Bring in the Big SEO Guns to Compete Locally with the Big Guys – 7 Essential Tips

Do you own a local company, competing against large global companies and worried about stacking up against the big guys in the search results page? Do not worry, Active Business Growth, a Toronto SEO company, outlines several ways you can compete locally with the big guys and win the war of ranking on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page) as explained below;

1. Use the Benefit of Local Google Results:

The biggest advantage local companies have over global companies is that they can list for local google searches and claim their businesses on Google My Business. Google algorithms are smart and will automatically list the local business higher than a global business hence you can easily gain the advantage of your business’s geographical location.

2. Optimization for Geo-Local Keywords:

Local businesses can also use the tactic of using paid searches for long-tail local keywords to compete against large companies. Combining SEO along with PPC campaign can drive more business by giving you higher SERP rankings.

Large companies mainly use enterprise SEO platform to perform optimization that utilizes strategic and expansive search engine optimization approach. Competing with their SEO strategies will require you to use such effective SEO tools to comprehensively help you rank higher on SERPs.

3. Create Relevant Local Content Using Long-Tail Keywords:

Create relevant content on the site using long-tail keywords which are geo-modified and publish on a regular basis. Long-tail keywords have the power to outrank large businesses as global companies usually focus on global businesses hence your local ranking due to content optimization will improve. You can also use images on your site to incorporate keywords in the Alt text on it to improve the rankings. But beware and stay away from overstuffing your content with keywords.

4. Focus on Niche Business Opportunity:

Global companies focus on many businesses hence and if you try to keep your business opportunities wide like them, your ranking will not go higher. You should choose a niche and focus on it. Optimize your content for the niche, brand your site for it and focus on niche marketing using proper keywords. You might lose customers who need other services which you do not offer but your brand will achieve recognition for the niche in which it specializes.

5. Use Social Media for Local Promotions:

When we talk about any digital marketing topic, you cannot ignore social media as it is like the backbone of marketing. Social media marketing is popular because it is mainly free, and customers like to follow brands online hence social media is a great way to locally connect to your customers. You can gather reviews from customers, and you can generate quality leads with social media marketing efforts. Paid marketing is also available on these platforms to benefit from. List your company for the local location to connect with your potential customers within the geographic location of your business.

6. Use Mobile-First Web Design:

The trend is shifting towards a mobile-first website and it is easier for local businesses to implement it immediately due to the smaller volume of the website. Whereas larger companies cannot change the website structure and will need to modify what they have got which is again a time-consuming task. Search engines are prioritizing sites which are mobile responsive. In fact, you should focus on designing sites based on what will look good on mobile and load quickly, think about the desktop and laptop view later.

7. Build a One-on-One Relationship with Customers:

The advantage which small companies have over the big companies is that large organizations do have a PR team that builds a relationship with customers, but they cannot do it on a one on one basis which a small business can easily do. This helps in building a relationship with the customers and adds as a huge advantage to the business as the customer trust is built. With so many options out there, customers tend to bend towards the brand which pays them extra attention and you could be that brand.

The size of the company is not a factor when it comes to ranking on Google or any other search engine, if your SEO efforts are consistent in the right direction for some time, your company’s ranking will improve and in no time you will be in the first page of the SERPs (Search Engine Results Page).