Looking to boost your local business’s visibility online?
In this guide, you’ll discover 7 essential local SEO tips that can help you skyrocket your presence in local search results so you can put more money in your pocket.
Ready?
Let’s jump in.
What Is SEO for a Local Business (Local SEO)?
Let’s start with the basics.
SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is the art of getting your website to show up higher on local organic search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant queries in your service area.
But here’s the twist when it comes to Local SEO—and to be honest, SEO as a whole, no matter the type of business you’re running:
It’s not just about ranking and hitting #1 on local search results.
Local businesses, as you know, face unique challenges like building trust within the community and turning foot traffic into loyal customers.
So, your Local SEO strategy needs to be as creative and targeted as your services, or it’s going to fall flat on its face and do nothing for you except boost your website visits.
And we both know that website visits alone aren’t going to keep the lights on, are they?
Let’s dive a bit deeper into why Local SEO is essential for your business’s success.
Why Your Local Business Needs an Effective SEO Strategy
In a competitive local business landscape, having a standout service or product is just the beginning.
Getting noticed in a crowded market full of businesses that provide a service similar to yours is another challenge altogether.
You may offer the best service in town, something that could genuinely improve the lives of your community…
…now, if only you could get the word out to as many local customers as possible….
I mean, sure, you have word of mouth, and you could also post leaflets through the door.
But what about having a tool that can sell 24/7 for you?
That’s where Local SEO comes into play.
A well-executed Local SEO strategy is like having a 24/7 salesperson who attracts, informs, and converts leads—all with minimal effort.
(Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but once the upfront work is done, you’ll barely need to lift a finger—just a few minutes of maintenance each month.)
Plus, unlike paid ads, Local SEO is a long-term game that keeps delivering results, even when your marketing budget takes a hit.
Sounds too good to be true, right?
Well, it’s not!
Local SEO has been a cornerstone of digital marketing since businesses realised the power of being found online.
It’s why you can, almost every time, find a reliable local service just by searching on Google.
These results aren’t there by accident—they’re placed by savvy business owners who know the value of visibility.
And let’s be honest, you’ve probably chosen a local business based on something you found online.
That’s the power of Local SEO—it guides potential customers right to your door.
IF you start taking this Local SEO advice seriously, it will do the same for your business.
Convinced yet?
You should be, because now it’s time I give you 7 local SEO tips you can use for your own local business.
7 Local SEO Tips You Need To Know
1. Focus on High-Intent Keywords
Let’s start with keywords—specifically, high-intent keywords.
These are the search terms your potential customers use when they’re ready to buy.
For example, if you’re running a cake-making business in Redcar, your primary goal is to attract local customers in Redcar who want to place an order, right?
In this case, you should focus on ranking for keywords like “best custom cakes in Redcar” or “order birthday cake Redcar.”
These are highly targeted queries from users who are ready to make a purchase.
These keywords fall under what’s known as transactional or commercial search intent.
Now, let’s talk about vanity keywords—the ones that drive traffic but don’t necessarily lead to immediate sales.
Vanity keywords might have high search volumes, such as “how to make a perfect cake,” but they attract users who are still in the research phase, not quite ready to place an order.
While these keywords aren’t useless—a well-crafted blog post might guide them to eventually become customers—they shouldn’t be your top priority.
Think of them as secondary targets, useful once you’ve already captured those ready-to-buy customers.
Click here for my local SEO keyword research guide.
2. Optimise Your Local Website for Speed and UX
We live in an age of instant gratification, and this expectation extends to your website too—you need to build it with this new reality in mind.
A slow, clunky site is a surefire way to lose potential customers—and damage your SEO.
Google has made it clear that page speed is a ranking factor, and honestly, who wants to wait for a website to load these days?
I know I don’t, and I’m sure you don’t either.
So, as a local business owner with a website that’s going to be your primarly prospect gathering, what do you need to do?
You’ve got to ensure your site is lightning fast, mobile-responsive, and easy to navigate.
The best way to do this is to run a site speed test using Google’s PageSpeed Insights and follow their recommendations to shave off those precious milliseconds.
3. Leverage Content Marketing to Educate and Convert
Content is king.
Your potential customers need to know why your product is the best solution to their problem, in their local area, and content marketing is the perfect way to show them.
Blogs, case studies, listicles, whitepapers—they all serve different purposes, from educating leads to convincing them your solution is the one they’ve been searching for.
Remember, your content isn’t just about filling pages; it’s about providing value that resonates with your audience.
Note: Those 2nd class keywords I mentioned in tip #1 can come in really handy when creating a content marketing plan.
4. Implement a Strong Link-Building Strategy
If content is King, then links are the Emperor.
Link-building might sound tedious, but it’s absolutely essential when it comes to getting your content ranked on the organic SERPs.
Without them, even the best content in the world (objectively for a particular keyword) isn’t going to rank well.
Backlinks are like votes of confidence from other websites, and they can do wonders for your search rankings.
But you’ve got to focus on building quality backlinks from reputable sources; links from low-quality sites will actually do more harm than good.
Guest posting on industry blogs, collaborating with partners, or even reaching out to the press are all great ways to get those links.
The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more authority your site gains in the eyes of search engines.
And the higher your content is going to climb the ranking ladder.
5. Use Analytics to Drive Continuous Improvement
You can’t improve what you don’t measure.
That’s why analytics should be at the heart of your SEO strategy.
Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track your traffic, monitor keyword rankings, and see what content is driving the most engagement.
By understanding what’s working and what’s not, you can continuously refine your strategy for better results.
Keep an eye on metrics like organic traffic, bounce rates, and conversion rates to gauge your success.
If you’re just starting out, and you don’t have the luxury of access to such in-depth information, I would advise hopping on an SEO tool like Semrush and snooping on your competition to see whats working for them.
You can use their success as your inspiration when it comes to building out your website’s SEO profile.
6. Optimise for Featured Snippets and Voice Search
SEO isn’t just about being on the first page of Google anymore.
Featured snippets and voice search are changing the game, and if you’re not optimising for them, you’re leaving traffic on the table.
Aim to answer common questions in your content so you can appear in those coveted “position zero” snippets.
And don’t forget about voice search—use conversational keywords that mimic how people speak to their devices. It’s a small tweak that can yield big results.
7. Don’t Neglect Technical SEO
Last but not least, we’ve got technical SEO—the backbone of your entire local SEO strategy.
Without a solid technical foundation, all the content and keywords in the world won’t help you rank.
Make sure your site architecture is sound, with clean URLs, proper schema markup, and a clear internal linking structure.
Regularly audit your site for crawl errors and broken links to keep it search engine-friendly.
A little effort here goes a long way in ensuring your site remains in top SEO shape.
Local SEO: Your Ticket To Dominating Your Area
By focusing on these 7 local SEO tips, you can not only improve your search rankings but also attract more local customers ready to place orders.
And remember, Local SEO is a marathon, not a sprint.
Keep refining your approach, and you’ll see the results grow over time.
Ready to take your local business to new heights, but don’t want to do it yourself?
I can do all of your local SEO for you, so you can focus on doing what you do best: running your business.