Location keywords (also referred to as geo targeting) target a specific geographical area such as a city, state or zip code and can be an invaluable asset for businesses aiming to boost local SEO visibility on search engines. Businesses using location keywords in titles, meta tags, headers and image alt text may see great gains by employing geo targeting techniques in these ways.
Meta tags
Meta tags are small pieces of information embedded within HTML codes which describe a web page’s content without being visible to visitors, yet provide valuable data for search engines and browsers. They are commonly used for setting character sets, page descriptions, keywords and viewport settings.
Use of appropriate meta tags will help search engine robots understand the contents of a webpage more accurately, thus improving its visibility in SERPs and possibly increasing click-through rate (CTR). Keep in mind, though, that meta tags are just one component of an overall SEO strategy for any website.
A meta description is a short summary of a page’s content that appears in search engine results pages (SERPs). This text can help to shape its appearance and position on these results pages, so a quality meta description should be informative, relevant and descriptive of its page content – plus contain a call-to-action (CTA).
Meta descriptions should contain your keywords without overusing them; using it at the start of sentences naturally and not repeated too frequently should do the trick. Also consider user search intent: if writing about scallops for instance, your meta description should tell readers what they are and how to prepare them.
Other meta tags that can enhance a webpage’s performance include the robots meta tag, which provides search engines with information as to whether or not a page should be indexed and followed, while viewport tags enable web designers to control how a page looks on various devices and screen sizes by specifying its width and height in pixels.
There are four primary meta tags worth knowing about: keyword meta tag, title meta tag, meta description meta tag and the meta robots meta tag. Though not as widely utilized anymore, they still play an important role in SEO.
On-page optimization
On-page optimization is an integral component of increasing search engine visibility and ranking potential for any website. It involves optimizing various aspects of the site such as meta tags, content and headings – as well as making sure your site loads quickly and is mobile-friendly – in order to attract more local customers while remaining competitive against competing businesses.
The title tag is an important on-page SEO factor, and can have a dramatic impact on how well your web page ranks in search engine results pages. Users also see it when they search, so its presence has an enormous effect on whether they click through. To optimize it further, use keywords relevant to your business in both its beginning and ending positions of the title, plus make sure they appear in both URL and meta description of your page.
Meta description tags do not play an integral part in ranking factors, but they do influence click-through rates on search engine result pages (SERPs). They also help search engines understand your webpage content. Ideally, meta description tags should contain relevant keyword terms as well as an attractive call to action that encourages people to visit. Furthermore, make sure your content is mobile friendly and your URL contains localized keywords.
Another essential on-page element is the main copy, or text that appears after title tag and meta description. While not directly impacting rank, main copy optimization plays an essential role for search engine bots to read your page with relevancy for indexing by search engines; using local keywords within main copy will help increase rankings especially long-tail keyword-rich websites.
Add local keywords to your website can increase its visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). This method may prove more cost-effective than paid advertising which may not reach as many of your target audience members as directly. However, creating a successful local SEO campaign takes work and patience on behalf of both sides.
Your listings, citations and NAP data must be optimized in order to appear in Google’s Local Pack. Furthermore, creating service-specific pages and hubs with location-specific content will send more local authority and relevance signals directly back to Google. In addition, be sure to solicit reviews on your Google Business Profile listing so they can be embedded on service pages is another key strategy.
Off-page optimization
Off-page optimization is an integral element of local SEO. It encompasses activities like link building, social media promotion, and online reviews that occur outside your website’s domain – these off-page factors may help increase your rank on search engine results pages (SERPs) while increasing visibility of location keywords.
Off-page optimization success lies in selecting and employing appropriate tactics and strategies that will deliver long-term benefits. A great way to do this is to treat off-page SEO like any marketing campaign would, with each tactic serving its own specific purpose while aligning with overall marketing goals.
One of the key off-page SEO factors is building up high-quality backlinks. Google views them as signals that your content is valuable and trustworthy; moreover, they should come from relevant websites; for example a backlink from a plumber site would likely prove more helpful than one from one about cooking.
Optimizing Google My Business (GMB) profiles and publishing regular updates is another crucial off-page factor that will increase visibility on local searches while simultaneously reaching out to new customers – it is also an economical strategy for those without enough funds for paid advertising.
Off-page SEO may not seem glamorous, but it should not be taken for granted as an equal priority with on-page optimization. Off-page SEO actually has more of an impactful on search rankings because its impacts go directly into search engine algorithms than any on-page efforts could.
Off-page optimization should be an integral component of every SEO strategy, yet it takes time and requires hard work.
Start optimizing off-page by identifying and understanding your target audience’s needs and preferences; this will allow you to create more successful marketing campaigns which deliver real, long-term results.
Strategic planning
Strategic planning is an integral process that provides organizations with direction, energy and resources. Additionally, it allows an organization to adapt to a rapidly shifting business environment by adapting its approach accordingly. When combined with geo-targeted keywords, strategic planning can help identify and optimize search terms that reach local audiences more effectively – Google Keyword Planner can be an excellent way of getting an understanding of which search terms are popular in different locations.