Do more with less: 30 minutes of local SEO every week

In the current economic climate, marketing teams are stretched thin and expected to do more with less.

If you’re a marketer focused on generating revenue from local areas, then you know you’re facing stiff competition that will slow down your local marketing initiatives.

In times like these, it’s important to maintain a consistent framework of results that will allow you to stand out in local search results.

Here’s a checklist of 5 areas to focus on if you only have 30 minutes a week or less to devote to your local marketing efforts.

1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile Listing And Social Profiles

A complete and verified Google Business Profile listing is one of the foundations of local SEO.

One of the biggest mistakes marketers make when it comes to local SEO is simply uploading a minimal amount of information to their Google Business Profile (GBP) and then going on autopilot.

Having all of your name, address, and phone number (NAP) information filled out, as well as adding images, categories, hours of operation, and more, is a powerful lever for getting your business higher in local SEO listings.

Once your GBP list is complete, you need to make sure it is verified. Verification can be done by phone, SMS, email or video. Here are the instructions you need to make sure it’s verified.

Once verified, this is where you need to make sure you pay attention to your listing so you can respond to customer reviews or questions.

Check back at least once a month (if not more) to upload new images and check the performance of your GBP listing.

Follow the same process for your main social media profiles.

The number of local searches on social media has grown dramatically over the past decade, and you want to make sure you’re being found on Google just as easily as you are on Facebook and Twitter.

2. Complete A Job, Ask For A Review

Generating five-star reviews is one of the most effective ways to increase your presence on local search engine results pages (SERPs).

By increasing your average rating and rating range, local SERPs tend to float those results higher. Plus, the social proof gleaned from five-star reviews is an invaluable way to get customers to trust your brand.

Before you go out of your way to generate reviews, you need to be careful about how you ask for reviews from customers.

Platforms like Yelp have “review filters” that drop certain reviews or penalize your business listing if they look like they were obtained unnaturally from a business owner.

Here are two effective ways to generate more reviews (without filtering them):

3. Create Localized Blog Or Website Page Content

Your business needs a certain level of localized content to rank in local search

Without local signals on your site, search engines are less likely to link you to your target area.

Here are some common ways to localize your content:

Product/Services Pages

On product/service pages, include localized modifiers in copy and image descriptions to help your audience make a localized connection.

One of the biggest mistakes local businesses make when creating their product pages is to make the copy so generic that it could be used for a business in any city.

Conversely, you shouldn’t stuff your web copy with localized terms. Search engines are pretty good at demoting your content when your copy looks unnaturally full of local keywords.

The best way to check this is to read your copy out loud to a friend. If this seems unnatural to any of you, you may have gone a little overboard when adding localized keyword modifiers.

Galleries

If you service locations in your area, show pictures of your work with a description of the type of product/service you offer and some localized modifiers in the description.

Branch/Franchise Pages

If your business has multiple locations, each of your locations should have its own page on your website.

On these branch pages, you’ll want to include your NAP, hours of operation, a description of your branch location, and pictures of your location (both inside and out if possible). These branch pages must also link to their individual GBP page.

4. Build Backlinks From Your Network

The good thing about local SEO and link building is that you don’t need to build thousands of links in most cases. Instead, in most cases, you only need a little more than your local competitors to help with your SEO positioning.

The easiest way to generate backlinks to your site is to generate them from companies you are affiliated with.

Here are some scenarios that touch on the types of connections you might make in normal day-to-day business activities:

So as a first step, make a list of all the business connections you have in your area and figure out the reasons why those connections would connect with you.

5. Generate Local Citations

Citations are simply mentions of your company’s name, address, and phone number on a website.

Listings are mostly found in general local directories (like Google Maps), but can also be found in niche-specific directories like APlaceForMom.com, which is a directory site specific to senior living.

Quotes don’t have to contain a link to get value. Google views mentions of your business name as a sign of local authority.

Here are two main ways to increase your citations:

Personally, I like a mix of both of these methods because automated listing tools can’t always fill in all information fields or fully verify profiles.

To get started, focus on Google, Yelp, Bing and Facebook first.

Next, find 5 to 10 niche-specific directories (those that regularly appear in search listings for your target keywords) and aim to get your business listed there.

Conclusion

In short, even though you may not have a lot of time to devote to local SEO, that doesn’t mean you can’t generate some impressive results.

You simply have to be strategic about how you spend that time and what areas you focus on.

Devoting 30 minutes a week to the 5 areas we discussed above will bring you more traffic, leads, and customers for your business within months.

Featured Image: Production Perig/Shutterstock

Is local SEO still relevant?

Local SEO is important for online businesses and for businesses that want to attract visitors. A few decades ago, consumers might have looked for local businesses in the yellow pages or on a map. Today, they use search engines to find contact information, location, business hours and other company details.

How important is SEO now for local service businesses? Benefits of Local SEO Better Online Visibility: Local SEO activity such as citations and link building increases your online visibility. This makes it easier for new customers to discover your company. More in-store traffic: Greater local visibility brings more traffic to your physical location.

Is local SEO effective?

Local SEO is crucial because it helps you: Increase your online visibility. Drive more foot traffic to your physical location. Attract more targeted traffic, improving your chances of conversion.

How long does it take for local SEO to work?

Results can technically be achieved in as little as 4 to 8 weeks with a few minor tweaks if you already have an established Google listing, your website has built-in authority, and you have the right categories set up.

Who benefits from local SEO?

One of the benefits of local SEO is that it drives potential customers to your website and improves your conversion rate. According to Joel House Search Media, 28% of local searches result in a sale. So there’s no denying that local SEO results in a better conversion rate – increased traffic flow leads to more sales.

Which is better local SEO or paid search?

SEO is also more effective in local search and can increase your online presence for longer. Pay-per-click (PPC), on the other hand, is an acquisition strategy that requires you to spend money on advertising to get your content in front of your audience when they search for specific keywords online.

Is SEO still relevant in 2022?

The fact that SEO is still working perfectly well in 2022 as a method of delivering improved commercial results for business websites and their owners, coupled with the need for constant research into what works, makes it still relevant as a digital marketing method, and even more so as valuable service and rewarding…

Will SEO exist in 5 years?

SEO is not going away in the next five years because social media and search engines will more than likely merge. Facebook has already started doing this: on average, they perform more than 1.5 billion searches every day. Twitter did the same; have joined in partnership with Google.

How SEO will change in 2022?

By 2022, expect SEO rankings to become more competitive by providing high-quality content that is helpful to internet users. Content that only tries to chase its audience by linking to unnecessary resources will not be effective as it is today.

Is SEO worth it in 2022?

Yes, SEO pays – in 2022, in the future, in the past and always. As long as websites and search engines have existed, SEO has been necessary. SEO in 10 years will likely be very different from SEO today, but you will always need to ensure that your website is sending the right signals to search engines so that they can find you.

What are the new trends in SEO at 2022?

In 2022, Core Web Vitals topped the list because it wasn’t just a ranking factor, it got stronger every year. Core Web Vitals are a set of ranking factors that Google uses to look at the overall user experience on a particular website.

Do I need local SEO?

Any business that has a physical location or operates in a geographic area can benefit from local SEO. If you do a Google search for important keywords related to your business and a map with 3 ads appears below it (also known as a map pack), local SEO can help you grow your business.

Is SEO still in demand?

SEO is the most popular for Google because it is the biggest search engine. However, there is a growing demand for SEO professionals who understand how to optimize for YouTube and Amazon search. YouTube is the largest video search engine in the world. At the same time, Amazon is the largest e-commerce search engine.

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How much a beginner SEO can earn?

Role	SEJ survey	Definitely
Junior (SEO Specialist)	$35,000-$49,000	$52,780
SEO Manager Salary	$50,000-$74,000	78,413 dollars
SEO Director Salary	$100,000-$149,000	105,353 dollars
SEO Freelance Salary	<$34,000	n/a

Is SEO an easy job? It will be very steep in the beginning, as apart from SEO, you will have to familiarize yourself with concepts related to search engines and digital marketing. This is necessary to understand the role of SEO in online marketing.

Does SEO pay well?

According to Glassdoor, an SEO professional earns an average of $49,589 per year. While that’s not a huge salary, it’s above the median personal income in the U.S., which is $35,977, according to the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau.

How much do SEO freelancers make 2022?

How much does a freelance SEO earn? As of October 25, 2022, the median annual salary for a freelance SEO in the United States is $63,490 per year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that’s about $30.52 an hour. This is equivalent to $1,220/week or $5,290/month.

How much can you make as an SEO freelancer?

While ZipRecruiter records annual salaries ranging from $102,000 to $19,500, most freelance SEO salaries currently range between $41,500 (25th percentile) and $85,500 (75th percentile), with top earners (90th percentile) earning $98,500 annually in USA. .

How much money do SEO make?

Average hourly SEO salary is around INR 250 which is around 4,50,000 per annum. More experienced professionals can earn INR 11,000,000 per year. Freshers can expect 2,75,000 per annum.

Is SEO good for freelancing?

If you’re looking to become an SEO freelancer, you’re in good company. It’s a popular choice for freelancers and an in-demand field. Every place with a website wants its websites to appear among the top search results. It can make or break their business or income stream.

What is the minimum salary of SEO?

The average starting salary for an SEO in India is around â¹1.0 Lakhs per annum (â¹8.3k per month). A minimum of 1 year of experience is required for SEO. What is the highest SEO salary in India? The highest salary an SEO can earn is â¹11.2 Lakhs per year (â¹93.3k per month).

Is SEO is a good career?

‘Yes. SEO is a good career option as it is among the most sought-after careers in the field of digital marketing. There are several organizations around the world that hire SEO experts to create better content and thus generate more business leads.

How do I start my SEO job?

10 steps to start a career in SEO

• Develop your SEO skills.
• Improve your writing skills.
• Get basic development skills.
• Develop your analytical skills.
• Learn how to use SEO tools.
• Become an expert on Google Webmaster Guidelines.
• Be practical, build your SEO experience.
• Become Google Ads certified.

Is SEO job in demand?

SEO is a promising career in 2022 because it gives you access to various opportunities. You can work in-house, take on clients and even start and develop your own websites. In addition, the three most popular websites, Google.com, YouTube.com, and Amazon.com, are the largest search engines.

How much do you get paid for SEO?

On average, an SEO professional earns $49,000 per year, with average salaries for SEO managers significantly higher at around $63,000. At the top are SEO Directors, who typically earn between $70,000 and $120,000, and SEO Team Leaders and Campaign Managers in the $50,000 to $100,000 range.

Why are naps so powerful?

According to the Mayo Clinic, napping can help you feel relaxed, reduce fatigue, increase alertness, and improve mood and performance, such as by increasing reaction time and memory.

Why is sleep so good? Reduced fatigue. Increased alertness. Improved mood. Improved performance, including faster response time and better memory.

Do power naps actually help?

And research shows that napping can make you more alert, reduce stress, and improve cognitive function. 1 Sleeping in the middle of the day or ‘power nap’ means more patience, less stress, better reaction time, more learning, more efficiency and better health.

How long should a power nap last?

What counts as a Power Nap? Some experts say that a power nap should be even shorter – no more than 20 minutes. However, everyone agrees that it shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes. That’s because the body enters deep sleep around this time, and waking up from deep sleep can cause nausea, according to the Sleep Foundation.

Do you actually sleep in a power nap?

Sleep for a few minutes and get a burst of alertness, energy and efficiency that lasts for hours. If you’re ever feeling… power naps can be of great benefit. Sleep for a few minutes and get a burst of alertness, energy and efficiency that lasts for hours.

Is a 10 minute power nap worth it?

The length of your nap contributes to its effectiveness and can make or break how you feel afterwards. 20 to 30 minutes should be sufficient for most people. If you take a 10-minute nap and feel great afterward, you’ve probably found your sweet spot.

Do power naps actually work?

“You can get incredible benefits from a 15- to 20-minute nap,” she says. “You reset the system and you get a burst of alertness and increased motor performance. That’s what most people really need to prevent sleepiness and gain energy.”