Local SEO directly impacts your online visibility against competitors (in the eCommerce business) and a consumer’s in-store purchase experience. As the holidays approach now is the best time to ensure you carry out search engine optimization for your local pages correctly. According to the National Retail Federation, 103 million people did their shopping online through 2015’s Black Friday weekend. While slightly below 102 million people shopped in a brick store.
The above statistical data is proof that the trick to steering crowds in the direction of your eCommerce website is greatly influenced by a local SEO strategy that is well-executed. The trick here is understanding how to build something that is uniform, and unique enough to be discovered by customers within a certain geographical region. The below tips should put you in the right direction on how to make the best out of Search Engine Marketing.
Start From the Neighborhood Level
Enterprises that have multiple locations within one city should add content focusing on their immediate surroundings to their location pages. Take, for instance, Kip’s Bay and Inwood are in Manhattan, they are miles apart. Both have cultural differences which should form the About Us page and similar content pages of each location page.
Take a Nap!
Name, address, and phone number are top of the things consumers want to know about when conducting a search for a store. Make sure this data has high visibility, and that everything appears beyond the fold on a desktop and mobile device.
Include Meta Data
Use best practices for your titles and descriptions. Include metadata that has your location. This title can be Parent Business | Location while your description should offer more space to draft in location-specific verbiage.
Add H1s, H2s, URLs that are Unique to your Specific Business Location
Googlebot will check your site for clues to understand your location page. Stick to a single H1 tag for each page, and include your location info in it. Arrange your location page URLs in a way that it is easy for them to be differentiated and send clear signals to crawlers. Make sure you are consistent whether you choose the Blog Directory.
Code Some Local Markup
As it is the case with your URL, H1 tags, and metadata making use of Schema markup for your source code will send an important signal to Googlebot. Using a few markups such as paymentAccepted and openingHours is a good start.
Ensure there is a Social Media Marketing Account for Each Location
A strong social media presence via the big platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with accurate store-specific content and NAP info can be beneficial when trying to steer customers to your franchise.
As a means to promote deals, pictures, and events, social media marketing provides authority and value to your location with the kind of urgency that location pages lack sometimes.
Read also: Organic SEO vs. Social Media Marketing
Encourage Reviews and Testimonials
With so many products and brand choices available over the holidays, consumer reviews can be an excellent tool. Make it easy for consumers to express their opinion by leaving reviews on your site. Stay clear of too many sign-ups and red tape if possible. Acknowledge every review whether good or bad, with nice comments thanking the reviewer and follow up when necessary. This will help at any time of the year, but it is more crucial during the holiday period.
Use Local Images and Video
Whether you choose to do it on your home page, or blog or both; adding images of your enterprise, as well as your staff, and surrounding landmarks, can help to differentiate one location’s content from the other. Videos and images have the benefit of making boring blocks of text clearer and simpler while helping consumers to visualize their experience.
Provide Written Driving Directions Including Specific Neighborhood and/or Location Landmarks with Names. A constant feature for location pages is displaying the location linked to Google map or relevant embedded tool, with addresses underneath. Include written driving directions with separate starting points. Weave in specific neighborhood verbiages like cross streets and landmarks.
Conclusion
The importance of the above tips cannot be stressed when it comes to search engine optimization for your eCommerce business. The fact that consumers look to local search engines when they go out shopping, and these searches often lead to sales presents a unique opportunity in search engine marketing. Now is the best time to affiliate your location page’s with the above local SEO practices, thus making it possible for Googlebot and others to be able to fully internalize all the changes you have made.
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