Marketing that Boosts Your SEO
Much has been written about the importance of both local search and mobile search on business’ SEO results. But, I felt it was important to connect the dots and talk about how to implement a good local-mobile marketing campaign. Why? Because so many mobile searches are all about looking for local businesses.
The following four activities should be considered your local-mobile foundation:
- Target Your Local Search Optimization
Optimizing your site overall for local search should be a no brainer but there are some caveats here. Too many businesses make the mistake of over-reaching geographically. If you are a dry cleaner or an accountant in Redmond, say that. Don’t litter your website with phrases like “serving the greater Seattle area”.
Face it…folks in West Seattle are not likely to cross the bridge to get their clothes dry cleaned any more than people in Redmond would go into the city for the same thing. A narrower geographical targeting is more logical and therefore will deliver better results. Relevant content is not just about blogs. Your H1, title tags and meta descriptions count, too.
- Be Responsive
Let’s say that you’ve successfully localized your website with a nicely targeted and appropriate geographical description. Your business comes up in a local search by a person on a smartphone. Even with the increased size of most phones’ screens today, the standard website will not display properly.
Showing up in a search result and getting the click thru is great but if you cannot deliver a good experience from the get-go, be ready to wave goodbye to your prospects and watch your bounce rate climb. Responsive design should be considered a no-brainer for today’s businesses. Once you’ve got someone to your site, you need to keep them there and ensuring proper display and functionality on any device is critical to this.
- Pay for It
Paid search that targets mobile users can be extremely effective. Increase bids on your top keywords and phrases for searches on mobile devices. This helps you to not only target mobile customers but also gives you analytics specific to them, allowing you to refine your strategy appropriately.
- Consider a Mobile App
I offer this recommendation with the caveat that you must always have a purpose for your app. Without a clear function, mobile apps waste you money and can, quite frankly, annoy your audience. A good mobile app delivers some important functionality or information not accessible via your website. An app that simply repurposes the website it is attached benefits only the developer that gets your money.
That said, apps can show up in search results and therefore be beneficial adjuncts to your local-mobile SEO strategy. Be honest in your assessment of app function and plan accordingly.
Independent or franchise, large or small, local businesses come in many shapes and sizes. All can benefit from local-mobile marketing.
Want to Learn More?
I often tell people that one of the best ways to better learn how to reach mobile customers is to think of how they use their own phones. Pick just one week and focus directly on what you do every time you pick up your phone. You’re not really that different than your customers.
