When running a small business, especially in a big city like Columbus, one of the essential tools you need to know how to use is local SEO. If you want to make more sales, generate more leads, and welcome more customers into your store, then you need to make sure your SEO tactics are optimized. In this article, we’ll go over some of the best local SEO tactics to implement in a small business, as well as how to find the best Columbus digital marketing agency to help optimize your local SEO strategy.

Top 5 Local SEO Strategies

While there are a lot of different tips and tricks to find about local SEO, here are the five most effective strategies to think about.

1. Add Backlinks And Hyperlinks To Your Website

A big part of Google’s ranking algorithm is relevance. While having an optimized business page and a lot of reviews serves as a great foundation, you need to connect with the locals. By adding backlinks and hyperlinks to your website from other local business websites, your relevance gets boosted. 

Now, while it can be tempting to use this strategy with a big company’s website, it won’t help your local SEO rankings at all. Plus, comparing your business to other businesses of a similar size in your area is a much more fair playing field. 

Another stellar way to build a mutual relationship with local businesses is by contacting local publications which might be interested or willing to talk about your products or services or to feature an ad of yours in their content. Building a strong relationship with businesses like this can really help boost your local SEO rankings over time.

2. Utilize Local Keywords

Utilizing the right keywords is just as important, if not more important, for local SEO as it is for standard SEO tactics. One easy way to find local keywords related to your industry is to utilize Google’s keyword planner to find keyword searches based on your location. This way, you get an idea of popular terms searched in your area, making it easier to create marketing campaigns and target specific local audiences. 

Also, don’t be afraid to incorporate local landmarks or terminology into your content! It actually helps your local SEO ranking to do so.

3. Create a Google My Business Listing

One of the easiest and most effective ways to make sure that your business pops up in local search results is by creating a Google my business listing. While this tip might seem like a no-brainer to some people, there are actually a lot of small businesses that skip this step entirely. 

Not only does this affect your Google ranking, but it also negatively affects a consumer’s perception of your company. With a Google my business listing, people can see all of the important information, like address, hours, contact information, and reviews. Without that, it’s much harder for people to find your business or trust your services.

4. Engage With Online Business Directories

By engaging with online business directories like Yelp and Foursquare, you can greatly boost your local SEO ranking and improve your visibility online. Including a backlink to your website is also a great way to boost traffic to your website.

Make sure that when editing your information on these sites, you remain consistent. If your vital information, like phone number or address, isn’t the same across directories, it will only confuse the consumer and reflect badly on your business. 

5. Pay Attention To On-Page Optimization

Good on-site optimization is another step that small businesses tend to overlook, but it’s essential if you’re looking to increase your organic traffic and ranking. You can use local keywords to drive more relevant traffic and optimize your content at least once a year to make sure you’re always using the best relevant keywords. 

It’s also important to make sure your website is mobile-friendly since most of the people who search for your business will be searching on their phones. Focusing on your loading times is also a good idea since some consumers may leave the site if they have to wait for it to load too long. 

How To Find The Best Columbus Social Media Marketing Services

When searching online for the best social media marketing in Columbus, there are likely hundreds of search results to comb through, making it hard to find the right company if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Working with a local Columbus digital marketing agency is in your best interest if you want to rank higher in local search results than your competitors. So, how do you do it?

First, utilizing both online directories and Google my business will be the easiest way to find the best local SEO companies. By looking through listings on these sites, all of your options will be credible and have multiple reviews to look through, making it easier for you to decide. Local experts will know about all of the local domestic and economic trends, allowing you to have all of the inside knowledge you need to create the best campaigns. 

All you need to know is what you prioritize most. Do you have a certain list of goals you want to meet? Are there certain SEO services you prioritize over others? How much do you care about years of experience? All of these are questions you need to consider when looking for a local SEO company. 

Shift Refresh is a US-based digital marketing agency with a main location in Columbus. We’ve built strong relationships in the city and are considered a trusted local business. We help businesses smash their competition and emerge as a leader in their respective industries. We are ready to help your business not only grow but thrive. To learn more, call us at 1-888-467-3249 or visit our website https://www.shiftrefresh.com/.