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Should I Geo-Target My SEO Campaign?

Tired of nationals and other big brands dominating the web with their deep pockets?

Want to rank better for the most relevant keywords for your niche?

Ready to modernize your search engine marketing strategy – and generate more leads?

Geo-targeting can help you level the SEO playing field.

Back it up a sec.

What is geo-targeting?

Also known as location-based SEO, geo-targeting is the practice of optimizing your content to appear for your audience’s target location.

Why is geo-targeting important?

Fact: Google estimates that 73% of online activity has to do with local searches, such as:

    • Mexican restaurants in Buffalo, NY
    • Cheap sunglasses in downtown Cleveland
    • Twin Cities hotels with a great view

Fact: The way we search is changing.

As the examples above illustrate, users are using more long-tail, semantic keywords when searching on Google. Voice search (hello Alexa, Cortana and Siri) is accelerating this shift, increasing the popularity of conversational keywords.

Google is continually evolving its algorithm in kind, to infer user intent – and it’s getting better at creating location-based search results on generic topics. Case in point? If you Google “cheap sunglasses,” you’ll see listings for local sunglass retailers nearby – even if you don’t specify a location!

 

Here’s how to use geo-targeting to leverage this SEO evolution:

    • Target location-specific keywords. It’s the most powerful way to get around keyword competition and rank well in search! Instead of trying to rank for general keywords (e.g., “best caterer”), find keywords that take user intent into account. Longer, more specific keyword strings (e.g., “best vegan caterer Buffalo”) will likely be much easier (and faster) to rank for.
    • Invest in local PPC. As the term implies, local PPC ad campaigns are designed to deliver different content or ads to individuals based on their geographic location. The more targeted and relevant an ad is to your audience’s needs (including their location), the more likely it is to convert.
    • Create location-specific landing pages. Just as you geo-target keywords for organic and paid search, you can also build location-specific landing pages to go with them. For example, if someone clicks on your geo-targeted ad, direct them to a page that’s customized to their location – so it appears to be exactly what they’re searching for.
    • Optimize for Google local search. As we’ve stated, Google tries to display local results in search. If you want your website to display in the prime real estate on Google’s search results pages, sign up for Google My Business.

 

More on SEO from BARQAR:

New School vs Old school SEO

Get to Page 1 of Search Results

Use Semantic Keywords to Rank Higher in Search

 

Tired of big brands beating you out in online search?

Level the playing field with BARQAR! Our digital marketing experts employ a strategic, six-step approach to ensure your SEO stays on target. Contact us for a free SEO audit today.

 

Download Our SMART Marketing Checklist

 

 

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