Building your local SEO outside your core location can help you reach new customers and grow your business.

Local SEO is an important part of businesses.

Whether you run a small shop or provide services, building local SEO in new areas, local SEO always helps get more visibility and put in some extra pushers to increase sales.

In this guide, I will cover the minimum requirements you should implement to extend your local SEO reach beyond just one location and engage new audiences.

Why Building Local SEO Outside Your Core Location is Essential?

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO focuses on making your business appear to more people looking for services or products in their region.

Consider it the equivalent of getting your business listed on Google Maps and in local search results when someone nearby is searching for what you provide.

Why Should You Focus on Building Local SEO Outside Your Core Location?

Expanding your local SEO efforts beyond your main location lets you reach more people in nearby towns or cities.

This allows you to expand your reach, sell more goods, and extend the footprint of your brand without having to open another brick-and-mortar store.

Finding New Areas for Building Local SEO Outside Your Core Location

How to Identify Potential Markets Near You

To expand your local SEO, start by identifying nearby areas that show interest in your business. Look at where your website visitors are coming from and see if there are towns or cities that frequently engage with your online content.

Tools to Help You Spot Local SEO Opportunities

Use these tools to find new areas to target:

• Using Google Analytics to Find New Locations: Check which locations your website visitors are coming from.
• Checking Google Trends for Local Search Demand: See which searches are popular in nearby areas.
• Keyword Research Tools for Location-Based Keywords: Tools like SEMrush can help you find popular keywords for different locations.

Optimizing Your Google Business Profile for New Areas

Creating Profiles for Multiple Locations

If your business serves more than one location, create a separate Google Business Profile for each. It helps local customers to find you easily via these profiles.

Keeping Your Google Business Information Consistent

Make sure all your Google Business Profiles have the same information, like your business name, hours, and services. Consistency helps avoid confusion and builds trust with customers.

Adding Local Content to Each Profile

Include local photos, reviews, and information relevant to each location. This makes your business seem more linked to every area you serve.

Creating Location-Based Content for Local SEO

Writing Blog Posts Targeting New Areas

Create blog posts that mention specific towns, neighborhoods, or local events. For example, if you’re a landscaper, write about common gardening challenges in the new area.

Using Local Keywords Correctly

Include location-specific keywords naturally in your content. Instead of just saying “plumber,” use “plumber in [new location]” to attract local searches.

Including Location-Specific Images and Videos

Add photos and videos of your work in different locations to your website and social media. This makes your content more engaging and relatable for local audiences.

Building Citations and Backlinks for Local SEO Expansion

Citations are mentions of your business on other websites, like local directories or review sites.

This verification can increase your business’s local ranking as it helps search engines confirm location.

Reach out to local blogs, news sites, or community pages for backlink opportunities.

These links can be guest posts, sponsoring events, or simply taking apart in local activities.

Adding Your Business to Local Directories

Get your business listed on local directories to increase exposure, and help potential customers find you.

Using Social Media to Boost Local SEO Outside Your Core Area

How does Social Media help with Local SEO?

Social media can support your local SEO efforts by engaging with local audiences. Utilize social media sites like Facebook and Instagram to interact with potential clients, post material, and advertise nearby events.

Ways to Connect with Local Communities on Social Platforms

Join local groups, engage with community pages, and share relevant content.

This will help to develop your footprint in new locations and create a sense of belonging.

Collecting Reviews from New Locations

The Role of Local Reviews in Building SEO

Positive reviews from different locations can improve your local SEO and attract more customers. Reviews help build trust and show potential customers that others in their area value your business.

How to Encourage Customers to Leave Reviews?

Ask happy customers to leave reviews, especially if they’re from your new target areas. Offer simple ways to review, like sending direct links to your Google Business Profile.

Geo-Targeting Content to Build Local SEO Outside Your Core Location

Creating Landing Pages for Each Location

Create specific landing pages for each new area you’re targeting. These pages should include local keywords, customer testimonials from that area, and relevant information about your services.

Optimizing Your Website’s Meta Tags with Local Keywords

Use local keywords in your page titles, descriptions, and headers to help search engines understand your service areas.

Running Local Ads Campaigns to Improve SEO

Targeting Locations with Google Ads

Run Google Ads campaigns that focus on specific locations.

They can generate local traffic that is crucial to your SEO, they link up individual addresses so you are discovered in new locations.

Using Facebook Ads to Reach Specific Local Audiences

Facebook Ads can be targeted to reach people in specific towns or neighborhoods.

Especially the ones to convey your services or special offers if you are targeting entirely new areas.

Tracking and Measuring Your Local SEO Success in New Areas

Key Metrics to Watch

Monitor your website traffic, conversion rates, and search rankings from the new locations. These metrics will help you see what’s working and where you can improve.

Best Tools to Monitor Local SEO Performance

• Google Search Console for Tracking Local SEO: Check how your site is performing in search results and fix any issues that pop up.
• SEMrush and Ahrefs for Detailed SEO Insights: Use these tools to track keywords, analyze competitors, and optimize your local SEO strategy.

Overcoming Challenges in Building Local SEO Outside Your Core Location

Dealing with Competition in New Markets

Expanding into new areas means you’ll face new competition. Study your competitors to see what they’re doing well and identify opportunities where you can stand out.

Keeping Your Business Information Consistent Across Locations

Make sure your business name, address, and contact details are the same across all your online profiles and directories. This helps maintain your brand and makes it easy for customers to find you.

Tips for Maintaining Your Expanded Local SEO

The Importance of Regular Content Updates

Keep your content fresh and relevant by regularly updating your website, blogs, and social media.

Not only will this keep your audience interested, but it also tells search engines that you are still open for business!

Staying Active in Local Communities

Continue to engage with your new communities through social media, local sponsorships, and events.

Building a strong local presence takes time, but the consistent effort will pay off.

FAQs

How quickly can I see results when building local SEO outside my core location?

Typically, it takes 3 to 6 months to see noticeable results as search engines index your new content and citations.

Is it necessary to have a physical location to build local SEO in new areas?

No, you can still build local SEO without a physical location by creating location-specific content, and citations, and engaging with local communities online.

How can I effectively manage multiple Google Business Profiles?

Use tools like BrightLocal or Moz Local to manage your profiles, ensuring consistency across all listings and simplifying updates.

What’s the best approach to handling negative reviews from new locations?

Respond promptly and professionally to negative reviews. Acknowledge the problem and provide a remedy with proof that you indeed care for your customers.

How do I measure the effectiveness of my expanded local SEO strategy?

Track metrics like local traffic, engagement rates, and conversion rates using tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and SEMrush to gauge your success.

What does “building local SEO outside your core location” mean?

It means optimizing your website and online presence to attract customers in areas beyond your primary business location. This helps you reach a broader audience and improve visibility in new regions.

How can You start building local SEO in your core location?

Begin by creating location-specific content, setting up local business listings, and targeting keywords relevant to the new areas you want to reach. Ensure that your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) details are consistent across all platforms

Conclusion

Local SEO is crucial for any business wishing to attract new customers but chances are that it can only get you so far unless you already own the entire city.

You can create a strong, lasting presence for your business in new markets with some effective strategies; target the right regions/produce profiles on different platforms, and grow among the local communities you engage.

Be sure to update your content and follow up on how you are doing regularly, continue being active in the areas that matter most for ongoing success.