If you have a localized business and want only visitors from certain specific region, city or country to visit your website, then you need local search optimization. This is a vital technique that if properly executed can augment your local search presence, as a result boosting your overall profits. Using certain methods, websites can be optimized to rank high in language specific search engines and local search engines. Thus, allowing you to enjoy an extensive reach in your target market which will generate huge volume of targeted traffic.
To execute the optimization process carefully, you need to take certain essential steps, which are discussed below.
-· Local Keyword Research - It is not always mandatory that keywords for global search and local search will be the same. So, to drive targeted visitors of a particular location to your website, you will need properly researched keywords that are ideal for local search. Proper keyword search and related searches of that particular keyword in Google, can give you ample idea as to which are the most widely searched keywords on the search engine. In addition to this, try to do an analysis of the top ranking keywords of your most popular competitor. This will give you an idea of which keywords are to be targeted.
-· Optimizing Your Website for Local Search - This includes optimizing title tags and descriptions of your website, for Google to link to your website in the search engine results. Although, there are chances that Google might take a snippet of content from your website instead of taking the Meta description you offer. However, it is never harmful to keep your Meta tags and descriptions optimized. Both the title and the description need to have primary keywords, your location and phone number, if possible within the stipulated 70 characters and 165 characters, respectively.
-· Putting Your Website on Google Maps - This is a great way to make the location of your business easily traceable over the internet. All you have to do is visit this page of Google Maps and click on the link stating, ‘Put Your Business on Google Maps’. By logging into your Google account, you can fill in the necessary forms and set your location on the map, describing the category your website and your overall business relates to. You have to complete the procedure by providing your photos, videos, contact details and select the payment option that you consider fit for you. Once the entire process is over, you need to verify the details of your insertion, in order to pave the path for your website to start showing up on local searches.
-· Using Geo Tags - Geo tags are nothing but Meta data that are added to different media such as RSS feeds, videos, photographs, and etc. which helps your website get identified geographically. Essentially these data must include the latitude and longitude coordinates of your business, along with the accuracy, altitude, bearing data and place names; in case you wish to share these. These just help your business get easily located.
-· Using Google Webmaster Tools - With the help of this tool, you can specify your location for Google to identify the geographical location of your business. You can simply go the option called, ‘Geographic target’ under the Settings tab and set your location.
-· Using Yellow Pages Local Web Directories - To drive localized traffic to your website and boost your search engine authority for search queries, you need to submit your website to various local web directories and yellow pages. Based on these submissions, you can secure some relevant back links.
Thus, using these tips, you can optimize your website for local searches.
Author Bio
Susan Hamilton is an SEO expert who has been working in this domain for more than 5 years. In her spare time, she writes articles on local search optimisation and provides guidance to beginners to visit this page of various popular websites, where her advisory articles are posted. 
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