5 Strategies For Developing Content For Local SEO
Aiming for one of the top positions in the local search results?
Developing a compelling content strategy is the answer.
- A case study by SEOReseller.com shows how they used custom local content to shoot up their traffic by almost 300%
- Another case study from Search Geek Solutions states how they increased 300% organic visibility for Bloomfield Dental Designs by developing local content
These statistics prove just how effective local content is.
A few years ago, ranking for local search engine results was relatively easy.
You could just:
- Add NAP (name, address, phone number) to your website footer
- Build directory links and
- Move up to the top local rankings
But things are different now. Competition in the local SEO has risen. And you should get your local SEO strategy right if you’re a local business.
Because, if done right, you can earn massive traffic and potential customers.
What Is Local SEO Content?
When content like website copy, blog posts, images, and videos are optimized for local searches, they’re called local SEO content.
You can put local SEO content anywhere on your website – in your Google Business profile, landing pages, and so on.
If you're creating content specifically for local SEO, focus on the residents of that location. You must understand your audience's intent behind a query. Your business content should create a more in-depth connection with your audience.
Optimizing content for local SEO isn't just sprinkling keywords on your blog posts. Keyword optimization will work if you follow the best strategies to create rich local audience-targeted content.
Many businesses had to work on a long-term strategy to increase their keyword visibility. An Exposure Ninja case study fits this example perfectly. After 2 years of generating local-focused blog content, they increased keyword visibility by 900% for an accounting firm:
Another case study from Dallas SEO Dogs shows us there is no value in keyword stuffing. They boosted the organic traffic for a local bar, HIDE, by 72% by removing old-school keyword stuffing and sweetening their content:
5 Strategies to Create Local-SEO-Focused Content
In this post, you'll learn about 5 strategies to create local-SEO-focused content that will help you rank higher on local search results.
Let’s go:
1. Write Guest Posts To Get Traffic From Local Websites
For Local SEO, focus on guest posting.
A Local SEO Guide research suggests businesses invest in link signals, which significantly affect the local search ranking factor.
Local website guest posting will help you:
- Earn high-quality backlinks
- Market content to target local audience
- Establish yourself as an industry expert
- Bring traffic to your website
- Attract more potential customers
But guest posting isn't without a challenge. Finding a local website that allows guest posting might be tricky for you. However, a simple search trick can save your back.
Use this format to search for websites that accept guest posts:
Location + Website + Guest Post / Write for us / Submit a guest post
Replace Location with your city / state / area name.
Suppose you're looking for websites in Madison.
First search with Madison Website Guest Post.
You'll see some websites in Madison asking for guest posts for their site.
You can also search again with the term Madison Website Write for Us. And then Madison Website Submit a guest post to collect more websites.
It’ll be much easier to list the websites you want to write for. One by one, check all of their guest post guidelines. Also, visit their site to see the kind of content they publish.
Narrow down your list by choosing those that cater to your target audience.
Email them or submit their guest post form to get the request in front of them. Generally, topic headlines are requested when pitching guest posts.
If you emailed them, follow up once a week until you get a response. And don’t be disheartened if you get rejected. It’s a number’s game. And if a guest post allowing website rejects your first pitch, you can always pitch them again.
2. Search Relevant Local Keywords
Keyword stuffing isn’t ideal. But you do need to find local search terms related to your business to reach more people.
So what's the trick to collecting the best keywords for your business?
Picking the most relevant local keywords with high search volume and the least competition. Get help from free tools like Google Keyword Planner.
Combine your selected local keywords with your location name to develop a list of keywords for your content.
Suppose your keyword is pressure washing services. You want to target the audience in San Francisco. So you can use the combination like pressure washing services in San Francisco or San Fransisco pressure washing services.
Get the picture?
3. Create Content For The Local Audience
Next, it’s time to find content ideas to attract the target audience. Focus on local-focus content that’s related to your business.
Listicle articles, how-to articles, or guides may attract your audience. Suppose you own a fitness equipment shop in San Francisco. You can write a listicle article like:
Top 10 gym equipment in San Francisco or the best exercise tools to use in San Francisco.
You can also write helpful articles like how to open a gym in San Francisco or something related to your industry like how to find gluten-free food in San Francisco.
4. Increase Social Media Activities
Statista says the estimated social media user count may reach around 6 billion in 2027. This shows just how popular social media has become. So businesses should build a robust social presence because it’ll become more packed in the upcoming years.
The advice is basic – start sharing blog posts and guest posts on various sites like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
You can gain followers from social media and send traffic to your site. Grow your followers gradually and engage more potential audiences through relevant groups to promote your content.
5. Sponsor And Join Local Events
Your local activities can bring you tons of exposure through local news. If you can participate in or sponsor local events, you can get a lot of attention from local news sites. This can be events like charity programs, award shows, community meetups, etc.
You can also sponsor clubs, sports teams, and other organizations from your target location to get dedicated content from their websites.
For example, this is from Sacramento Speakers Series. They have a separate page dedicating their sponsors:
Closing Thoughts
Now you know all the strategies for local SEO to generate rich website content. Don't forget to optimize all your content, like web pages, guest posts, blogs, etc., with your analyzed keywords. Remember, only continuous effort and the right approach can rank your website higher on local search results.