July 19, 2012

Geo-targeting is an SEO technique that focuses on making your business location clear to search engines, and hence figuring in searches done in regard to that particular location. This is an especially useful tool for local businesses that do not have a global business set up, and can significantly help to propel you higher on Google. As a user on Google, you have probably noticed that the ads and search results that you see on your web pages are relevant to your location.

Google utilizes its ability to geo-locate to make that possible. When this approach is looked at the other way round, from the point of view of the websites that figure in these search results, the significance of geo-targeting becomes clear.

Enlisted below are a few simple steps that you can take to geo-target your website for Google search-

  • Get a country-specific domain, e.g. .com.au, .ca, or .uk to make the country that you are based in instantly clear to Google.
  • Make sure that your web hosting server is based in the same country that you are targeting. Some hosting providers may have offices in a certain country, despite actually being based overseas.
  • Something as simple as the language that you use on your website can be used to gauge your location. So make an extra effort to ensure that the spellings/ grammar/ colloquialisms in your site’s content reflect your actual location.
  • It is always useful to have in-bound links from local customers rather than overseas customers for geo-targeting your website. These could be any form of user-generated content like referrals or testimonials.
  • One of the easiest ways to generate local traffic for your website is by submitting your website to local search directories. It is important to look at the directory’s quality and ensure that it is presentable before making a submission.
  • Another great way to geo-target your website for Google is to include your name, address, and even pin code on the footer of each page on your website. Be careful not to overcrowd it with multiple addresses, but to create different pages for different locations instead.
  • It also helps to include your location in the tag of your website. For instance, you should choose “Texas property dealer” instead of “property dealing services”. This also stands true for other meta content like your website’s title and description.
  • You can also utilize Google’s webmaster account to let Google know about the location you wish to serve with your website.

If your potential customers are in your local area, you need to stop wasting time on achieving global search rankings, and make the most of geo-targeting. After all, it is the local customers who will eventually turn into loyal customers!

Centex Technologies is a Central Texas based SEO company that serves Austin, Dallas and Killeen regions. For more information on Internet Marketing in Austin, Dallas and Killeen, feel free to call us at our toll free no – (800) 236-1497

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