SEO is an essential part of website design for all businesses. Focusing on local SEO helps draw traffic from people who are already close by. Consider these tips when optimising website content for local search results.

1) Do Local Keyword Research

Business owners should know what keywords are ranking locally for their particular industry. Tools such as Google Insights can provide a window into what people are searching for and help determine which keywords to include in website content. Input likely keywords and narrow the results to a particular location and period to get the most relevant data along with related terms and new search trends.

2) Include Location Information

Every business website should include full location and contact information on each page. Business name, physical address, phone number, and e-mail address should appear in a prominent place so that it’s visible to both visitors and search engines. Include the same information along with the main website URL in all social media profiles to boost visibility in search results.

3) Use Local Online Listings

Business directories such as Yelp, Yahoo, Google Places and Yellow Pages offer another way to increase local visibility. Listings from these sites appear in search results and provide users with complete business information along with maps. Some also offer user reviews, which many people rely on for help when making purchasing decisions.

4) Don’t Forget Google+

For users with Google+ accounts, the social network has some influence over what they see in search results. Businesses can take advantage of this by creating a Google+ Business page and getting it listed in relevant categories of Google+ Local. This service integrates scoring and user review summaries from Zagat to help users choose everything from stores to restaurants. Users can also visit individual Business pages for more information, generating fresh traffic and potentially resulting in click-thru to the official business website.

5) Think Mobile

Depending on the industry, a business website may get as much as 50 percent of its traffic from mobile users. This makes it essential to have an easily navigable, mobile-friendly site. A growing number of people are performing mobile searches, looking for restaurants, retailers and other business locations that are accessible as they go about their daily activities. Mobile websites make businesses more readily available to active users and open the door to new marketing opportunities.

6) Track Keywords

Using an analytics tool like Google Analytics to keep track of keywords allows a business to see which terms are generating the most traffic. These results can be used to tweak website content or create fresh content that helps improve local SEO and boosts organic search rankings.

7) Be Visible Locally

One of the great ways to garner attention for a business is to get involved in the local community. Attending fairs and festivals and participating in community events such as fundraisers puts a business in the spotlight and may generate media coverage. Newspapers and local television stations post local news on their websites, increasing visibility for any business or organisation mentioned in the story.

Marketing to a local demographic allows businesses to take advantage of a large customer base in the immediate community and the surrounding area. A solid local presence can generate repeat customers from within the community and increases word-of-mouth advertising both online and off, leading to even more local traffic.