Quick Website Traffic Wins with Local SEO
By Jules White | Released: 4th September 2024 | reading time: 5 minutes
🎙️Listen to the podcast version of this article🎙️
The Often Neglected Power Of Local SEO
If you're looking for quick wins to boost your website traffic, then local SEO is an area you can't afford to overlook. Whether you're a local business or not, optimising your online presence for local searches can have a huge impact on your visibility.
In this article, I’ll share my journey into local SEO, explain why your Google Business Profile (GBP) is a crucial tool, and highlight how focusing on this aspect of SEO can lead to some fast, rewarding results.
Table of Contents:
My Journey into Local SEO
When I first left my full-time job, I was building websites for clients. After a few months, I realised I was still listed as an admin on my old employer’s Google Business Profile. Naturally, I went to remove myself, but what I discovered completely surprised me.
One of their pictures had racked up over 3,000 views in just a month! That was my lightbulb moment.💡
I realised that local SEO, particularly through Google Business Profiles, could be really powerful—especially for small, local businesses trying to get noticed. It wasn’t just about having a beautiful website anymore; it was about making sure people found those websites in the first place. From that point on, I shifted my focus, and optimising for SEO & Google Business Profiles became a core part of what I do.
Why Local SEO Matters (Even If You’re Not a Local Business)
You might be wondering if local SEO is only relevant for businesses with a physical location. It’s not. Google estimates that nearly half of all searches are for something local. So, whether you’re running a boutique skincare clinic, offering services like a consultant, or selling online nationwide, local SEO can still help you stand out.
People are always on their phones now, they’re out and about, and they’re searching for products and services right where they are. Local SEO is growing rapidly, and with AI making it even easier for customers to find what they need, you’ve got a huge opportunity here.
Have you seen the recent Google Pixel Phone adverts on TV? They show someone asking, “Find me some great local tagine restaurants and put them on the map.” Well, it’s the local listings such as Google Business Profile behind the scenes making that happen. It’s these profiles that are mapped by AI, showing nearby options in an instant.
To compete locally, you don’t need to do everything perfectly—you just need to do a little bit more than the competition. A well-optimised Google Business Profile can be the difference between appearing on that map or being lost in the crowd. And that’s when people start visiting your website, picking up the phone, or walking through your door, leading directly to more customers and sales.
Boosting Website SEO with Local SEO
The beauty of local SEO is that it can deliver quicker results than traditional website SEO. Website SEO is a long-term game—it’s for businesses planning to stick around for years to come.
The work you put in now may not pay off for six months, a year, or even longer. But local SEO? If you optimise your Google Business Profile well, those changes can show up immediately. You can start seeing more traffic the very next day.
And those quick wins are incredibly motivating. It gives you the push to keep working on your SEO because you see that it works. When clients tell me they’re getting traffic from their Google Business Profile, it’s a great feeling.
It’s also an important part of building trust with Google. If the information on your website matches what’s on your Google Business Profile, you’re showing Google that your business is reliable and consistent. And that can only be good for your overall search rankings.
Reviews: The Secret Weapon of Local SEO
Let’s talk about reviews. If you’ve got more than 10 reviews on your Google Business Profile, your chances of showing up in those all-important local map results greatly increase. But it’s not just about the numbers—it’s about authenticity and consistency.
Google has a way of knowing when something doesn’t look right. If you suddenly get 100 reviews out of nowhere, it might flag that as suspicious 🤔.
Instead, aim for a steady flow of reviews over time. Encourage your customers to leave a review after they’ve had a great experience, and be sure to respond to each one. Even a simple “thank you” goes a long way. It shows your business is active and engaged.
Plus, it keeps those reviews coming in, which in turn helps your ranking.
If you’re ever worried about a negative review, don’t panic. Think of it as a chance to show off your excellent customer service. It’s how you respond that really matters, and people are actually more likely to believe in a business that doesn’t only have 5 star reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐!
Repurpose Content to Maximise Your Local SEO
Here’s a quick tip that’s often overlooked: repurpose your social media content on your Google Business Profile. If you’re already creating posts for Facebook, Instagram or TikTok, why not share them on your GBP too?
Even if you did nothing else but post your top-performing social media content to your Google profile each week, you could see a massive difference in traffic. Google loves to see that a business is active and up-to-date, and sharing regular content on your profile signals exactly that.
If you can encourage your customers to share photos, videos and other updates to your profile this is even more powerful!
I do this with my podcast episodes. Every time I release a new episode, I link it back to my website through my Google Business Profile. It’s a simple strategy that brings more traffic to my site without relying heavily on traditional social media platforms.
You can do the same with blog posts, case studies, or client stories. And if you’ve got local clients, all the better—shout about them! It helps with your local authority and builds even more trust.
The Critical Role of Mobile and Voice Search in Local SEO
Now, let’s talk about mobile optimisation. We all know mobile is huge, but did you know that if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re likely losing out on local traffic?
Google won’t even show your site in local results if it knows your website doesn’t work well on mobile. So, if there’s one thing to prioritise, it’s making sure your website is fast, mobile-friendly, and easy to navigate.
Voice search is another big development in local SEO. More and more people are searching by asking questions like, “Where’s the best coffee near me?” or “Who can cut my hair today?”
Optimising your site for these question-based searches, and making use of Google Business Profile’s Q&A section, can put you ahead of the competition.
How I Can Help
If all this sounds overwhelming, don’t worry—I can help. I offer several ways to make sure your Google Business Profile is working as hard as it can for your business:
🎓 Google Business Profile Optimisation Course: A short, straightforward course to guide you through optimising your profile for maximum impact.
💪 Power Hour Strategy Session: A one-on-one session where we’ll dive deep into your profile, analyse what’s working, and create a plan to boost your results.
😊 Done-for-You Google Profile Optimisation: If you don’t have the time, I’ll take care of everything and optimise your Google Business Profile for you.
And if you’re just starting out or want to make sure you’re on the right track, download my Free Google Business Profile Checklist here.
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