Do you feel like your business’s local presence and online presence are not working together? The solution might be hyperlocal SEO.
Hyperlocal SEO refers to SEO campaigns that target local organic traffic within a very small radius. Rather than optimizing your site to rank for the nearest city or county, hyperlocal SEO responds to Google’s focus on showing searchers relevant results in their street, neighborhood, or community. This focus can be particularly useful for small businesses trying to build a local customer base or service providers limited to a geographical area.
Hyperlocal SEO has the potential to maximize your ROI and provide the most relevant traffic.
WHAT MAKES HYPERLOCAL SEO DIFFERENT?
Search engines automatically evaluate a user’s geographical location and display results from their area. But Google, for example, uses a slightly different set of ranking factors to rank those results. These factors include:
- NAP (name, address, phone number) citations
- A Google Business Profile (GBP) listing
- Keywords used in the GBP
- Google Maps ratings
- Keywords used in reviews
In addition, Google also displays a Maps pack at the top of certain searches. This pack displays three nearby businesses or service providers relevant to the search. According to Forbes, 42% of searches will click into these results.
Why does hyperlocal SEO matter here? Simply being in the same city is not enough; Google increasingly prioritizes businesses that are in the same neighborhood or street as the searcher. Understanding how hyperlocal SEO works can help you take full advantage of it and attract customers and leads right down the block.
THE IMPACT OF FOCUSING ON HYPERLOCAL SEO
Although the distinction between hyperlocal and local SEO might seem small, the impact on your business can be significant. Hyperlocal SEO not only increases rankings, it also:
Brings You The Right Traffic
Depending on the nature of your business, it’s crucial that the organic traffic to your website is from people who can actually become customers. This is especially true if you are a service provider since traffic from farther away will not result in conversion. If your SEO efforts are not focused on hyperlocal traffic, they may increase your rankings and organic traffic, but this will not result in increased business, wasting your time and resources.
Establishes You As A Local Authority
Consumers trust the results at the top of the search results page, especially when they’re looking for something nearby in a hurry. Appearing high on the first page or in the Maps pack is key for increasing organic traffic that is most likely to turn into leads.
Creates Loyal Customers
Local customers tend to be loyal ones. If you can build a customer base in your immediate area, your chances of repeat customers, as well as a strong local reputation, are high.
Increased Conversion Rate
Many businesses, such as urgent care centers, emergency vets, restaurants, barber shops, locksmiths, or plumbers, depend on local customers. Often, these customers have a demand they need met promptly. Hyperlocal SEO targets people who are nearby and need your product or service immediately. Their searches are more likely to have high commercial intent, and hyperlocal SEO tactics effectively connect their demand with your supply.
HOW TO IMPLEMENT HYPERLOCAL SEO
In many ways, implementing hyperlocal SEO involves the same SEO best practices as any other niche. However, there are a few key elements to an effective hyperlocal SEO campaign.
- Define Relevant Keywords: Researching relevant keywords is still one of the first steps of an effective SEO campaign, but for hyperlocal SEO, your research must be even more specific.
- GBP: One way Google determines which businesses are displayed in a Maps pack is by whether or not they have a strong Google Business Profile. Having a profile with an address for each area you are targeting, as well as filling out that profile with keyword-optimized content, is crucial for hyperlocal SEO success.
- Change How You Track SEO Results: It’s important to be able to see not only how your business is ranking but also where.
- Reviews: Google considers whether customer reviews are positive or negative and the keywords that appear in them. One way to optimize this section is to encourage customers to leave genuine reviews and respond to negative ones.
- Mobile-Friendly: After July 5 of this year, Google will no longer index sites that are not mobile-friendly. In addition, 57% of local searches come from a mobile device or tablet. It’s important that you capture organic traffic from people who might be walking right by you, but will choose whether or not to walk in based on what they see online. This means that for any SEO efforts, but especially for hyperlocal SEO, your website must be mobile-friendly.
With minor adjustments to your SEO strategy, you can keep up with the competition in your area, as well as Google’s evolving ranking factors. If you’re ready to improve your local visibility and connect with nearby customers, then it’s time to think about hyperlocal SEO.