JJ Solutions works with small and medium sized business (SMEs) in the Surrey area. The vast majority have their own premises – a ‘bricks and mortar’ presence on the high street.

Businesses that serve customers in person have different needs in terms of search engine optimisation (SEO). As a web design and SEO company, we have two separate audiences to appeal to: one group might want to shop online, and the other group are simply researching local companies so they can make a purchase in person. That’s why local SEO is so important.

Local SEO: What’s Involved

When we optimise a website for local clients, we make that site visible for location-based searches. That means:

  • Making your address and location prominent and accessible on your site
  • Researching keywords relating to your geographical area
  • Optimising your content
  • Obtaining relevant links from businesses in the area
  • Ensuring the website is optimised for mobile phone use
  • Creating optimised listings on relevant social sites
  • Ensuring you’re listed in the right directories

Our local SEO specialists will also look at the kinds of signals that already exist about your business. For example, we’ll track down indicators of your brand’s reputation and ensure your location’s clear.

Google+ Local and Google Places

At JJ Solutions, we focus many of our local SEO efforts on two key Google services: Google+ Local and Google Places. By using both in tandem, we give your business the best chance of being found in search.

So what’s the difference? They’re actually two completely different services, but they work well as a team.

  • Google Places is effectively a business directory run by Google. We can optimise the listing to make sure people can find your business; it’s a great way of driving traffic, and it’s the brains behind business information on Google Maps, so it’s important to get the details right. We use lots of tricks to get your Google Places page noticed so your website climbs up search engine rankings.
  • Google+ Local is a social networking page. Think of it like a business Facebook page. Google+ Local delivers personalised recommendations to searchers, so it’s crucial in building a relevant audience of trusted connections. Your Google+ Local page is the bridge between Google Places and a Google+ profile. Here, you can add videos and other interesting content about your brand.

In truth, Google’s services are always changing, and the lines between them are often blurred and a bit confusing. We will do all the hard work and optimisation for you: all you have to do is give us a call to get things started.

Local SEO: a DIY Guide

Local SEO is a vast topic, and you can only really get complete coverage with help. But there are some things you can do to improve your own local SEO without employing an expert:

  • Make sure you update old addresses in directories (Google doesn’t like to see out of date information)
  • Don’t stuff your content with too many local keywords
  • Remember to work local keywords into your blog posts
  • Ask your best customers to write reviews of your business on prominent sites
  • Don’t neglect your other social networks: they’re all important for SEO

If you need SEO help in Surrey, give us a call today. We’ll improve your local SEO and make it easier for customers to find you when they’re looking for a great local deal.