Geo-Specific Optimization – Duh?

I’ve come to the conclusion that you can train a monkey to do SEO for general website marketing, particularly on a global scale.  It’s getting easier to do with various types of automation ebooks peppering the net on marketing tactics (like the Ebook I’m offering in the sidebar for free).

Perhaps I’m off key a little.  SEO is a little more intricate than a monkey can handle.  I just seem to run into a “marketers” and “consultants” that have the mental capacity of a chimp when it comes to optimization.

Adjusting the meta content for a site, plugging 20 different keywords into a page that has 350 words to achieve a 75% keyword density does not an SEO consultant make.

What’s worse, is that there are many out there completely neglecting the localized SEO sector.  A local business is a lot less likely to benefit from standard SEO practices when their business is geospecific.  If I ran a small local or regional business, I couldn’t imagine anything more frustrating then putting money into SEO only to have it do almost nothing for my business.

If I wanted to throw money away I would’ve purchased stock in Nestle. (too easy, I know.  That was unfair)

Localized search uses a different strategy when it comes to optimization.  You have to adjust your tactics to appeal to a local audience online.

Landing Pages – Your landing pages need to be optimized for smaller groups in a certain geo-specific area.  If you want to draw traffic in front a specific region then you need to ensure that you’re using keywords that are specific to your targeting market as well as the regions you operate.  It’s a good idea to create landing pages that relate specifically to the regions around your business.  Example:  If you sell and ship new tires in the Great Lakes region, then you should create landing pages that refer to your services in major cities throughout the region (Gary IN, Toledo OH, Detroit MI, Chicago Il, Milwaukee WI).

Your pages won’t benefit from using keywords like “Firestone Tires” because you’re competing globally for that traffic with everyone else selling Firestone tires that markets their product online.  For a local company, their optimization and keyword focus should be on phrases like “firestone tires in Detroit, MI” or “buy firestone tires in Detroit” on each of the pages.  When you target local audiences on your pages instead of globally you increase the chance of boosting your listing for local SERPs.  When you focus on local as opposed to global response, you’ll see that the number of competing pages plummets dramatically, leaving you with a greater opportunity to punch through to the top position for your targeted keywords and keyword phrases.

Research first – Before you build your landing pages and adjust the content on your site, use the PPC tools that are offered for free online.  PPC analytics can help you determine which keywords perform the best in your targeted local area.  Take the same stance with local SEO as with global SEO – choose the best keywords that provide optimal global search volume with reduced competition locally.  When couple with a localized, Geo-specific PPC campaign you can provide a rocket boost of organic traffic to your site.  Staying local reduces competition, affords you lower bids on PPC ads and still gives you the conversions you’re looking for.  Likely more, because the customized ad campaign you’re running caters to a specific region so you reduce the number of “click but no buy” window shoppers.

The Notorious Google Pack – If you’re someone that has tried to work on optimizing your business for google listings, then you probably know about the “Google Pack”  What was once 10 became 7 listings.  Sometimes it breaks it down to 3, or 1 depending on competition and such.  It’s essentially a listing of businesses with a map identifier when a localized, geo-specific search is done.  Here’s an example:

This search was based on “tires Detroit MI”.  Not only did it kick back a massive number of search results, but at the top of the results I was fed 7 specific business listings in the Detroit area that sell tires.  Based on the optimization of those sites (keyword use, density, on page content, back links, etc) Google listed them in popularity and relevancy and fed them to me in the Google 7 pack.

You can get your business here with the right optimization.

• Use the GPS Tag in your meta information to let Google and other search engines know where you are by your longitude and latitude.  You can use free software online to find this info, try using Google Earth.
• Claim your business listing is important, as it lets you enhance your existing business listing online.  Google favors enhanced/claimed listings over general listings online
• Localized keyword use in meta content as well as on page content (“buy tires Detroit mi”)
• List your address and phone number on every page of your site, including your business name.  Your primary keyword(s) should be utilized in close proximity to it

You can read more about localization and geo-tagging in this post

If you’re like the rest of us, and you like things like money, profits, increased sales, traffic to your storefront then it’s in your best interest to optimize your website for local business – especially if you base your business on geo-specific customers.  If you go the route of an SEO agency, ensure that they are going to take the necessary steps to optimize your site for local listings.

Related posts:

1. Priming the Local Search Engine
2. The Top 7 Overlooked SEO Strategies (Conclusion)