Local SEO may not be as big compared to the usual Search Engine Optimization, but local customers prefer making deals and purchases online near to them. The distinct qualities that local SEO has are the indicators detected by Google. Indicators such as geographic keywords; data provided by phone’s location; “near me” searches and queries. It uses a separate algorithm to supply the user with the three most relevant results-wise results.
Small or big local businesses should invest time in optimizing their SEO strategy. This will help them generate more traffic into actual sales. Local SEO is by modifying the targeted search in a specific region that works great for businesses offering repair services, maintenance services, or any services from a local store.
If you want a successful local SEO, you still need to do a lot of things and follow the standards set by search engines. It may not be only about keywords, UI, and UX or even the quality of your products or services. But also doing an effective link building strategy can help your business grow.
Here are 10 link building strategies that you can use for your local SEO.
1. Research your competition
Nothing’s works better than studying your competitors. Knowing the reason behind all the competitions that took place in the SEO industry. Big or small businesses, old or new websites, and local or global SEO, no one is exempted from the intense competition in the marketplace. Local SEO competition pertains to the three essential qualities it should have.
All businesses in a local region have the same target market depending on the nature of the business. It is crucial to work on optimizing your website and use your marketing plan to get ahead of them. You can utilize specific SEO software to give you information such as competitor’s backlink profile, percentage of backlinks, total number of links, backlinks’ IP diversity, and the number of linking domains.
2. Guest Posting
Local SEO has a specific target market with different types of customers. If you want to expand the reach of your local business into other regions, you can resort to guest posting. Although guest posting not a full-scale promotion or advertisement for your website, it can be rather helpful and effective if well implemented.
Technically, guest posting is guesting your website to other local blogs or website news where people spend most of their time. It will help you gain backlinks, visibility, and attract new customers and invite them to your website.
3. Search for unlinked mentions
It can be a mention of your business name, article, competitors, and even hashtags. If any of these mentions are unlinked, then there will be no significant increase in web traffic coming to your website.
4. Connect to local influencers
Aside from the expensive paid ads and social media campaigns, another effective link building strategy is through influencers. Big businesses rely on these professionals to introduce their brand on a much larger platform of followers and subscribers.
Local businesses should ideally collaborate with an influencer to generate traffic to the business website. You can start by sending the influencers a PR packages or offer a discount in exchange for promoting your business on their respective platforms. A business owner does the process, and an influencer does the talking.
5. Local business directories
Increasing your online visibility and generating more organic traffics can also be achieved through local business directories. It works by creating citations that consists of your business names, address, telephone number, and other contact details.
6. Create a local resource page
You can place ‘additional resources’ links within your website so that it will lead the visitors to another site that is of value to the visitor. For example, if you are a car repair workshop, you can consider creating a list of best car grooming workshop in your area. This is a quick way to exchange web traffic from different users to different websites. Consider making a list of other products and services in your region and remember to inform everyone you have included in the list and politely ask them to mention your website in their page.
7. Connect to local press media
Press media have the biggest coverage of audience from local to international searches. Collaborating with local newspapers will increase your web traffic and higher conversion sales.
Depending on the size and nature of your business, you need to find a local media that can cover the story about your business or you as the owner. It’s unlikely that local press will be contacting you if you are a small business owner, so the initiative should come from you.
8. Provide scholarship
Offering scholarships to the students in a neighbourhood school or university is another effective link building strategy. It is a great investment instilled for your business and SEO since most of the customers are teenagers or millennials. It is about giving back to the community by supporting your business from the very beginning.
