The ultimate goal of any marketing effort is to get customers in the door, but when you are utilizing the global platform of internet marketing, you might wonder how you can capture a local audience. Regardless of whether you are utilizing pay-per-click ads, custom blog content, or newsletters, there are a few different strategies you can implement to focus on your local market, allowing you to achieve more conversions as existing and potential customers interact with your SEO efforts.

Put Contact Information in Plain View
Website design is a crucial component of search engine optimization, and there is one key element of your website that you will want to consider as you start to think locally—your contact info. It may seem like a simple concept, but many businesses fail to make their address and phone number plainly visible on their website. These details should also be part of your site’s metadata so that they are readily seen when people search for your business on Google or other search engines.

Utilize Locally-Targeted Keywords
Keywords work to align consumers’ searches with specific businesses based on the content found on a company’s website and social media pages. Locally-targeted keywords and key phrases should include city names, neighborhoods, and regional designations to make it more likely that nearby individuals searching for the services you offer will find your business online. If you operate a business with multiple locations, it’s important to create unique content for all locations with their own geographical keywords; repeating content across multiple landing pages for different locations can actually hurt your search engine rankings.

Take Advantage of Portable Technologies
There are many possible approaches to web marketing. With some, you might make your page more visible to individuals seeking your services. Other methods, such as geo-fencing, will reach out to customers based on their geographical locations to offer specials or helpful information through text messages, emails, or social media alerts. Many people carry a smartphone at all times and regularly check in on social pages, so this platform should not be overlooked when it comes to local optimization.

Remember the Importance of Local Directories
While it’s true that few people use phonebooks anymore, there are still many local directories that consumers rely on to find local restaurants, shops, and services. Adding your business to Yelp, Google+, Angie’s List, Citysearch, and Local.com will ensure that you can easily be found by individuals in your community. Plus, managing these pages with responses to reviews and up-to-date information about your business will increase customer engagement and boost your local presence.

Are you interested in improving your business’ local presence? Pennington Creative is ready to help! Contact us today to learn about our SEO services.

About the Author

Marissa - Digital Marketing Manager, Account Services
Marissa Storrs

Digital Marketing Manager, Client Engagement