How to Improve Local SEO: 11 Tips to Try

Local SEO is a subset of SEO that focuses on optimizing your online presence to rank higher for local search queries.

It’s important for increasing both foot and web traffic, managing your online reputation, and competing effectively with other nearby businesses.

How Local SEO Can Transform Your Business

People use local search to find everything from restaurants to plumbers. So, the folks in your immediate area are likely searching for products or services that you offer.

And optimizing for local searches can help ensure that your business shows up for these search queries.

Why is this important?

Because people doing local searches typically have a high purchase intent (a type of search intent that indicates the reason why they’re searching is to make a purchase). Which means ranking for local keywords can be a great way to attract people ready to buy.

Local SEO also helps you compete effectively with similar businesses in your local area. And can give you an edge over those focused only on traditional organic search rankings.

Let’s look at what optimizing for local search looks like in practice.

Here’s an example of three businesses that are optimized for the keyword “italian restaurant near pike st seattle.”

Some of these businesses appear in the standard search results as the usual blue links.

But more importantly, they show up in a map showing their locations. So potential customers can easily get directions.

These results also show important business details...