1. Introduction:
In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for any business, especially for those operating in a specific geographic area like Bakersfield, California. Local SEO, or search engine optimization, is a powerful marketing tool that can help businesses improve their online visibility and attract more local customers. With the right local SEO strategy, businesses in Bakersfield can rank higher in search engine results pages and ultimately drive more traffic to their website. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about local SEO in Bakersfield, from the key terms and concepts to the best practices and tools you can use to improve your online presence.
2. Terms
Common SEO terms used by Bakersfield marketers and businesses
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a critical part of any online marketing strategy, and businesses in Bakersfield, California, are no exception. Whether you’re a local business owner looking to improve your online visibility or a marketer in Bakersfield helping clients with their SEO, it’s essential to understand the key terms and concepts involved in local SEO. In this guide, we’ll explore some of the most common SEO terms used by Bakersfield marketers and businesses, and how you can use them to improve your local SEO efforts.
Your Title Goes Here
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Keywords
Words or phrases that people search for in search engines, which businesses use to optimize their content and websites for search engines to better understand and rank their content.
Backlinks
Links that point to a particular webpage from other websites, which are important for building a webpage’s authority and improving its search engine ranking
SERP
Search Engine Results Page (SERP), the page displayed by search engines in response to a search query.
Local SEO
The process of optimizing a website to rank better in local search results, such as when people search for local businesses or services in a particular geographic area.
On-page Optimization
Refers to the elements on a website that can be optimized for better search engine visibility, such as content, meta tags, and website structure.
Citation
A mention of a business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) on a website or directory, which can help with local SEO and building authority.
Off-page Optimization
Refers to factors that impact a website’s ranking that occur off of the website, such as backlinks and social media signals.
Mega Tags
HTML elements that provide information about a webpage to search engines, such as title tags and meta descriptions.
Domain Authority
A score assigned to a website that predicts its likelihood to rank well on search engine results pages (SERPs) based on various factors, including the quality and relevance of its content and the quality and quantity of backlinks pointing to the site.
Google Business Profile
A free business listing service offered by Google that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including in search results and on Google Maps.
3. SEO Foundations
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the process of optimizing your website and its content to increase its visibility and ranking on search engines like Google. For local businesses in Bakersfield, SEO can be a powerful tool to attract new customers and improve your online presence. In this guide, we’ll cover the basics of SEO and how you can use it to improve your business.
Keyword Research
The first step in any SEO strategy is keyword research. This involves identifying the keywords and phrases that your target audience is using to search for products or services like yours. By understanding what your audience is searching for, you can create content that is relevant and valuable to them.
Tools like Google Keyword Planner and SEMrush can help you find relevant keywords and phrases for your business. Once you have a list of keywords, you can start incorporating them into your website content, including your headlines, body copy, and meta descriptions.
On-Page Optimization
On-page optimization refers to the elements on your website that you can control and optimize for search engines. This includes your website’s content, URL structure, meta tags, images, and more.
Some key on-page optimization factors to consider include:
Title tag: These are the clickable headlines that appear on search engine results pages (SERPs) and should include your target keywords.
Meta descriptions: These are the short snippets of text that appear below your title tag on SERPs and should provide a brief summary of your page’s content.
Header tags: These are the hierarchical headings used to structure your content and should include your target keywords.
Image optimization: This involves optimizing your image file names, alt tags, and captions to improve their visibility on search engines.
Off-Page Optimization
Off-page optimization refers to the elements outside of your website that can impact your search engine rankings. This includes things like backlinks, social media shares, and online reviews.
Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your website. They are an important ranking factor for search engines, as they indicate that other websites consider your content valuable and relevant.
Social media shares and online reviews can also impact your search engine rankings, as they signal to search engines that your content is being shared and discussed by real people.
4. Local Ranking Factors
Now that we’ve covered the basics of SEO, it’s time to focus on local ranking factors. These are the specific factors that search engines use to determine which businesses to display in their local search results. By understanding and optimizing these factors, you can improve your chances of appearing at the top of local search results in Bakersfield.
Here are some of the most important local ranking factors:
Google Business Profile:
Your Google My Business (GMB) profile is one of the most important ranking factors for local SEO. Make sure your profile is fully completed and accurate, including your business name, address, phone number, website URL, and business hours.
Online Reviews:
Online reviews are another key local ranking factor. Encourage your customers to leave reviews on your GMB profile and other review sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Facebook.
Local Citations:
A local citation is any online mention of your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP). This includes directory listings, local business associations, and other websites that mention your business. Make sure your NAP is consistent across all of these listings.
Optimize Your Website Copy:
On-page optimization includes optimizing your website’s content and meta tags for local keywords, as well as including your NAP on every page of your website.
Optimize for Smart Phones and Tablets:
With more and more people using their mobile devices to search for local businesses, mobile optimization is essential for local SEO. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly on mobile devices.
By focusing on these local ranking factors, you can improve your chances of appearing at the top of local search results in Bakersfield. In the next section, we’ll cover some specific tactics you can use to optimize these factors and improve your local SEO.
5. Local SEO Tools
There are a variety of tools available to help with local SEO efforts. Here are a few that can be particularly helpful:
Google Business Profile:
This is a free tool provided by Google that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including search and maps. By verifying and optimizing your business information on Google My Business, you can help improve your visibility in local search results.
Moz Local:
Moz Local is a paid tool that allows you to manage your local business listings across various directories and search engines. It can help ensure that your information is consistent and accurate across the web.
Ahrefs:
Ahrefs is a comprehensive SEO tool that offers a suite of features including competitor analysis, keyword research, and backlink tracking. By using Ahrefs to research and track local keywords, you can better understand what your potential customers are searching for in your area.
Whitespark:
Whitespark offers a variety of local SEO tools, including a local citation finder and a local rank tracker. These tools can help you identify relevant citation opportunities and track your local search engine rankings over time.
SEMrush:
SEMrush is another comprehensive SEO tool that offers a range of features including keyword research, competitor analysis, and website audits. By using SEMrush to track your local search engine rankings and identify areas for improvement, you can better optimize your website for local search.
These are just a few examples of the many local SEO tools available. By using these tools, you can gain valuable insights into your local search performance and make data-driven decisions to improve your online visibility.
6. Conclusion
In conclusion, local SEO is a crucial aspect of any Bakersfield business’s online presence. By understanding the key terms and concepts involved in local SEO, as well as the specific ranking factors that impact local search results, businesses can improve their online visibility and attract new customers. Local SEO tools can provide valuable insights and data-driven decisions to help businesses optimize their local SEO efforts. By following best practices such as leveraging local directories, getting customer reviews, using local keywords, and creating locally-focused content, Bakersfield businesses can improve their local SEO and ultimately grow their business.
If you are a local business owner in Bakersfield and would like help improving your website’s local SEO, don’t hesitate to reach out to Enspyre Digital, Bakersfield’s Top SEO Agency. Our team of experts can provide you with customized solutions to improve your online visibility and attract more customers. Contact us today to learn more.