If you want your business to become successful, which you most likely do, then you should consider getting getting educated on local SEO. SEO, or search engine optimization, can help your company rank on the Internet when potential clients or customers go searching for a specific product . . . a product that you have to offer.

Take pizza, for example. Everyone loves pizza! Let’s say you have a new pizza shop opening downtown. When someone uses their computer or smartphone to search for new pizza restaurants in the area, you want your business to not only rank (or populate), but rank high. Local ranking can really help increase revenue and awareness. To accomplish this goal, you’ll need to become knowledgeable on SEO. Are you ready?

HOW HIGH DO YOU RANK ON LOCAL SEO?
If you haven’t faced facts already, it’s time: We live in a world where technology is king. This is both a good and bad thing. Sure, a high number of people may be glued to their cell phones, but, we can also find just about any sort of information we want at the drop of a hat.

Is technology good or bad? Or, perhaps it falls somewhere in the middle–in that gray region.

Nevertheless, if you currently run a business, and you want that business to prosper, then it’s high time to think about technology and local ranking. In order for your business or company to rank, you need to improve your local SEO, and you can do that by:

Claim your “Google My Business” page
Add a long and unique description regarding your business
Upload as many photos as possible, and do be afraid to get creative
Include a local phone number with your business listing
Add an address for your business, and make sure it’s the same as the one listed on your website (consistency is key)
Upload a clear and flattering profile image and cover photo
If available, add your hours of business (i.e. when you open and close)
As soon as possible, get real reviews from real customers
Do any of these steps seem unclear, or too difficult to perform? This may immediately feel like a lot of tasks to complete in order to get local ranking for your business. However, this should be an important goal of yours. And, besides, once you get started, you’ll quickly discover that there’s nothing to the process.

One of the most challenging (and significant) steps listed above is the very last one: get real reviews from real customers. This step should only happen once the others have been successfully finished, but it’s still the one with the most collateral, as it will help attract new clients or consumers. Not only that, but local reviews have a direct impact on local ranking. And while your first priority should be Google reviews, don’t forget about creating and shaping a Yelp page–reviews there are important, too.

The best way to tackle reviews in hopes of improving (or establishing) local SEO, is to start with your current customer base. Whether you’re selling a product, offering a service of some sort, or providing the community with information, you have clientele. Now, you need to ask that clientele to leave reviews on your various pages (but, specifically, your Google page). Don’t be nervous or feel unprofessional asking for this assistance. If your customers are satisfied, then they’ll most likely want to do their part to see you succeed even further.

INFORMATION IS KEY
In order to rank, meaning, in order for someone to find you with a simple Google search, you need to provide information–the right information. You’ll definitely want to start with the tips above, but then it’s imperative to include the proper content on your site. When it comes to local SEO, learning which keywords rank for your type of business are crucial.

Back to the pizza example. If you own a pizza shop, then the goal is to get potential clients to find your business when they Google “pizza places near me.” Often times, they will type in the city in which they live in. Therefore, when producing the content for your page, try to connect your location or city with your product. Yes, this tactic can work for all products or items.

DON’T GIVE UP
It may take some time to rank, so don’t give up. You may not rank overnight, but if you stick with the process, and keep trying to perfect your site, you should find your local SEO improving. And what does that mean, exactly? Your local ranking will also improve, and you’ll find more awareness surrounding your company. This is how your business can become successful . . . so get to work!