Local SEO has become essential for businesses looking to attract customers geographically close to their establishments. Whether you own a brick-and-mortar store, a restaurant, or offer professional services, local SEO allows you to be easily found by users performing localized searches on Google.
According to a recent study published by BrightLocal , 93% of consumers now use online searches to find a local business. Therefore, a good local SEO strategy becomes essential to capture this high-potential audience.
In this article, you'll learn why local SEO is crucial, how to optimize it effectively, and how to integrate artificial intelligence techniques like GEO, AEO, and AIO into your strategy.
What exactly is local SEO?
Local SEO consists of a series of specific optimizations designed to improve your business's visibility in local search engine results. When users search with geographic intent (e.g., "hairdresser Montreal"), Google serves them results tailored to their geographic location.
The main elements of local SEO include:
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Creating and optimizing a Google My Business listing.
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The strategic use of geolocated keywords.
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Obtaining positive customer reviews on platforms such as Google, Yelp or Facebook.
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Managing local citations on relevant business directories.
Why is local SEO essential for your business?
Local SEO allows your business to stand out in a highly competitive regional market. Optimized local visibility increases your chances of being discovered by users in the immediate vicinity who are directly interested in your products or services.
Local SEO helps you in particular to:
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Attract more potential customers close to your business.
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Improve your local awareness and build a solid reputation.
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Increase the number of physical visits to your establishment.
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Strengthen your credibility with local customers.
Local SEO Best Practices to Adopt Immediately
Create and optimize your Google My Business listing
The Google My Business (GMB) listing is the foundation of local SEO. Carefully fill out all the requested information: exact address, phone number, opening hours, attractive photos, and a precise description of your products or services.
Keep this information constantly updated and encourage your satisfied customers to leave positive reviews. According to Google, regularly updated GMB listings get significantly more local visibility on Google My Business .
Use relevant geolocated keywords
Incorporate relevant local keywords into your content, titles, and meta descriptions. For example, instead of simply using "marketing agency," use "marketing agency Montreal." This significantly improves your local ranking and relevance for local searches.
Get positive customer reviews
Customer reviews play a crucial role in your local reputation and strongly influence consumer choices. Actively solicit reviews from your customers on Google My Business, Yelp, or other relevant local platforms, and make sure to respond to each one.
Manage your local citations
Local citations (name, address, phone number – NAP) on local directory sites directly impact your local visibility on Google Maps and local results. Make sure this information is consistent and accurate across all local platforms used.
How to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into your local SEO strategy?
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
Generative search engines like ChatGPT or Google Bard favor localized results to provide answers tailored to users' geographic location. Make sure your local content is clear, accurate, and well-structured to help you appear in these smart answers ( Learn more about GEO ).
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
Voice assistants like Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri are commonly used for quick local searches (e.g., "Where can I find a pizza place open near me?"). By structuring your content to clearly answer local users' frequently asked questions, you maximize your chances of appearing as a direct result on these answer engines ( Learn more about AEO ).
AI Indexing Optimization (AIO)
AIO helps Google and other smart search engines better understand and index your local content. Use accurate, structured semantic markup, including clear local and geographic data, to optimize your local SEO ( Learn more about AIO ).
Common mistakes to avoid in local SEO
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Inconsistent information on the web : Always check the consistency of your information (NAP) across all platforms and local directories.
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Neglecting customer review management : Systematically respond to reviews to demonstrate your responsiveness and seriousness.
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Lack of Google My Business optimization : A poorly completed or rarely updated listing significantly reduces your local visibility.
Conclusion: Make local SEO your competitive advantage
Local SEO is essential for any business looking to attract a geographically targeted customer base. Integrated into a comprehensive approach to technical SEO , on-page SEO , and off-page SEO , it helps sustainably improve your local web presence.
Whether you are a local business, a restaurant or a service company, the Bofu team will help you succeed with your local SEO strategy:
