionally. Positive reviews can improve your business’s credibility and attract more local customers.
Creating high-quality local content is an effective way to boost your local SEO. This can include writing blog posts, articles, or guides that are relevant to your local area and industry. Incorporating local keywords naturally into your content will help improve your search engine visibility. Engaging with local events, news, or community activities through your social content or blog can also attract more local traffic and build a stronger connection with your audience and local community.
Improving your local SEO is essential for attracting more customers and growing your business in London, Ontario. By following the strategies and best practices outlined above, you can enhance your online presence and drive more local traffic to your business.
At IGV, we specialize in local SEO and can help you improve your local SEO rankings. Contact us today to start growing your business and become recognized in your community.
