3 Ways to Help Your Business Get to the Top of Google Search

Have you ever searched for "restaurants near me?" Search engines like Google know your location settings and are able to show you what restaurant options are in your area.

These businesses likely wouldn't come up near the top of the search results if the location component was missing. Depending on their website SEO, they might get buried on the fourth or fifth results page, never to be seen. This is why local search is so important.

Use Local SEO tools to help get your business found on Google.

You may have heard local search called Local Search Engine Optimization, or Local SEO. (SEO should be a part of your digital marketing strategy. If you're new to this concept, read our blog on Search Engine Optimization for Beginners.)

You need to do everything you can to ensure that, when someone in your area Googles , "[your business type] near me," it's your business that shows up on Google Maps, on page one of their Google search results.

Here are three tools to help search engines like Google associate your business with your location:

1. Use Local Keywords in Your Website Copy

Mention your location throughout your website. This will help Google categorize your website geographically.

You can mention your town, township, neighbourhood and exact location-- whatever is relevant.

Here are 3 pages on your website where you should be mentioning your location:

• Local Keywords on Your Home page - you should have your contact information on the homepage of your website, which would likely include an address. If you have website copy (text) on your homepage with an introduction, you should mention the town/area there as well.

• Keywords on Your About Page - When telling your customers about you and your business, you have a great opportunity to talk about your location. Think, "situated in the heart of downtown in historic Perth, ON..." That kind of thing. And it helps to add the province or state as a qualifier. We don't want Google thinking we're located in Perth, Australia.

• Contact Page - If you have a separate Contact Us page, you should already have your location here, but in case you forgot, this is your reminder! Or maybe this is your incentive to add one to your website. Remember, the more information you include on your website, especially consistent information, the more you make it easier for Google to know how to categorize your website and where to place it on the map.

2. Use Local Search Words on Social Media Platforms

Social Media platforms like TikTok and Instagram are becoming better search engines themselves. People are using them like Google to search for things. (We dive deeper into TikTok as a search engine here.

Here are 4 places to add your location on social media to improve your Local SEO:

• Use Location Tags in Your Content - When you're posting content on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok you have the option within the post to "add location." This is not a place for your exact address, but the town or city you live in. This not only gives information to search engines, but when people search social media for your area your content will be in the mix.

• Use Hashtags for Local SEO - This is a big player in categorizing your content on social media, and using them for your location is no different. Go beyond just using #[your city]. A sample of local hashtags we use include: #perthontario #lanarkcounty #perthbusiness #smallbusinessontario

• Have Local Keywords in Your Caption - You don't need to do this every time, but occasionally mentioning your location in your caption will give further "proof" that the social media platform and search engines can use to confidently place your business in your geographic area.

• Put Your Location in Your Social Media Bio - Your "bio" is the little blurb about your business in between your profile picture and your content. On some social media platforms you can link to your website here (for more ideas on where to link to your website, read this.), describe your business and add your location to help you get found on Google and social media.

3. Use Google My Business to Improve Local SEO

This is probably our favourite SEO and Local SEO tool of all time. Google My Business is free, and simple to use. Your Google My Business profile should be your best friend.

(If you're not familiar with how Google My Business works, we go into great detail about its features and benefits here.)

Here are 3 ways to implement Local SEO strategies in Google My Business:

• Fill in/Update Your Profile - Make sure all your contact information on your business profile on Google is filled in and accurate.

• Create Posts for Google My Business - You can post updates and offers on your Google My Business page (that can link to your website!), which will show up if someone if looking at your business in their Google search results. This helps your local SEO, and SEO in general, by giving your business and website more credibility.

• Take a 360° Photo of Your Business - Creating a 360° photo of your business is great for adding to the credibility of your business, as well as the transparency. People like knowing what they're walking into and what to expect. Adding this feature to your Google My Business page is highly recommended.

(If you're in Lanark County and need help with a 360° photo, get in touch.)

It's important to have a local SEO strategy to help your business show up on Google in local searches. If you're short on time, let us know how we can help to implement an SEO strategy for your business.