In today’s age, it is important for businesses in the Alton, IL area to have a strong online presence to generate more leads. It’s crucial to have a strong enough online presence to rank highly in search results and on Google Maps. In this blog post we would like to discuss SEO strategies to use on your website and other tips that will help get your website to rank well in local areas on Google Maps and in related search results online.
Optimizing for Google My Business (GMB)
A feature of Google, Google My Business (GMB) is a profile Google uses to display a business on Google search results. It displays details on your business like its hours, some photos, a description, and much more. It’s important to get access to your businesses listing if you do not already have access to it or create one if your business dose not have a GMB profile. Once you have access to your listing, make sure all details on that listing are accurate. Add categories that match the services your Alton, IL business performs. Add recent photos of your business to your GMB profile. Also be sure to update the service areas to all areas that your business services.
Using Local Keywords
Make sure to use appropriate local keywords in the content of your website. Use search terms people in certain areas you would like to target can find you online. There are many online tools that can help you find out which keywords work best, but you should primarily focus on including the name of the area you are looking to service. One of the best ways you can utilize those kinds of keywords on your website is creating city pages for the areas you service.
Optimize in Your Website Content
It is always important to make sure that your website is fully optimized in all aspects to ensure that Google will favor showing it in the search results. Make sure that your website’s overall design is mobile-friendly. Not being optimized for mobile screens will not only hurt your chances of driving up leads, but also cause it to rank poorly on Google. Also be sure that our website’s loading speed is optimized. You also should make sure that all information on your website is accurate and that you are using enough good keywords on your website.
Engaging Customer Reviews
Did you know that businesses who engage with their audience online rank better in search results? When you get reviews, try your best to respond in a professional manner. It is important to do this for not only positive feedback but also negative reviews as well. Doing this not only shows how professional your business is but it also helps boost your business in the rankings online.
Backlinks from Local Sources
One way you can boost your businesses local SEO is to utilize backlinks from local sources on your website. These links can connect to local news, local businesses, or things of that matter. Partnerships with other local businesses may also help boost your business’s local SEO.
Local Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Ads
Utilizing pay-per-click (PPC) ads targeting your service areas is a great way to get your business to rank highly in searches. Google Ads is a platform in which you can create these ads to have them displayed online. These ads are relatively inexpensive; however, they do require regular attention to ensure they are performing well and to ensure that you are sticking to your budget.
Monitor Your Progress with Analytics
In your effort to work on ranking higher in searches and in certain areas, focus on setting up analytics for your website. Google Analytics is a platform which allows you to set up analytics to help you track your progress which will help you make decisions on what steps you should take to improve your rankings.
Own a small business near the Alton, IL area? Trying to rank better in your service areas? Call Hometown Marketing Group. Our professionals build and manage websites for customers as well as creating PPC ads among other ways to improve our customers overall rankings online. Reach out to us today to learn more about what we offer.
