If you own a service & repair business, you know how important it is to reach out to more customers. You are good at doing the work but will only stand out if you or your SEO service provider use the right marketing tactics. A glance at a local business directory or online listings will show dozens, if not hundreds, of service & repair providers. In a competitive market like Houston, TX, it can be overwhelming.
Because your potential customers are increasingly making purchase decisions based on the information they’re researching online. Suppose your business needs a presence on Google or Bing, and your website needs to be more profound in the search results. In that case, potential customers won’t find you. Local SEO is your answer.
Here are some SEO tips that you can use yourself:
SEO Service Provider – Google My Business
This is the place to start if you do your own marketing and need a Google My Business page. If you pay an SEO service provider & don’t have one, it is time to look for a new Houston SEO company. Because it is nearly impossible for your business to be found without one.
To get started, claim or add your business to Google My Business. Set up and optimize your page with as much accuracy as possible. And, while you’re at it, make sure to add the following info:
- A clear description of your business and services
- The category to which your business belongs
- Business address that’s consistent across all local and internet directories
- A working local phone number
- Specific hours of operation
Name Address and Phone (NAP)
Your NAP or Name, Address, and Phone Number should be consistent on all local directories, listings, and social pages. The info and how it is written, styled, and formatted should be the same.
Maintaining correct NAP information across the web is critical for a successful local search engine optimization campaign. But it’s not a one-time affair. Every time you change your business address or phone number, you must update your listings. Your SEO service provider should be able to give you an exact readout for this.
While it may sound obvious that NAP needs to be accurate and constantly updated for customers to find you, you’d be surprised to know that most business owners have yet to learn how many different ways they show up online.
Target Keywords and Phrases
You must build your keyword research around local SEO to target local customers. This requires a combination of industry-related keywords & your geographic locations. “Auto repair Houston” and “Auto repair company in Houston,” for example, are potential keywords for an auto repair business in Houston, TX.
Besides geo-specific keywords, your SEO service provider should have a well-thought-out, long-tailed keywords strategy. One of the significant trends we’re seeing in local SEO is the increasing popularity of voice search. Last year, Google reported that 20% of all mobile queries were voice searches.
So, what are long-tailed keywords? These are keywords people typically use during a voice search. For example, if someone was searching for home remodeling services in Houston via text, they would simply type “home remodeling Houston.”
But for a voice search, people use phrases they would typically use while speaking, such as “Which is the best home remodeling service in Houston?” This basically means you need to start creating content that’s based on user intent and answers the questions your customers are asking.
Website Content
The most important thing to remember while using keywords in your content is to do what is necessary. Keyword stuffing not only annoys the heck out of your website visitors, but it could even get your website penalized. After selecting the right keywords to target, it’s time to optimize the pages.
Other places your keyword phrases (and geo-specific) keywords should be used.
- Title Tag
- H1 Tag
- Your URL
- Image ALT Attributes
Service Pages
Suppose your business serves multiple locations or has branches in other areas. In that case, creating unique service pages for each site is a great idea. This way, you can market your services in a more targeted manner. However, the content on each local service page should be unique. If search engines detect duplicate information across local service pages, your site’s rankings can be hurt. This is why it’s a good idea to ask your SEO service provider what percentage of your website content is “duplicate content.”
Inbound Links
High-quality backlinks to your domain can significantly impact your organic and local search rankings. In fact, a recent Moz survey has revealed inbound links to be the top factor in local SEO performance. Your local SEO service provider should tell you how many inbound links you have. And what they are doing to find more.
Mobile Optimized
If your website needs to be mobile-optimized, put this at the top. Surveys show that 60% of customers are more likely to contact a local business with an optimized mobile design. Failure to give your customers a better mobile experience could result in lost business.
Also, we all know about Google’s love for mobile-responsive sites. But, the search giant is now pushing its mobile-friendly card even further.
Search Engine Land says, “Google is rolling out a new mobile-first index. This means Google will create and rank its search listings based on the mobile version of content, even for listings that are shown to desktop users.”
SEO Service Provider Conclusions
ProEngage Local is a local-only SEO services provider. This list provides a good starting point to check your own local SEO. Or as an excellent way to check if you are getting your money’s worth from your SEO service provider. If you have any questions or need help, call us today.