When you conduct an SEO audit, there are many things to consider – broken links, meta issues, image tags, and more. All of these factors are crucial to address in order to maintain a healthy website and improve search engine rankings. However, when it comes to local SEO, certain factors become even more important. To determine which areas to focus on for boosting local search rankings, we turned to Elliott Davidson, a local SEO expert and the founder of Contrast, a UK-based digital marketing agency. According to Elliott, making small improvements in four key areas can have a significant impact on your local search rankings.
First and foremost, Elliott emphasizes the importance of covering your technical SEO and basic fixes. This includes addressing issues such as broken links, image alt tags, duplicate content, and more. Some key basics to tackle for local SEO include ensuring that all phone numbers and email addresses are clickable, adding business hours to your website and directory profiles, optimizing website speed, testing for mobile responsiveness, and using structured data to enhance on-page optimization.
When it comes to mobile speed performance, Elliott recommends aiming for a load time of 3 seconds or less, as mobile load speed is crucial for local SEO. To improve load times, consider using an image compression tool and adding a caching plugin to your website. Additionally, ensure that your website is mobile-responsive by utilizing platforms like WordPress or Squarespace.
Another important aspect of a local SEO audit is optimizing your Google My Business profile. Make sure that your listing is claimed, complete, and consistent with the information on your website. Pay attention to details such as business name, address, phone number, hours, and customer reviews. Selecting the right business category and targeting specific service areas can also enhance your local SEO efforts.
In terms of backlink profiles, it’s essential to examine locally relevant links that are pointing to your site. Check for local citations and ensure that the information matches your website. Analyzing your competitors’ backlink profiles can also provide insights into potential link-building opportunities. Additionally, building a process for collecting reviews and distributing them across different platforms can boost credibility and quality indicators for Google.
Lastly, optimizing meta titles and descriptions for click-through rate (CTR) is crucial for local SEO. By highlighting your unique selling points and emphasizing what sets your business apart, you can improve your CTR and potentially move up in the rankings. Conducting a meta audit using tools like Raven Site Auditor can help you identify areas for improvement and differentiation from competitors.
In conclusion, focusing on these key areas – technical SEO, Google My Business optimization, backlink profiles, and meta optimization – can significantly impact your local search rankings. By addressing these factors and making small improvements, you can enhance your website’s visibility and attract more local customers. Sign up for a 7-day free trial with Raven Tools to access tools for site auditing, backlink analysis, and localized rank tracking.