Do you own an SME or a community business in Dublin? Do you have a local SEO strategy? If you don’t, it’s time to create and implement one to improve your local search presence.

Long gone are the days when local SEO was optional – an add-on to digital marketing strategies. Today, ranking high on local searches is essential for small or community businesses to avoid missing out on tremendous opportunities.

But creating an effective plan is not a job for amateurs given the ever-changing algorithms and stiff competition. Only experienced SEO professionals understand the kind of local SEO Dublin businesses needs. So, don’t think twice about hiring a trusted SEO specialist if you want to achieve results.

Facts About Local SEO for Dublin Businesses

What Types of Businesses Need Local SEO?

This search optimisation strategy is for brick-and-mortar stores that serve specific locations, such as clinics, cafes, restaurants, and grocery stores.

It is also for small and medium enterprises that provide service to a specific geographic area, such as house painters, real estate agents, and driveway pavers.

Basically, any business that serves local customers can benefit from having a local optimisation strategy.

Why Is a Local Search Strategy a Necessity?

It’s no secret that most people these days rely on the Internet to find things they need. What’s noteworthy though, is the exponential growth in local ‘near me’ searches over the past years.

A 2018 report stated that searches with ‘near me’ and ‘close by’ qualifiers increased by more than 900% in just over two years.

What does this mean? Many users make searches with local intent – e.g., hair clinic in Dublin, driveway pavers near me or snagging company close by. Being included in the results for these queries is an opportunity for your business to be seen by potential customers.

Moreover, appearing on local search results can help you gain new clients and generate more income.

According to Think With Google, around 76% of users who make mobile ‘nearby’ searches visit a business within a day. In addition, 28% of these nearby searches lead to a purchase.

Simply put, local SEO is a tool you can leverage for your business to be found by people who are ready to get your service or product. It is all about presenting your company to a relevant audience at the right time.

With the right local SEO strategy, you can dominate the local pack and, consequently, stay competitive in your marketplace.

It can also level the playing field, making it possible for you to compete with large enterprises or multinational companies as proximity is a ranking factor. What does this mean? Your business can outrank established brands if your store is geographically closer to the user.

How Do You Do Local SEO for Dublin Businesses?

What exactly do you need to do to dominate the local searches relevant to your business? Below is a list of tasks included in an effective local SEO strategy:

Optimise Your Website for Local Search

• Create the following website pages: Home Page, Contact and About.
• The contact page should have the so-called NAP details – business name, address and phone number. Ideally, the phone numbers should be clickable to make it easier for prospective clients to reach you.

*If you have several locations, indicate the phone number for each one on the Contact page. Meanwhile, you can include all the addresses in the website’s footer if you have fewer than 10 locations.

• All NAP information should be the same on all pages on your website and other online profiles like Google My Business. Plus, all contact details should be correct and up to date.

*Remember, reports show that 50% of consumers get deterred from transacting with local businesses when their contact details are not updated.

• Your Contact page should also include a Google Map for potential customers to find you easily.
• Create or claim your Google My Business (GMB) listing. Then, optimise it by completing your profile, posting good photos of your business, putting your NAP details and getting 4- and 5-star ratings and excellent reviews.
• Conduct a regular SEO audit.

Have a Local Content Strategy

Like regular SEO, excellent content is necessary to rank in local pack results. It is what attracts high-quality links. One of the top-ranking factors for local SEO is high authority links.

Here are the things you need to keep in mind:

• Plan your content strategy. Have a content calendar to map out what you will write about and publish.
• Create geo-targeted landing pages such as location-specific pages.
• Ensure your basic and static pages contain valuable and relevant information to local users. One landing page that’s worth having is an FAQ page.
• Create and publish original content regularly. You can achieve this by having an onsite blog. Having dynamic content informs Google that your website is active.
• Use localised keywords on title tags and meta descriptions.
• Avoid duplicate listings and content.
• Have a strategy for building user-generated content such as testimonials and reviews.

When it comes to testimonials and reviews, keep these six things in mind:

1. 1. Don’t force your clients to give one or reward them for it. NEVER pay for or use fake reviews.
   2. Let customers submit reviews using their own accounts and devices. Google may find it suspicious if the reviews come from the same location or IP address. This may result in your profile getting suspended.
   3. Don’t ask customers to provide reviews at the same time. Some platforms filter submissions when there is a sudden influx.
   4. Have reviews across different directories, especially GMB. Reports show that Google reviews have a significant effect on local search rankings.
   5. Post testimonials on your website.
   6. Prepare for negative reviews as all businesses get them. Don’t ignore them, as doing so is missing out on an opportunity to show that you care about what your customers think. But make sure that you properly respond to these negative reviews.

These are just some of the many things you have to do if you want to appear at the top of local search results. So much more needs to be done to gain more local customers and increase your revenue. But you do not have to do this alone, as there are professionals who can help you succeed at local SEO.

Do you want an effective local SEO strategy for your Dublin-based business? Our experienced SEO specialists can help you attract highly targeted and relevant traffic and improve your conversion rate. Call us now on +353 (0) 1 960 9023 or leave us a message here.