Localizing SEO

Many web sites use SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to promote themselves to a national or worldwide audience. However, some sites really only need to target a local audience; examples include the web sites of a single hardware store, a local internet service provider, or a small book shop. In these situations, localizing SEO is a better option; this way, the site only needs to focus upon improving its rankings for locally-oriented searches.

Part of localizing SEO is to determine the different keywords and phrases people use to search for local businesses or content. For example, people looking up information about computer repair services in Portland, Oregon might search for “Computer repair Portland Oregon”, “computer repair portland OR”, or “PC repair Portland, Oregon”. Because there is another major city called Portland, searchers often put “Oregon” in their queries, whereas people in cities like Atlanta or Seattle are less likely to include the state name.

People also sometimes use zip codes when localizing their searches, particularly when looking for weather information and businesses in a specific area. The actual popularity of different search queries can be researched using online SEO tools like Wordtracker and Keyword Discovery, although such statistics are subject to change and do not cover all search engines. The web site should then use one or more of these phrases (or single SEO based keywords) in its text, META tags, URLs, and page titles.

Localizing SEO also includes the acquisition of links on other local web sites, preferably about related subjects. For example, a local TV antenna and satellite store would benefit from gaining a link on a site which offers TV listings for the same area. Obtaining links in local web directories is beneficial as well, particularly the business directories found on some city/town government sites. Many national and international web directories feature regional categories, including the major directory DMOZ.org.

It is also best if the inbound link titles (or “anchor text”) include words aimed at localizing the site’s promotion. For example, it would be better for SEO purposes if a movie rental business in Lincoln, Nebraska gained a link titled “Video Rental in Lincoln NE” than “Local Movie Rental Business”. It isn’t always possible to decide the titles of inbound links, and poorly-titled links still have value. However, localizing the site’s homepage title is esp. important to SEO, as these titles are often used by other sites when creating links.