What is local SEO (Search Engine Optimization)?

Let’s start with an example. The national police have offices throughout the Netherlands. If you want to report a theft, for example, of your bicycle or laptop, you go to such a police station. After all, you only call 112 in an emergency or panic, right? To find out where you can go to report a crime, or for other matters that can be handled locally, you use Google. You use search terms like: ‘Police station Etten-Leur’, ‘report Sittard’ or ‘Zwolle police’. The search engine looks for you and provides a list of nearby police stations.

For your convenience, Google even includes a map, so you can truly see which one is closest to you. Because the police have applied local SEO correctly, the station you are looking for is prominently displayed in the search results. Local SEO works the same way for your business.

This is how search engines like Google, Bing, Ecosia, DuckDuckGo, and Yahoo! find businesses and services near the searcher. The search engine will look for a taxi company in the location where you are currently. If you want to be found, it’s important to focus on specific search queries. So, instead of ‘professional financial advice for investments’, with local SEO, you’ll have more success with ‘financial advisory firm Leidschendam’, or simply ‘advisory firm’.

Local search results called SERP

SERP (Search Engine Result Page) refers to the top three organic search results. You know, those three companies that appear at the top when you type something into the search bar. These suggestions, found below the sponsored results that many searchers typically skip, include extra information. For example, opening hours, customer reviews, a company description, and even whether the company is currently open.

These local search results are enriched with this information thanks to Google My Business. Google My Business increases customer engagement, especially in the region. Creating a Google My Business profile is therefore crucial if you want to be found by your potential customers. With your own profile, your business is on the map of the world’s largest search engine.

Important company information is immediately visible to interested parties. But even more importantly: it puts your company on the map in the algorithms used by Google itself. This information is used by Google in search results, such as in the SERP and the display of your company in Google Maps.

What are the characteristics of local SEO?

The most important characteristics of successful local SEO are:

Regional keywords in your website’s SEO

By including the right regional keywords in your website’s SEO, you will be found faster in organic search results. Link-building websites, blogs, and social media websites are also good platforms to use these specific regional keywords.

Create a Google My Business page

With a Google My Business profile, you build trust with your potential customers and give the world’s largest search engine the opportunity to prominently present your business. Moreover, this allows you to quickly and easily share that extra piece of information about your company with local searchers.

Applying citations

Using citations is a minimum requirement for local SEO. However, these citations work best when relevant sources are regularly provided with new content and updates. This applies to your own website, blogs, social media, link-building texts, etc.

As a snack bar in Almelo, you won’t quickly attract enthusiastic frikandel eaters from Rotterdam. Unless, of course, these hungry visitors happen to be walking through Almelo and suddenly get hungry. With a smartphone in hand, people then search for ‘Snack bar Almelo’. With excellent local SEO, your cafeteria or snack bar will be at the top of the results. With directions, mention of opening hours, and the number of stars you’ve received from satisfied customers.

SEO is a constantly changing process. This is because the algorithms of Google and other search engines are continuously subject to change. New methods and techniques are always becoming available. This makes it difficult for entrepreneurs to keep up with developments and keep their online presence up to date. ROXTAR understands this and therefore has specialists who constantly monitor what is different and how to respond to it. For local SEO, engaging a marketing agency like ROXTAR is therefore a smart step.

In addition to the ever-changing methods, it is essential that content is renewed, refreshed, and changed regularly. This ensures relevance and results in your business appearing higher in the search results. Our keyword specialists, SEO copywriters, and marketing experts are also able to empathize with diverse target groups and industries.

Local SEO is an excellent way for a company to distinguish itself. That’s what we do at ROXTAR. By seeing your business as unique and conducting thorough research into your target audience and identity, we consistently hit the digital nail on the head.

Local SEO services

At ROXTAR, we ensure that your online presence is in good hands. We use several important tools for this:

Google My Business

As mentioned earlier, a Google My Business profile is essential for your spot in the search results. That recognizable red pin in Google Maps, the citation at the top of the organic results to make your business visible and trustworthy to your potential customers: this Google service is one of the most important steps in local SEO.

SEO texts

On your website, in blogs, on link-building websites, on your social media accounts, and of course in press releases and other articles. Content, content, content! By providing a fresh stream of texts, you keep your content fresh and up to date. At ROXTAR, we use the best copywriters to keep your target audience’s attention.

Localization

Localizing your website is important for local SEO. Naturally integrating your NAP details on your site, but also distinguishing between different branches. This way, your customers can always find the nearest location. You create engagement with your regional audience or clientele by blogging about local events or promotions.

Citations

Being locally visible is all about citations. This improves your position with Google and other search engines. With your NAP details, but also by, for example, leaving your website’s URL on citation websites. The more relevant citations, the better you will be found by that local target audience.

Customer reviews

Ratings and reviews from customers who have already done business with your company also help local visibility. In addition to providing a good impression of what you offer, a positive review is essential for customer trust. It convinces new and potential customers and establishes your name in your industry.

Backlinks

The rating that search engine algorithms calculate for your website is partly linked to backlinks. The more backlinks found on the web that link to your site, the more relevant your website is. Are there backlinks from relevant organizations and platforms to your website? Then search engines will rate your website as reliable and informative.