SEO Strategies: Going Local

In a market where most businesses have become so excited about making it as an international brand, sometimes consumers themselves yearn for something that reminds them of being home. In other words, while the rest are "going global," it also pays to "go local." And among organizations with a digital presence, this effort should manifest in SEO.

SEO typically involves the creation of a keyword map, which will serve as the guide for the creation of the website content, as well as the development of external content such as blog entries and feature articles for syndication, containing links that will drive traffic to the website.

Localizing content is a great way to boost a website’s standing SEO-wise, because the point of SEO is to reward pages that are proven to offer relevant material. And there is nothing more relevant than articles that talk about businesses that are truly within the consumer’s reach.

One of the hallmarks of search engine-optimized content is the use of geo-targeted keywords. This means that keywords include locations, especially the city or town, since people generally type these in when in search of products and services. These should be used in the web content, as well as all external written materials for publishing elsewhere on the internet.

SEO should cover not only text materials, but also photographs, videos, and all files for uploading on the website. They should all be so named so that they contribute to the general image of the brand as a local business if viewed from the page source, which is subject to Google’s site analytics.

Businesses should also be able to tap local influencers as endorsers or ambassadors of the brand, and use photos taken within their particular area. It is easy to label a brand as catering to the neighborhood of the Hamptons in New York or Miami, Florida. But it is quite another thing if photos in the website in fact feature the people and locations the business claims to be in.

The benefit of localizing goes beyond SEO. The target consumers will be more likely to identify with the brand, and as a consequence spend more time on their website. It is going to be a good cycle: Sites that are perceived to be relevant draws people, and the good traffic will boost their ranking, which will make them attract visitors even more people.

Learn more about SEO by partnering with a digital marketing expert.

Leo Aranas is an online writer and blogger.