What is SEO, and why is it important?
In a general sense, search engine optimisation (SEO) refers to the use of techniques that get your website ranking higher in search engine results for keywords and search terms. Essentially, a better search ranking equals more traffic, and therefore more leads and sales.
The highest-ranking websites leverage a range of on-page and off-page SEO techniques. Some examples include:
- Having a good domain name and URLs that are easily indexed by the search engine and human readable
- Structuring your website in a way that makes it easy for users to navigate and locate content
- Ensuring your website displays and functions correctly for both mobile and desktop users
- Undertaking keyword research
- Publishing high-quality pieces of content that have been optimised with relevant keywords, headings, and meta descriptions
- Leveraging relevant link building, with a combination of inbound, outbound, and internal linking
- Publishing quality content that your users will be interested in
- Enabling near-instant loading where possible
- Creating a positive user experience
High ranking websites will also have strong user statistics (including clickthrough rates and dwell times), and receive a significant amount of likes and shares on social media.
You can find more about general SEO on our blog here.
What is local SEO, and how does it differ from regular SEO?
Local SEO is a sub-type of search engine optimisation that is most relevant to businesses with a brick and mortar or physical location, or who operate within a particular suburb or area.
It focuses on increasing local businesses’ visibility and ranking in search engine results, so that they receive a greater amount of organic traffic from internet users in their area. This type of SEO also ensures that internet users who are searching for a particular product or service in their local area are being shown relevant results.
Search engines (including Google searches) will often rank results based on proximity, amongst other things. This means that businesses that are located in close proximity to the person searching will be displayed as one of the first results.
For example, an internet user might search for “(good or service) near me” or “(good or service) in (suburb)”. Alternatively, they may simply search for “good or service”, and their browser will use location services to determine their location, and show them relevant results for that area.
When these kinds of terms are searched for, the search engine will provide the searcher with a map and a list of the top three relevant businesses in their area. These kinds of results are known as “local packs” or “map packs”.
For your business to rank in these “local packs”, it is essential that you optimise your ranking in local search results. This can be done through the use of local SEO techniques.
What does local SEO involve?
There are a range of techniques that may be used as part of your local SEO strategy.
Other local SEO techniques include:
- Optimising your Google My Business listing to include key information about your business, such as your address, phone number, website, and opening hours
- Creating local listings on directory sites like Google Places, TripAdvisor, Bing, Amazon Alexa, Apple, and Yelp
- Producing localised content (that is, content that is targeted to your geographic area rather than being more general)
- Using location-specific keywords – for instance, “(product or service) in (location)”
- Monitoring and responding to online ratings and reviews
- Local link building with other businesses in your area
What does the local SEO process look like?
At Tomedia, we kick the SEO process off by offering you a no-obligation, complimentary audit of your existing website. Local SEO is one of the things that our SEO audits will look at.
You can access this audit tool below.
Disclaimer: By using this tool, you agree to be contacted by Tomedia in relation to your website’s SEO health, and agree to receive promotional marketing material from Tomedia
From there, we offer a range of search engine optimisation packages to suit every business’s needs.
Our basic local SEO package is $100 per month. This includes:
- Listings management
- Ensuring that your listings on relevant search engines (such as Google Places, TripAdvisor, Bing, Amazon Alexa, Apple, Yelp, and other local search engines) are accurate and up to date
- Managing your listings and reviews on Google My Business and Facebook Listings
- Removing duplicate listings (if applicable)
- Delivery of monthly reports on local SEO performance
We also offer a range of other packages for businesses looking for more comprehensive SEO solutions. You can find out more about our SEO solutions here.
Here’s what the local SEO process looks like at Tomedia:
1. Initial consultation
At our initial meeting with you, we will be looking at how your business is ranking now, and how we want it to be ranking in future. To do this, we will start by going over your complimentary SEO audit, which will have identified some of the main areas for improvement.
We will also ask you some general questions about your business. For example:
- What does your business do?
- What products or services do you offer?
- Who are your current and potential customers?
- Where are you based, or what areas do you service?
- What are your long and short-term goals?
Once we have a better idea of where you’re at and where you’re headed, we will provide you with our recommendations to improve your search engine ranking moving forward. We will also provide you with some information on the different local SEO packages we have available, so you can choose the one that works best for your business needs and budget.
2. Research
Then, we’ll go away and do some of our own research. We will look at who the leaders are in your industry, who your direct competitors are, and what each one is doing with their local SEO.
3. Plan
Based on our research and initial meeting with you, we will develop a more detailed local SEO plan for your business. This will outline the different local SEO techniques we will be using, the steps we will be taking to implement them, and a timeline for overall implementation.
We will then present this plan to you for your approval.
4. Implementation
Once you’ve approved our recommended local SEO plan, it’s time for us to start implementing it.
Exactly what this phase looks like will vary depending on the SEO management package that you’ve chosen. Essentially though, we’ll be undertaking the agreed optimisation processes and making the necessary changes to get your website SEO-optimised.
5. Reporting
Once we’ve implemented your local SEO plan, we’ll continue monitoring it to see how well it’s performing over time. This part of the process is ongoing, and will be repeated by us every month to ensure that your website is achieving the best possible results.
Each month, we’ll prepare a detailed report for you. This will detail things like:
- How your search engine ranking is changing
- How much organic traffic you are receiving
- How people are finding your site
- What your conversion rate is like
- Which keywords are performing best
Get started
At Tomedia, we’re passionate about leveraging the power of local SEO to help small businesses achieve incredible organic results.
If you’d like to get your business ranking better locally, get in touch with Tomedia today at [email protected] or 0419 697 016.