Use Organic Local SEO to Increase Foot Traffic (Stats & Tips)

Canadian consumers are searching for, and finding, products and services through local searches on major search engines. In fact, online searches are the first step of most purchasing journeys, whether the shopper is looking for online or physical stores. This trend has lead to effective online marketing strategies that increase foot traffic for local businesses.

“When we asked marketers in the Marketing Sherpa SEO Marketing Benchmark Survey about which types of search had the biggest impact on their organization’s marketing objectives, local search was regarded as more successful than mobile search, personalized search or social search, with 54% of marketers reporting a positive impact,” stated Marketing Sherpa with the published results.

Local SEO Tactics used by Marketers

Marketing Sherpa’s SEO Marketing Benchmark statistics indicate the following local search engine optimization tactics are most popular among successful marketers:

  1. Local content on pages, blog posts, and page titles (82%)
  2. Local business address on webpages (77%)
  3. Local keywords and internal links (76%)
  4. Local search platform (such as Google My Business) (76%)
  5. Local keywords in external anchor text (59%)
  6. Listing submitted to Internet Yellow Pages (45%)
  7. Listing submitted to top directories (44%)
  8. Customer reviews posted prominently (42%)
  9. Local citation building (38%)

I would add local Social Media marketing to the list.  Make sure you include your address, map link, phone number, business hours and website address.  Other social media results can outrank your business page as well, such as posts mentioning your location.  Check your privacy options on business social media accounts to ensure they’re visible to the general public.

Local Keywords

Part of your success with localized search optimization will be in your keywords.  This strategy goes above and beyond adding your city to your content.  The geographic location should be integrated with popular search phrases related to your product or service.

For example:

Accounting firm in Surrey British Columbia
Business card printing companies Toronto Ontario Canada
Where can I find bulk business supplies in Winnipeg?
Popular coffee shops in Fredericton NB with WiFi.

You can get a good idea of what people are searching for in your community through keyword tools, like Google’s Keyword Planner.  There are many other keyword research tools available to you that can seriously increase the effectiveness of your marketing. You’ll find our favourites in our post, Top Keyword Research and Competitive Intelligence Tools.

More Local SEO Tips

  • Purchase a provincial domain extension (like .bc.ca) 
  • Optimize your website for mobile devices, so you can grab customers in your area who are searching on the move.
  • Submit guest posts to local blogs and include your website link in the author bio. 
  • Sponsor events and give organizers your business info and website URL. Sponsors are often shared online on the organization’s website and in social media posts.

    Local search optimization positions your web presence to serve your offline presence.  It can also attract consumers to your eCommerce store if you have one.  Local customers like the idea of being able to pick up or return items to local stores, for example, or they may be after lower shipping costs.

    ??? What local SEO tactics do you use or plan to implement?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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    Digital Business & Marketing Manager at Online Business Canada | Website | + posts

    Melody McKinnon is an internet entrepreneur with 25 years of experience in a wide range of online business models, backed by a formal business education and enhanced by training and mentorship. She has owned or managed both educational and ecommerce websites. Her book, 7 Recession Proof Online Businesses to Start From Home, is available from all major ebook retailers.

    Melody has worked with many businesses & brands in a multitude of capacities. She can often be found on CanadianDigitalMedia.com, CanadiansInternet.com, CanadianFamily.net, and AllNaturalPetCare.com, as well as other quality digital publications. Her content has earned reference links from highly-respected websites, magazines and university textbooks.

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    Laurinn wills

    Amazing post very useful tips..it really sort out my query..

    Del

    Great tips! Your services must be in great demand but I’m sending an email to see what you can do for us if it’s in our budget. I’m curious about doing it backwards like starting online and then opening a real store. I’d like to use one to fund the other and to give me an idea of what sells.

    Daytona Montague, PEI

    Thanks for the timely Canadian post. Our website is being designed as we speak & I’m really excited to learn more about the opportunities it’ll bring.

    Anmíng Gāo

    It’s confusing when you not familiar. Everyone want me to do more online.

    Mia O.

    Great post. There’s many things I’d like to do with the internet but I don’t know where to begin. Your articles let me tackle it in baby steps and I appreciate it.

    Katrin

    Foot traffic? We can’t even get clients to start a webpage in this country. Thank you for helping to change it.