SEO for local businesses: What it is, why it’s important, and how to do it

Is local SEO still relevant? For a small business looking to increase customer traffic, the answer is a resounding yes.

Nearly all consumers use search engines to find a local business, often with the intent to make an immediate purchase. Whether you run a barbershop, a pet store, or a restaurant, optimizing SEO for local businesses increases the chance of getting customers through the door by promoting your visibility in local searches.

This guide will explain local search engine optimization and how it works. We’ll even provide a step-by-step guide on how to implement it.

What is local search engine optimization?

Local search engine optimization is a strategy to improve a business’s online presence, boosting it to the top of search results when people look for nearby services or products. It helps businesses appear in Google Maps, local packs, and “near me” searches. A local SEO strategy may employ sponsored boosting and organic SEO (aka approaches that don’t involve paying for ads or prioritized placement).

Search engines like Google Search decide which businesses to show based on three main factors:

• Relevance: How well a business matches what the user is searching for. The search engine considers the business’s name, website, and Google Business Profile.
• Distance: How close the business is to the person searching. Businesses near the searcher have a better chance of appearing at the top.
• Prominence: How well-known and trusted the business is. This is based on customer reviews, backlinks from other websites, and local citations of the business online.

Why is local SEO important for small businesses?

People use local search results to make purchasing decisions. Local SEO helps small businesses’ physical locations appear in search engine results pages (SERPs) when people look for nearby products or services. The higher a company’s ranking on local search results, the more likely searchers will discover the business and walk through its doors.

A local search engine optimization strategy includes developing a Google Business Profile, gathering customer reviews, and optimizing page discoverability. Businesses with more positive reviews tend to rank higher on local listings, and for good reason; 93% of consumers say online reviews influence their buying choices, making online reviews a key strategy to beat competitors in organic search rankings.

Local SEO also improves visibility in Google’s local pack. This box sometimes appears at the top of a SERP, listing nearby businesses alongside reviews and their locations. By prioritizing local SEO, small businesses can beat out large competitors and attract more customers.

7 steps for a successful local search engine optimization strategy

Although your approach may vary depending on your industry, local search engine optimization strategies all follow several crucial steps. Each step will organically improve your ranking in local search results. 

1. Optimize your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile is one of the most essential tools for local SEO. If your business doesn’t have a Google Business Profile, Google has made it easy to claim one and set it up. When signing up, try to include as much information as possible. The more information Google has about your business, the more it will prioritize you for local SEO and Google searches.

Make sure the name, address, and phone number (NAP) on your Google Business Profile are correct and match what’s on your website. In addition, add high-quality photos, update your hours of operation, and write a detailed description of your services.

While you’re working on Google, consider doing the same on Yelp, Bing, and other popular search engines.

1. Optimize your website for local SEO

Your website is one of the most crucial tools for getting found in local searches. A well-optimized site helps search engines understand your business so they can show customers details like your location, hours, and services.

Here’s how you can improve your website for local SEO:

• Add NAP to every page: Place your business’s name, address, and phone number in the footer so it appears on each page.
• Create location pages: If your business serves multiple areas, set up unique pages for each location so you can be found on Google Maps. For example, a national roofing company in Australia might have separate pages for “Roof Repairs in Sydney” and “Metal Roofing Services in Melbourne.”
• Add structured data (schema markup): This helps search engines understand your business details, such as operating hours, services, customer reviews, and pricing.
• Speed up your site: Use compressed images, minimize unnecessary code, and enable browser caching to make your site load faster and reduce bounce rates.
• Embed a Google Map: This helps visitors find your business location and get directions with a single click.

1. Solicit customer reviews

If you’re trying to attract more customers, positive reviews are a must. When people search for a specific service or product, they often start by perusing reviews. They’re also one of the leading factors determining SEO ranking for local businesses.

Positive reviews build trust with customers, which is why Google prioritizes well-reviewed businesses in its Map Pack. Ask happy customers to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, and other platforms whenever you can.

You should also respond to all reviews—positive and negative—to show you care about customer feedback. Thank reviewers for their kind words and offer a solution if someone has a bad experience.

1. Integrate local keywords into your content

Keywords help Google match search intent with the best possible results, so keyword research will tell you where to focus your content.

Focus on keywords with high search volume that are relevant to your local business. People searching for businesses nearby often use location-based phrases like “best pizza in Chicago” or “plumber near me.” Including these keywords naturally in your website content, blog posts, and meta descriptions will lead to higher traffic and increased visibility on search engines. 

1. Create locally focused content for international markets

Local SEO is just as crucial for businesses operating in multiple countries. Whether you’re in Germany, Brazil, or China, search engines like Google and Baidu prioritize businesses that provide locally relevant content. To appear in international search results, your business should create content that addresses regional trends and answers questions locals are searching for. 

Creating locally focused content requires more than a one-to-one translation of your original site. Your internationally focused content should feel natural and relevant to its target location. Smartling’s language services can connect your business with advanced AI machine translations and first-language experts for accurate, culturally adapted translations. Smartling helps companies craft localized content that sounds natural, improving engagement and optimizing for local search rankings.

1. Build citations in local directories

A local citation is any mention of your business’s name, address, and phone number on the web. Listings on Yelp, Yellow Pages, or industry-specific directories will increase your local SEO. Ensure your information is the same across all platforms to avoid confusion and leverage local citations.

1. Build backlinks from local websites

Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your website. Search engines see backlinks as a sign that your business is trusted and relevant in the community. The more high-quality backlinks you gather to your website, the stronger your online presence becomes.

A well-written and optimized blog is a leading method to attract backlinks. When you create helpful content that answers local questions, other websites and businesses are more likely to reference and share your content. For example, a real estate agency could write a blog post entitled “Best Neighborhoods for Families in Toronto,” which might be picked up by local news outlets or housing websites.

You can also take a proactive approach by partnering with other local businesses, sponsoring events, or contacting bloggers for mentions.

Take your international SEO to the next level with Smartling

Businesses rely on high search engine rankings to remain competitive. This is even more vital for global brands trying to establish themselves in international markets.

Smartling can be your expert localization partner, helping you localize your marketing campaigns and content to quickly build trust with local consumers. Our best-in-class professional translators and translation management tools help you manage translations from one centralized hub, making it easy for you to target multiple locales with your website content. Localized content is crucial to your global SEO strategy, driving organic traffic and enhancing user engagement.

Still unsure where to start your localization journey? Our eBook, “Top 5 Insights to Improve Your Localization Strategy,” shares tips and best practices from global experts. You’ll gain actionable information to help you localize your website content and drive traffic from users around the globe.