Local SEO for small business

The rise of local search

Local search is a growing part of the search engine market. It’s already the first page of Google results and Yelp, Bing, and Yahoo! show that it deserves more attention from marketers. Local SEO (search engine optimization) is all about making sure you’re showing up in your local area when people are searching for something on Google or another major search engine like yahoo or bing.

How local search works

Local search is a highly competitive space. As such, it’s important to understand how search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing use local listings in order to rank businesses. These companies get their information from a variety of sources including:

• Directories (
• Reviews from other users on sites like Bing or Facebook
• Business websites

Optimizing your website for local search

If you’re managing a small business, one of the most important things to do is optimize your website for local search. This will help you get more customers in your area and drive them back to your store.

Use mobile-friendly devices and browsers. Make sure that the pages are easy to navigate on different devices and browsers so that people using those devices can find what they need easily. Use keywords related to your business location (such as “SEO” or “local SEO”). Include relevant images from each city or town where you’re located; these could include pictures taken by customers themselves if possible! Also consider uploading photos relevant only within particular areas

Listing your business in online directories

If you want to get found by potential customers, listing your business in online directories is the way to go. It’s free and easy, but that doesn’t mean it will be effective at attracting new customers. The best way to use this method is by creating a well-written listing that includes keywords related to your industry or niche market, as well as images of what you offer. You can also add links back out through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter so

Using print directories to increase your visibility

Print directories are still used by many people and businesses, but they’re not as popular as they once were. They’re also not necessarily the best way to increase your visibility in 2019.

If you want to use print directories as a local SEO strategy, keep these points in mind:

• The audience using print directories is rapidly aging and becoming more tech-savvy with each passing year. In fact, according to Pew Research Center data from 2017 (the most recent available), only 49% of U.S adults aged 18-29 said they actively seek out or read newspapers regularly—a number that dropped by 10 percentage points over three years!

Building citations for your business

Citations are a great way to build your brand and increase the visibility of your company. They can also help you with future search engine optimization (SEO).

Citations are more than just links; they’re also called “inbound links” because they point back to you instead of going out into the wild, which is what most SEO strategies do. They allow Google to understand your business better and give them more information about who you are and what kind of content you produce.

Improving your local reputation on Bing and Google

It’s safe to say that you have a lot of competition in your local market. You want to make sure that people are aware of your business and what they can expect from it, so it’s important to do things like:

• Write positive reviews on Google! (and Bing Places)
• Respond appropriately when someone leaves feedback on either site. It’s okay if someone isn’t satisfied with the service or product—but don’t be defensive about negative comments written by others.

Local search is a great way to increase your online presence. It will help you gain more customers from people who live in your area and make it easier