The best way to improve local SEO rankings is to make it easier for Google and local customers to understand who you are, what you do, the areas you serve, and why your business is trustworthy.
That’s a long list of to-dos, but all of them make a big difference when you’re trying to build a solid Google Business Profile and rank on local search results. If you miss any of these steps, you might end up losing out on opportunities to bring in traffic from searchers who would otherwise click, call, and become customers.
As local SEO experts based in the greater Philadelphia area, we know what it takes to dominate search results in a highly competitive market. Here’s a flyover view of the strategy we use to help businesses earn prime real estate in local search results.
First: What Is Local SEO?
Local SEO (search engine optimization) is a strategy that improves your online presence so that your business shows up to searchers who live in your service area.
Local SEO optimizes your web presence for searches like “plumber near me,” “kitchen remodeler in West Chester,” “medical spa in Ardmore,” or “commercial HVAC in Philadelphia.” These examples all come from industries that we serve who trust us to get them the best possible local rankings.
Local SEO typically involves working on your business’s core website, Google Business Profile, local citations, reviews, location pages, and service pages. These pieces all make it clear to Google and its countless users that you’re the right choice for potential customers.
How Can Small Businesses Improve Local SEO?
Small businesses can improve local SEO ranking by starting with three key things: relevance, distance, and prominence. These are the three main factors that Google uses to decide which local businesses are the best match for each search.
You can’t control every facet of these three factors, but you can improve how clearly your business matches searches from your service area and how complete your online presence is.
Start With Local Keyword Research
Local keyword research helps you understand the words and phrases that people use to search for services in your area.
This is a step where many small business owners get stuck. You might know what you call your services, but the terminology you use needs to match what customers actually type into Google.
For example, you might use the phrase “residential water management solutions” throughout your website and Google Business Profile, but this term gets little to no search traffic in your area.
Match Customer Searches
To fix this mismatch, you’ll need robust keyword research that shows you the terms that potential customers use for your services. For example, instead of “residential water management solutions,” you might start trying to rank for “sump pump installation near me.”
Keyword research is highly technical and calls for special tools. This is why many business owners outsource it to a trusted SEO agency that specializes in working with brick-and-mortar businesses that target specific service areas.
Build Strong Service Pages
Service pages are a major aspect of any local SEO strategy because they show Google and your potential customers where you work and what you offer.
As a general rule, if you want to get local search traffic for a service, you need a clear page about that service for each location you aim to target. A single “Services” page won’t be enough.
If you offer drain cleaning, sewer repair, water heater replacement, and emergency plumbing, for example, each of these services needs its own page and, at the very least, a clear list of the locations you serve. Location-specific pages for each service can be even more effective.
A Step You Can’t Skip: Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is one of the most important assets your business has for reaching customers near you. This profile can appear in Google Maps and local search results and showcase your name, reviews, phone number, hours, photos of your work, and key links. For many potential customers, this listing is their first impression of your business.
Here’s what a complete, fully optimized Google Business Profile should have:
All Essential Information Fields Filled Out
To start, make sure all of your business information on your Google Business Profile is accurate and complete. This includes:
- Your Name
- Address
- Phone Number
- Website Homepage URL
- Hours
- Service Areas
- Industry Category and Secondary Categories
- All Services
This might sound like a lot of information, but it’s all non-negotiable. The info you provide should tell Google searchers (and Google itself) exactly what you do and how to reach you.
For the industry category, choose the most accurate primary category for your business. You can add secondary categories if they are applicable and relevant. If you’re not sure where to start with this process, a local SEO specialist can help.
Always Keep Photos and Hours Updated
Outdated hours can dock your reputation and confuse customers, and outdated photos are an immediate sign to searchers that you don’t maintain your business well. These are some of the biggest mistakes that we see small business owners making with their Google Business Profiles.
To avoid these pitfalls, add recent photos of your team, office, company vehicles, completed work, storefront, or service environment. As for hours, always manually update them if they change for holidays, special events, or emergencies. These might seem like small details, but in the ultra-competitive space of Google search results, they’re everything.
Get More Quality Reviews (And Respond to Them)
Reviews can help you build trust online and can contribute to a higher click-through rate. This doesn’t mean using shady tactics like paying for fake reviews, but it might mean creating an incentive for happy customers to rate your business on Google.
Responding to reviews of any kind also shows customers that you’re paying attention. If you thank people for their positive feedback and respond professionally to concerns, you’ll show potential customers that you care enough to communicate.
How To Improve Local SEO CTR
To improve your click-through rate (CTR) for locally-focused parts of your online presence, you’ll need to make each search result look more relevant, specific, and trustworthy.
CTR measures how often people click on your website after it shows up in search results. CTR can be low if you get lots of eyes on your pages (impressions) but minimal traffic (clicks). This might happen if your title, description, or local listing doesn’t give people a reason to choose you over your competition.
Here’s how we recommend improving your local SEO CTR.
Write Stronger Title Tags
Every webpage has a title tag, which shows up in Google search results when a page gets served to a user. Your title tag should always clearly describe the page and include the local context of your business whenever possible.
Instead of a vague title tag like “Services,” optimize your page by including more specific details about what you do and where. “Emergency Plumbing Services in West Chester, PA” is a strong title tag, for example.
Optimize Meta Descriptions
Like title tags, every webpage either has a custom meta description or one that Google auto-generates. These short descriptions of a page’s content can influence clicks.
For an ideal meta, you’re limited to 120-150 characters, which fits nicely under the title tag and isn’t cut off. Use this small space to tell people what the page is about, where you offer the services described on the page, and what action visitors can take next. Keep it clear and specific for best results.
For example, on a page for oil change services in King of Prussia, PA:
“Need an oil change in King of Prussia, PA? Our local auto care experts provide expert service to keep your vehicle in the best possible shape.” That’s 142 characters, which is right in the middle of the ideal length range.
Strengthen Your Local Trust Signals
People are more likely to click when they see trust signals like plenty of reviews, clearly defined service areas, and recently updated photos on your Google Business Profile. As we discussed earlier, all of these details go a long way. They can build your CTR, but they can also help you build up a strong reputation online.
Connect With Customers Where They’re Searching
Local SEO works best when your site, Google Business Profile, media content, and reviews all sync up and are strategically managed.
You want customers to know exactly what you do, where you work, and why they should choose you. You also want Google to clearly understand the same things. At Padula Media, we help businesses grow their local search visibility with data-driven content strategy, technical SEO, and Google Business Profile management built around your specific goals.
If you want more qualified leads, more general site visibility, or a stronger online reputation, we’re here to help with proven strategies that we’ve used for hundreds of clients across the country.
Ready for growth? Schedule a meeting with a member of our team today.