Local search is really important now. Everyday millions of people search local phrases to find stores, restaurants, services or doctors. It’s obvious that you will want to be found on these local search queries, if you provide local services.

How to improve your local website conversions

1. Optimize for mobile devices. 

Recent research shows that 1/3 of all online retail activity comes from mobile. This demonstrates how important it is to have your local website optimized for mobile devices. Check your website on different smartphones and tablets to understand what you should update.

mobile-devices-local-search

Your mobile site may not feature all the content you have on your usual website, however it should include contact information, address, hours of operations and an overview of your most important products or services.

2. Make contact information visible.

Your contact information (address, telephone number, hours of operation) is important for both prospects and search engines. Contact information is essential to convert a website visit into a sale. It also helps search engines associate your website with your geographic location.

local-mobile

Place your contact information on each page of your site. This says that you are interested in having customers reach you. Also it is important to keep your Google+ and other local business listings and review sites accounts up-to-date. It’s worth investing the time to update your Yelp, YP and Foursquare listings, because this ensures that customers receive the right information when they search for your business and it raises the credibility of your business’ listings in search.

3. Support conversions with a live chat.

Local businesses should start a conversation with a customer as soon as possible. Make it easy to ask you questions and get information needed. Live chat helps avoid potential customer doubts and builds a relationship between the business and a consumer.

4. Use searchable keywords.

We all know that, to be found, your business website should be optimized for the keywords your prospects search for. Make sure to add keywords that connect your targeted location to web page titles and descriptions. Be sure to add geographic names to the body texts.

5. Add social media buttons.

This advice seems obvious today, when everybody has a Facebook page and a Twitter account. However, more than 9 in 10 of the small business websites lack social media icons!

Consumers today expect to be able to engage local businesses through Facebook, Twitter and other platforms; if you have a presence on these platforms, they should be visible on your website. If you invest into social media marketing, your social pages will be frequently updated. Feature corresponding widgets. This will enable visitors to see a stream of relevant and up-to-date information about your offerings, discounts and news.

To ensure your site is fully optimized for local search and to improve your overall local SEO strategy, consider utilizing WebCEO’s SEO Tools. WebCEO provides a suite of tools designed to enhance your digital marketing strategy, improve your SEO, and streamline your local search optimization efforts, ensuring your business remains visible and accessible to your local audience.