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How to get your business to rank locally on google local seo charlotte

Local SEO 101: How To Get Your Small Business To Appear For Local Searches

Local SEO has become a critical strategy for businesses aiming to connect with customers in their area. With nearly half of all Google searches having a local focus, having a strong presence in local search results is essential. When someone searches for “digital marketing near me” or “Google Ads Manager in Charlotte, NC,” the businesses that appear at the top of the results are the ones receiving the clicks, inquiries, and visits.

For small to mid-sized businesses, local SEO provides an opportunity to compete directly with larger companies. It helps your business stand out in your community, attract nearby customers, and increase revenue without requiring a massive marketing budget.

This guide will walk you through a complete step-by-step plan to optimize your local SEO. By implementing these strategies, you can improve your rankings and ensure your business is found by people looking for exactly what you offer.

If growing your local customer base is your goal, this guide will show you how to get there.

What Is Local SEO?

First, Let’s quickly define what we mean by Local SEO

Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches. It focuses on ensuring your business appears in search results when people in your area are looking for products or services you offer. Unlike traditional SEO, which targets broader search terms and global audiences, local SEO emphasizes location-specific keywords and strategies to help you connect with customers nearby.

Search engines like Google use various factors to determine local rankings, including your business’s proximity to the searcher, relevance to the search query, and overall online presence. Tools like Google Business Profile play a key role in local SEO, allowing businesses to provide essential information such as their address, hours of operation, and customer reviews directly in search results.

Step 1: Set Up Your Google Business Profile Correctly

Local SEO is built on several key elements that work together to improve your visibility in local search results. By understanding and optimizing these components, you can attract more local customers and grow your business.

Google Business Profile (GBP)

Your Google Business Profile is one of the most important tools for local SEO. It allows your business to appear in Google Maps, the local pack, and search results with critical information like your address, hours, phone number, and reviews.

Local SEO Guide in Charlotte, NC

Here are some tips to get the most out of your Google Business Profile:

Business Information

This is the foundation of your profile. Complete as many of the business details as possible and ensure all details are accurate and consistent across all platforms.

  • Name: Use your business’s exact name as it appears offline.
  • Address: Make sure your address is correct and matches what’s on your website.
  • Phone Number: Use a local phone number, and keep it consistent across directories.
  • Website: Link directly to your main site or a location-specific page if you have multiple branches.
  • Business Hours: Add regular hours and update them for holidays or special occasions.

Tips:

  • Double-check for typos, as small errors can confuse customers.
  • Add special hours for holidays in advance to avoid missing out on customers.

Categories and Services

Categories tell Google what your business does, and services provide more detail.

  • Primary Category: Choose the category that best describes your business (e.g., “Plumber”).
  • Additional Categories: Add other relevant categories (e.g., “Emergency Plumbing Services”).
  • Services: List all the services you provide. Add descriptions and include keywords.

Tips:

  • Be specific. Instead of just “Cleaning Services,” add “Window Cleaning” or “Carpet Cleaning.”
  • Regularly review and update your categories and services as your business grows.

Service Areas

If your business serves multiple locations, use the service area section to show where you operate.

  • Add cities, neighborhoods, or zip codes where you provide services.
  • Focus on your main service areas to target the right audience.

Tips:

  • Include all areas you can realistically serve, but don’t list irrelevant locations.

Photos and Videos

Visual content makes your profile more engaging and trustworthy.

  • Photos: Add high-quality images of your storefront, team, products, or services.
  • Videos: Include short clips showcasing your business in action.
  • Cover Photo: Choose a standout image that represents your business.

Tips:

  • Update photos regularly to keep your profile fresh.
  • Add images that show your business’s personality, such as community events or behind-the-scenes shots.

Posts

Use posts to share updates, promotions, or announcements directly on your profile.

  • What to Post: Events, discounts, new products, or seasonal promotions.
  • Frequency: Post at least once a week to keep your profile active.
  • Call-to-Action (CTA): Add CTAs like “Learn More,” “Call Now,” or “Sign Up.”

Tips:

  • Use eye-catching images and include local keywords in your posts.
  • Promote posts on social media for extra visibility.

Reviews

Customer reviews build trust and improve your profile’s ranking.

  • Encourage Reviews: Ask satisfied customers to leave feedback.
  • Respond to Reviews: Thank customers for positive reviews and address negative ones professionally.

Tips:

  • Respond to all reviews promptly to show you value customer feedback.
  • Share positive reviews on social media to boost credibility.

Messaging

This feature allows customers to contact you directly from your profile.

  • Enable Messaging: Turn on this feature in your GBP dashboard.
  • Respond Quickly: Answer questions promptly to increase trust.

Tips:

  • Use an auto-reply to acknowledge messages when you’re unavailable.
  • Check for messages daily to avoid missing opportunities.

Questions and Answers (Q&A)

The Q&A section lets customers ask and answer questions about your business.

  • Monitor Questions: Regularly check for new questions.
  • Provide Answers: Respond promptly with helpful information.

Tips:

  • Pre-fill common questions by posting them yourself and answering them.
  • Use this section to highlight unique aspects of your business.

Insights

GBP Insights provides valuable data about how people find and interact with your profile.

  • Track Metrics: Monitor views, searches, and customer actions like clicks and calls.
  • Identify Trends: Look for patterns, such as peak times for searches or popular posts.

Tips:

  • Use insights to adjust your strategies, such as posting more frequently during peak hours.
  • Experiment with different types of posts to see what resonates most.

Step 2: Set Up Your Website for Success

Now that your Google Business Profile is ready, it’s time to make sure your website is set up properly to maximize your local reach. When it comes to Local SEO for small business websites, there are two categories of techniques, Technical SEO and SEO Tactics.

Technical SEO refers to the actual structure of your website. This includes your website content, headlines, internal linking, alt text on images, and page speed.

SEO Tactics are the actual content and techniques you use to improve your ranking on search engines. This includes webpages, blog posts, and having third party websites link to your site.

Technical SEO Tips

Make Your Website Fast

  • Why it matters: People leave websites that take too long to load. Search engines also prefer faster websites.
  • What to do:
    • Use smaller images on your website.
    • Add tools like caching to help your pages load quicker.
    • Pick a good hosting service to keep your website running smoothly.

Use Relevant Headlines

  • When organizing the content on your webpage, make sure you use the correct headlines. For example the primary topic or title of each page should be a H1 heading, sub headings should then be H2, H3 and so on
  • Use keywords you are trying to rank for in your H1 heading. Don’t force anything here, you don’t want to write a heading that doesn’t match your webpage’s content but when possible, including target keywords in your headings can improve your results.

Fix Broken Links

  • Why it matters: Broken links confuse visitors and search engines. They make your website look like it’s not taken care of.
  • What to do:
    • Use tools like Google Search Console to find broken links.
    • Fix them by updating or removing the bad links.

Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly

  • Why it matters: Most people search on their phones. If your site doesn’t work well on a phone, they might leave quickly.
  • What to do:
    • Test your site on a phone to make sure it looks good and works easily.
    • Use large buttons and clear text for mobile users.

Add a Sitemap

  • Why it matters: A sitemap helps search engines understand all the pages on your website.
  • What to do:
    • Use tools like Yoast SEO (for WordPress) to create a sitemap.
    • Submit it to Google using Google Search Console.

By fixing these simple issues, you can make your website faster, safer, and easier to use. This helps search engines show your business to more local customers.

SEO Tactics

Write Localized Blog Posts

Blogging about topics that matter to your local community is a great way to attract visitors and improve your local SEO.

What to Write About:

  • Local events: “The Best Festivals in Charlotte, NC, This Summer.”
  • Area-specific tips: “How to Winterize Your Home in Denver.”
  • Customer stories: “How We Helped a Local Business with Custom Signage.”

Tips:

  • Include local keywords naturally in your posts, such as city names and neighborhood details.
  • Share your blog posts on social media and in local groups to expand their reach.
  • Add internal links from your blog to relevant service pages to improve site navigation.

Create Local Service Pages

If your business serves multiple areas or offers different services, create individual pages tailored to each.

How to Structure Local Service Pages:

  • Headline: Use the service name and location (e.g., “HVAC Repair in Charlotte, NC”).
  • Description: Write about the specific service and include local details.
  • Testimonials: Add reviews or case studies from customers in that area.
  • Call-to-Action (CTA): Encourage visitors to book a consultation or call.

Tips:

  • Avoid duplicating content across pages. Each page should have unique content specific to the service and area.
  • Use location-based keywords in the title, meta description, and body text.
  • Embed a Google Map of your service area to enhance local relevance.

Optimize Your Content for Local Keywords

Targeting the right keywords helps search engines understand your content and connect you with local searches.

How to Find Local Keywords:

  • Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush to find terms people search for in your area.
  • Focus on long-tail keywords, such as “affordable lawn care in Dallas” or “emergency plumber near Raleigh.”

Tips:

  • Place keywords naturally in headings, meta descriptions, and throughout your content.
  • Don’t overuse keywords, as this can hurt your rankings.

Share Content About Local Partnerships

Highlight partnerships, collaborations, or sponsorships with other local businesses or events.

Ideas for Content:

  • Write a blog post about a local event you’re sponsoring.
  • Share photos and stories from partnerships on your website or social media.

Tips:

  • Include backlinks to your partner’s site, and encourage them to link back to yours.
  • Tag local organizations on social media to increase visibility.

Highlight Customer Stories and Testimonials

Local customers trust businesses that showcase real experiences from their community.

How to Use Testimonials:

  • Create a dedicated testimonial page or add reviews to service-specific pages.
  • Use customer stories to show how your services helped solve their problems.

Tips:

  • Always get permission before sharing customer details.
  • Include a photo or video with the testimonial for more authenticity.

Build Content Around Local FAQs

Answering common questions your audience has can position you as an expert in your field.

Examples of Local FAQs:

  • “How much does lawn care cost in Atlanta?”
  • “What permits do I need for a home renovation in Austin?”
  • “Where can I find the best vegan restaurants in Portland?”

Tips:

  • Add these questions and answers to a dedicated FAQ section on your website.
  • Use structured data markup to help search engines display your FAQs directly in search results.

Engage in Local Storytelling

Tell stories that connect your business to the local community. This approach makes your brand more relatable.

Ideas for Local Storytelling:

  • Share your business’s origin story and its ties to the local area.
  • Highlight your team’s participation in local charities or events.

Tips:

  • Use images or videos to make the story more engaging.
  • Share the story across your blog, social media, and email newsletters.

Optimize for “Near Me” Searches

Many local searches include terms like “near me” or “close by.” Optimizing for these can bring in more local traffic.

How to Optimize:

  • Include phrases like “near me” in your content, but do so naturally.
  • Make sure your address is accurate on your website and GBP.

Tips:

  • Focus on mobile-friendly design since “near me” searches are often done on mobile devices.
  • Ensure your business location is updated in Google Maps.

By using these strategies, you can create valuable content that resonates with your local audience and improves your rankings in local search results. Whether through blog posts, service pages, or community-focused storytelling, tailoring your content to your area is a proven way to grow your local presence.

Final Thoughts

Wow, you’ve made it to the end—give yourself a pat on the back! If you’ve gotten this far, you know there’s a lot that goes into local SEO. This guide gives you a solid overview of the most important strategies, but let’s be honest, there’s so much more you could do. Local SEO is a long-term game that takes time, experimenting, and tracking to get it right. It’s not something you can just set and forget.

Here’s the thing: you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. That’s where The SMB Strategist comes in. We love helping businesses like yours take the guesswork out of local SEO. Whether it’s fine-tuning your Google Business Profile, creating local content, or tracking the results, we can do all the heavy lifting for you.

If you’re ready to take your local SEO to the next level—or you just don’t have the time to do it yourself—reach out to us. Let’s chat about how we can help your business grow and bring in more local customers. We’d love to be part of your success story!

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