Tips on Locally Optimizing an Ecommerce Site

You have an ecommerce site and you want to optimize it locally. Is it possible to optimize an ecommerce site locally? Of course it is. In fact, properly optimizing your ecommerce for local traffic can improve your results in search engine rankings. This means you’ll be seen by more local users.

There are billions of local searches done in the US each month. Why? Consumers are searching for business addresses, products, hours of operation, driving directions, reviews and more. Therefore, local search is becoming more and more important for small businesses. We’ve got some tips you should be following to optimize your ecommerce site locally.

Insert local keywords in your title tag.

Obviously, you’re going to want to do some keyword research before you write or add content to your website. You need to determine the most relevant keywords for your business based on what you sell. If you add in your geographic location, you are locally optimizing your ecommerce site.

Add your NAP in HTML.

When it comes to adding your name, address and phone number, aka the NAP, to the HTML of your website, you need to make sure it’s consistent with the NAP you’re using to create citations across the many local directories on the web. This will increase your credibility with the search engines. Having a consistent NAP will also help you verify the information you submit to them and help them cross-reference your details for quality assurance across the web.

The best thing to do is to spell everything out and make sure there are no abbreviations. For example, if you’re located on a street, spell it out. Don’t use “St.” Do this consistently everywhere you are listed.

Get listed on Google My Business.

Google My Business is a very important directory. You need to claim your business online with Google. They will send you a card to the address you list with them so make sure it’s correct. Then, once you have received the postcard you put the verification code in the listing to prove that you are the business owner. The listing is now yours and you should fill it out properly. Include your consistent NAP. Also, add target keywords to your description. It’s a good idea to show an image or two of your business.

Create “local” content.

Another way to optimize an ecommerce site locally is by creating content that is relevant and specific to your city. We know that a blog can take some commitment and time to build, but it’s worth the effort. You can begin by brainstorming a list of topics that your customers would most like to learn about. You can use Google’s Keyword Planner or Google Trends to find out what those are. You may also want to include information about local holidays and festivals on your website. If your business is participating in the festivities in some way, be sure to mention that. You can write about your business’ roots in the area and share your backstory with your readers. People feel more connected to business’ that share this type of information with them, especially on a local level.

There are many ways to optimize an ecommerce site locally. These four are among the most important for you to undertake. If you have questions about local search engine optimization, stay tuned to our blog. We have articles about this topic and plan to do more in the future.