If you want to leverage digital marketing and media services for business growth, the benefits of a local SEO audit are many.
In this article, you will learn the importance of implied links, duplicate content, and citation health.
And, if you’re not sure how to proceed, read on to build a comprehensive SEO audit checklist of what you should expect.
In the end, you’ll be glad you included it in your digital marketing strategy! Just don’t forget to check your website for a few fundamental issues first.
Benefits of a local SEO audit
Performing a local SEO audit for your business is an excellent way to boost your ranking on Google and other search engines. Considering that 71% of online clicks are attributed to the first two pages of search results, showing up above your competition will be very beneficial for your business.
To perform a local SEO audit on your website, start by conducting a Google search using the business name in quotation marks. Set up Google Alerts for the business name to be notified if a new citation is added. Keeping a running list of directories will also save you time when auditing your NAP consistency. Even minor variations in your NAP can confuse potential customers and search engines.
Meta descriptions and titles are the short descriptions that appear on search engine results pages for local websites. They give users a good idea of what to expect from a website. A local SEO audit will also highlight the content on your site.
It is important to understand your target market and what your customers are looking for. When people are searching for a product or service, a local SEO audit will reveal how to best serve the local market’s needs. Another crucial aspect of SEO links. Links to relevant websites tell Google about quality and relevance. If this is all too much for you, consult trusted SEO services for additional support.
Importance of implied links
A recent Google update has changed the way search engines rank local pages, making implied links a more important factor in your digital marketing strategy. Implied links can appear in news pieces, blog posts, event listings, white papers, eBooks, and other content. Any time your business name or phone number is mentioned, it counts as an implied link. If the content contains an address, phone number, or other contact information, this is a bonus.
When your competitor’s brand name appears in a search query, it will create a connection with your website. A local search query that includes your brand name and business name without the link will have a better chance of returning results that are more relevant to your business. As long as you use credible sources to write about your brand, you’ll have a better chance of being ranked higher than your competitor.
Importance of duplicate content
Duplicate content can hurt your local SEO strategy. It can also affect e-commerce sites. A digital marketing services agency often uses the same content to post on several websites, including blog posts, editorial content, and product information pages. Multiple sites may sell the same item, using different descriptions or even the same manufacturer’s description. If you see duplicate content on various sites, you need to identify and fix the problem. In addition, addressing duplicate content can improve your website’s ranking and increase its relevancy.
In a local SEO audit, you will need to identify any pages that contain duplicate content. Duplicate content is content that is identical or nearly identical to other pages. According to Google, duplicate content affects search engine rankings. It can occur on multiple websites or even within the pages of the same site. In some cases, duplicate content is accidentally created and accessed through multiple URLs. Whatever the cause, the problem is harmful to your rankings and you want to optimise your blog posts accordingly.
Importance of citation health
While several factors are relevant to a local SEO audit, citation health is of particular importance. In the past, it was possible for local businesses to build SEO citations. Today, however, the process is much more complex.
Local citations are extremely important and can determine a business’s ranking for keywords. If a company does not have enough content, it can be challenging to rank for keywords. However, local business pages can generate quality traffic.
When building a local business page, consider how many backlinks it has and what the digital marketing strategy will be. Social media engagement isn’t directly tied to local SEO rankings, but it can impact a business’s performance.
Citations can help a business gain new customers. They can also increase sales and help a business get noticed by local consumers. People today are more likely to buy from a company with many reviews. As a result, local citations are an essential part of any local SEO audit. You can find these citations on platforms such as Yelp and Google My Business.
Now that you understand better how local SEO audits can support your business with its marketing strategy while being up-to-date with the latest digital marketing trends, your company should be on the right track to expand and gain more exposure online.
Author Bio:
Maggie Simmons writes insanely helpful marketing insights. She works as a Marketing Manager at Max Effect Marketing, a leading digital agency located in Denver, Colorado.