10 tactics for boosting local search visibility

According to Google, 80% of people are using search engines to find local information about businesses – and the majority of these searches are coming from mobile devices. Now more than ever, it’s crucial for bricks-and-mortar businesses to compete beyond the high street and be found online via local search.

Our best-practice eguide, Local visibility on a national scale, covers the building blocks for better website visibility, explaining how multi-location brands can achieve better visibility in local search and why it’s such integral part of modern digital strategy. We thought we’d share some of the top tactics it covers to help you get found online.

10 tactics for boosting local search visibility

Employ location-specific, ‘business-up’ websites anchored by a brand site, featuring a business locator to give outlets better control and better local visibility.

Populate them with hyper-localised, customised content which provides a credible local profile with all the information customers may be seeking, as well as incorporating geo-specific keywords to ensure content is picked up in local searches.

Create relevant, information-rich, user-focused content that anticipates search queries and contains the appropriate keywords and phrases, plus rich content such as imagery and video.

Add useful functionality features, from offer sign-up and bookings to online purchasing, which allow users to follow through on the intent of their searches and therefore drive more conversion.

Ensure your site is optimised for mobile, with responsive design and digestible content that meets the needs of your always-on, on-the-go audience.

Make full use of Google’s repertoire of features for businesses, including Google My Business listings, Google Maps and Google+, all of which (especially maps) now play a more influential role in local results.

Maintain a presence on relevant customer review sites such as Google+ and TripAdvisor, and encourage customers to rate you. Reviews provide users with relevant, up-to-date info and therefore boost your page ranking in search.

Identify genuine linking opportunities, including local directories and affiliations; offer seeding (listing offers on voucher or money-saving websites) is a great, traffic-boosting example, allowing you to create genuine, valuable back-links.

Consider setting up outlet-level social identities to complement the brand presence on relevant social networks – or at least integrate localised activity into your posting plan.

Consider paid search – effective online advertising (e.g. Google or Facebook) can augment a brand’s position in terms of page ranking and general visibility, and, of course, help increase traffic to your website.

For more insight on how your multi-location brand can achieve better visibility in local search, download the full eguide for free here and discover how to drive more valuable traffic to your website and more customers through your doors.