The digital space is a highly competitive world, that Australian service-based business owners like you need all the right strategies to top bigger competitors. Knowing how to create content for local SEO is one way to level the playing field.
With 69% of website traffic coming from organic and local searches, creating local content works like a charm in attracting prospective customers in your area.
But, while some local business owners know what local SEO content creation is, most do not know how to start.
And so, in this blog post, we will discuss how to create content for local SEO to help your rank higher in local search results.
We’ll outline helpful tips for business owners and decision-makers in creating high-quality local content that resonates with their target audience and improves their local SEO.
What is Local SEO Content and Its Importance?
Local SEO statistics show that 46% of Google searches are about local information. More importantly, 78% of local searches through mobile devices lead to an offline purchase.
These large numbers only mean one thing. Putting effort into local content creation can significantly boost your organic traffic, leads, and conversion rate.
And if you are a new or small business owner, creating local SEO content can give you a good head start.
But what is local SEO content exactly?
Local SEO content is any text, image, or video on your website, Google Business Profile, or landing page.
These attract and satisfy the needs of local searchers and establish a deeper connection with them.
As for business owners, creating content for local SEO aims to boost their online presence and improve search rankings.
How to Create Content for Local SEO
Local SEO content comes in many forms. But no single content type can magically drive traffic to your business site.
And local SEO content creation is not about publishing posts peppered with keywords, either.
The best way to do it is to follow a process while using tools and applying some best practices.
Here are our tips to get you started.
1. Define Your Target Audience
With so many possible local-based topics to feature on your site, choosing the best ones can be tricky.
And this is crucial so you can prioritise content that will make the most of your resources.
One way to achieve this is to understand who you are writing for – your target audience.
“What does my audience search online” and “What are their most common queries” are some questions you should answer.
Checking Google Analytics or your social media insights can help you define your audience’s search intent, demographics, and interests.
If you have brick-and-mortar stores, face-to-face interactions with your customers are another way to identify their needs and demands.
Remember that your local SEO content strategy works if it resonates with your target audience.
In turn, presenting meaningful content improves your chances of ranking higher in local search results.
2. Research Local Keywords
Keyword research has always been an optimisation staple, even in local SEO.
However, this crucial step can be difficult when you have no clue which terms or phrases to look for and use.
And this is why you need to start your local SEO content creation by defining your target audience.
Your customers, site visitors, and social media followers can give you the direction you need for efficient keyword research.
For example, if you get several queries on posture correction therapy in your chiropractic clinic, build your keyword list from there.
Use your knowledge about your niche to generate a list of core terms. Then, extend these core terms by adding local modifiers, like “posture correction therapy near me” or “chiropractic clinic in Melbourne”.
You can also use free or premium tools to find the best local keywords for your business.
Some good examples are Keywords Explorer by Ahrefs, Answer the Public, Google Keyword Planner, and Google Trends.
The best thing about these tools is that you can use their built-in filters to sort keywords based on difficulty, search volume, and more.
Another crucial keyword research strategy is analysing your competitors.
For instance, you can check on the businesses topping the local pack ranking and see how much they’ve invested in their Google Business Profiles features.
On-page content analysis or checking your competitors’ websites is another technique.
Some vital factors to note are their service and location pages, optimised titles, and types of content.
Remember that using the proper keywords and search terms serves two functions.
One is it helps online users find you. And two, it helps search engines understand your local content and its relevance.
So, spend enough time with keyword searches.
3. Create Local Blog Posts
With your target audience identified and your keyword list ready, writing business blog posts relevant to your local community is next.
Local-focused blog content can be an announcement of a new location or product and a discussion of local regulations or laws applicable to your business. Featuring case studies for health sector businesses is good, too.
You can also read this previous article on local blog content for more ideas.
But aside from creating informative local content, its SEO-friendliness and readability are equally important.
So, don’t forget to apply optimisation strategies and use SEO tools, plugins, or extensions to enhance your local blog posts.
Aside from adding the proper local keywords, check if you have localised titles, headings, and meta descriptions.
The content length, grammatical correctness, links, and image optimisation should also be part of your local content creation checklist.
Remember to write blog posts that establish your business as an authority in your local community and attract more potential customers.
4. Develop Local Guides and Resources
Publishing comprehensive guides is another way to create content for local SEO. And it helps business owners with brick-and-mortar stores in particular.
Specifically, adding maps, directories, and reviews to your website informs customers about your business and increases your accessibility or foot traffic.
And there are several ways how you can apply this. For example, you can make:
- Local landing pages. This one is excellent for service businesses with physical stores in different locations, like a law firm with multiple offices or a medical team with several clinics. Having separate landing pages allows you to use local keywords, insert maps, or highlight local events.
- Service area pages. This one is for business owners with a single office site but caters to nearby cities or states. One example is a Melbourne-based interior designer offering property styling for South Yarra, Brighton, and Hawthorn clients.
- “Best of” guides. This option can work as a local guide and blog post in one. It’s very effective as people are always interested in content summarising their best options. For instance, a nutritionist can inform readers of weight management services while featuring the best healthy restaurants near their clinic.
- About us page. This page can inform visitors about your business and its background. And you can also use it to mention your company name, location, and other geo-targeted keywords.
- FAQ page. Creating a dedicated page for answering common questions means your visitors or customers do not have to dig deep for information. It also lets you use local SEO keywords and take advantage of voice search queries.
With these local guides and resources, you provide value to your target audience and improve your chances of ranking higher in local search results.
5. Create Local Videos
Combining video content creation and SEO is popular among business owners and online users.
And it is mainly because of people’s short attention span and the ability of videos to increase sales.
Rather than present lengthy articles, you can squeeze everything in a quick 1-minute video and maintain viewer interest from start to end.
But aside from keeping videos short and interesting, you also need to localise and optimise them for higher views and engagement.
Here are ways how to do it:
- Maximise video descriptions. Write a 1 to 2-sentence introduction with your local keywords and NAP (company name, address, and phone) information inserted. Then, include a timeline overview, links to your website or relevant content, hashtags, and subtitles.
- Use the timestamp feature. Timestamps are like chapter markers in video content. And you can create concise timestamp titles with your local keywords or geotags included. Search engines index these chapters and display them in the search results, which can increase your click-through rates, impressions, and traffic.
- Leverage social media platforms. Post your videos on other social media channels to reach a wider audience and make it easy for viewers to react or share.
- Embed videos on your website. Add your videos on relevant pages or blog posts to boost the chances of your created content appearing on local search results.
- Add custom videos for local landing pages. Go the extra mile and feature specific sights or landmarks in your videos. These should add a personal touch to your content and increase engagement.
Videos are one of the best content for local SEO to showcase your business and attract more prospective customers.
So, find time to learn how to shoot great videos and master a good video editing app or software.
Conclusion
The way to create content for local SEO is no longer limited to completing your online business profile and keeping it consistent.
It now involves understanding your target audience and researching local keywords. And you can use both strategies to localise your blog posts, guides and resources, and videos.
Following these tips should help business owners and decision-makers improve their local SEO and attract more potential customers in their area.
Still, local content creation entails a lot of hard work and consistent effort for busy business operators. And dealing with local SEO mistakes during initial attempts is likely.
So, if you’re looking for professional assistance with local SEO, call us at 03 9043 4444 (or email us at hello@infiniteace.com) to learn more about our services.
Contact us today and find out how we can help you with your local SEO strategy.
