While some people still believe that local SEO and traditional SEO are just the same thing, the reality is that the two are very different strategies. Although both are aimed at optimising a website for search engines, local SEO and traditional SEO work differently to achieve different results.

Let’s dive straight in.

Essentially, traditional SEO is aimed at service and brand-related searches, irrelevant of the customer's location. . Local SEO however is focused specifically on a local audience, where optimisations are made based on location to ensure that customers nearby can quickly find the business they’re looking for and head to it. This is incredibly important for local businesses such as coffee shops, hairdressers, plumbers, legal and accounting firms to name only a handful, whose clients need a local business to serve their needs .

That said, both are essential to local business, and it’s a good idea to use both traditional SEO and local SEO. However, if you are unfamiliar with local SEO and how you can set it up for your local business, for example your accounting firm, you're in luck! Here are some things you can do to get started:

1. Map Out the Location

In order to kick off your local search activities, the first thing you need to do is to map out your location. This is so that it is clear where the business is located and what it is called.

For example, if your accounting firm is located in a particular part of town, you'll want to make sure you have the correct name of your city/town and the correct post code. Google is smart, but it won't be able to search for your location if it doesn't know where it is!

While traditional SEO can produce results for anywhere in the world, local SEO produces results based on the location of the searcher, for example using the local map pack in Google. This is why it is vital that your company location is clear and correct.

2. Local Citations

Online listings are the digital equivalent of phone directories, and you need to be listed consistently on all of them to boost your local search ranking. In turn, you will generate more traffic and enquiries.

It’s important for local businesses to take care of their online visibility by identifying and adding listings to relevant local, niche and general online directories. It’s also vital to identify and fix inaccurate listings, and remove any duplicates.

3. Set up a Google Business Profile Account (GBP)

Google Business Profile Allows you to set up your business so it appears on Google Maps and Google Search.

Setting up GBP is a vital part of any local SEO service, as it allows you to create a dedicated page for your local business which includes information, including your business name, address, phone number, operating hours and more, all of which are important for local SEO. Therefore, if a customer in your local area is searching for ‘accountants near me’, Google will understand your business is local to the searcher and your company will appear high on the search results. All down to yours and the searchers location.

4. Acquire Reviews

Most people will search on Google for a business' name before deciding to visit the business itself. Therefore it’s very important to acquire reviews and comments from happy customers. For example, if you are a large accounting firm and specialise in tax, and a potential client wants to see if your company is suitable for them , they would probably type in your company's name and read the associated reviews. This is why you want to make sure you have a lot of positive reviews online!

With small local businesses, this is even more important. If a business such as yours doesn't have current reviews, people will be less likely to consider your business and opt for another firm that has positive and current reviews. As such, it's a really good idea to get as many online reviews as you can.

Conclusion

All of these are simple yet hugely effective ways you can set up local SEO for your accountancy firm. In doing so, you will ensure that your business is optimised and your business can be found easily by anyone who is looking for an accountant nearby. And, by optimising your local business online, you can ensure that you'll increase your local customer base.

LocalMark seo agency in Croydon offers local SEO for service, trade, and retail businesses. If you are looking for a local SEO service in the UK for your accountancy firm or other local business, get in touch with us today!