Frederick Jace
If you run one of the 30.2 million small businesses in the US, you likely are always looking for ways to rise above your competitors. Finding local consumers who are interested in your business is the first step towards success. After all, you want to engage people who can actually come through your doors!
Local SEO keyword research is one of the best ways to drive traffic to both your website and your business. Read on to learn more about local SEO, how you can find keywords, and why doing so is important.
What Is Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
As you likely know, SEO refers to the manipulations that you make surrounding your website to make it more appealing to Google crawlers. Local SEO is a similar concept, but it exclusively focuses on driving local traffic to a business.
This is ideal for small organizations that only operate in or ship to specific areas. It also is perfect for restaurants and brick-and-mortar shops that need to become more visible for people within driving distance.
This is beneficial because clicks actually have the ability to turn into immediate conversions. It also gives people in your area the chance to experience your services and talk about them to others locally. Local SEO is the beginning of a cycle that has the potential to get you a lot of business.
Local SEO relies on a few factors to get word of your business out there. The first is claiming your Google My Business listing so that those searching for services near them will see your page. The second is finding SEO keywords that pop with local audiences.
How to Perform Local SEO Keyword Research
Local keywords are usually those with the name of a city or state in them. If you’re a Chinese restaurant in Chicago, for example, you might like to look into the keywords ‘Chinese food in Chicago or ‘Chicago Chinese restaurant.’ Other possible keywords are ‘chow mein in Chicago’ or ‘Chicago sweet and sour chicken.’
When you think of a keyword, use SEMrush’s keyword research tool to track its metrics. You want something with a search volume (SV) of 100+ to ensure that people are actually querying your targeted term. You also need a keyword difficulty (KD) of under 80 or you’ll never rank.
CP Marketing + Co. offers content curation and keyword strategy services, so you don’t need to DIY this entire process. Still, it’s nice to know how it works!
Get Started With Search Engine Optimization
While there are many ways that you can direct traffic to your business, using local keywords is one of the best. If you’re looking to drive people through the door and boost your visibility in your area, these marketing strategies are a must.
Now that you know how local SEO keyword research can increase your online presence, it’s time to grow your startup the right way. Check out the ‘business’ tab on our home page for some tips on how to succeed beyond your local SEO strategy.
