Willis Business Owners: Maximizing Local Search Rankings to Drive Sales

Starting with Local SEO

Let's start with the basics now. Putting up a sign outside your store is not enough for local SEO. It's important to be the first thing that people in Willis see when they search for services like yours online. The first thing you need to do is claim and improve your Google My Business (GMB) listing. This is what people see when they search for your business on Google. Check to see that your address phone number pictures and business hours are all correct.

But that's not all there is to it. Part of it is using keywords that are specific to Willis in the content titles and tags of your website. To find what they want people type keywords into search engines. For instance "Willis plumbing services" or "best BBQ in Willis." Make sure that the information on your site is relevant to these searches. But don't use too many keywords please. Don't write like you're writing write like you're talking to a neighbor. Want to know more about keywords? Check out Moz's Beginner's Guide to SEO.

Making citations and links to local sites

In the world of SEO links are like votes. If you get more votes from sites that are relevant and high quality Google will trust you more. But here's the secret keep an eye on links from your area. Get to know bloggers in your area or go to community events. This not only makes you more visible online but it also strengthens your ties to your community. If your business is having an event launching a new product or doing something else newsworthy you might want to send a press release to the local media.

When other websites list your business's name address and phone number (NAP) that's called a citation. These could be pages on Yelp in local directories or even the Chamber of Commerce. The NAP information needs to be the same on all platforms. If there are differences search engines may get confused and hurt your rankings.

Making the Most of Reviews

Reviews are like word of mouth in the 21st century and both search engines and people who might buy from you pay attention to them. Get happy customers to write good reviews on Google and other sites that are important to your business. But don't worry if you get a bad review it happens. Be professional offer to fix the problem and show that you care.

A steady stream of good reviews not only helps your local search rankings but it also builds trust. People who might buy from you read these reviews to find out if your business is worth their time and money. BrightLocal's 2022 Consumer Review Survey found that 87% of people read reviews of local businesses online. So having a good reputation online can directly affect how many sales you make.

Making it easier for people on mobile devices

We all know that we spend a lot of time on our phones. According to Statista there are more than six billion smartphone users around the world and that number is only going up. A lot of people could be looking for businesses in their area while they're out and about. This means that people in Willis need to check that their website works on phones and tablets.

What does that mean? The most important thing is to make the user experience smooth. This means fast load times simple navigation and buttons that are big enough to tap with your thumb. Google puts mobile friendly sites at the top of its list because it knows people want things to work quickly. Test your site on a few mobile devices to make sure it looks and works great on all of them.

Getting involved in the community

Finally let's talk about relationships. When it comes to local SEO it's not just about the technical stuff. It's about being a member of the community. Join in on local events support a youth team or take part in town traditions. This kind of participation does more than make people feel good it also gets them to talk about you and connect with you online.

People will talk about these stories and link back to your site if you post them on your website and social media. These real life interactions can help your business tell a story that makes it the brand everyone wants to buy from in your area.

You need to use basic SEO techniques to improve your local search rankings in Willis but you need to do them with a focus on the community. It's about being present in both the real world and the internet. If you put in the effort your business won't just move up in the rankings it will also become a well liked part of the Willis community.