So you’ve built your website, optimized your content, and invested in SEO strategies to improve your online presence in the New Orleans area. But have you considered local SEO keyword research? Localized SEO can be an incredibly powerful tool for attracting new customers within your community.
In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about choosing the right keywords for local SEO. From conducting effective local keyword research to implementing those keywords on your website, we’ve got you covered. So let’s dive in and get started!
Choosing the right keywords is crucial for leveraging the power of SEO and attracting more local customers to your business.
Why Local SEO Keyword Research Matters
First, let’s understand why local SEO keyword research matters for your business. When people search for products or services online, they often include their location in the search terms. For example, someone in New Orleans might search for “best restaurants in New Orleans.” By targeting these local keywords, you can ensure that your local business appears in their search results and attract more potential customers in your area.
Here’s how choosing the right local keywords to target will help your business:
1. Increases visibility locally
When people search online for local businesses, they usually include their location in their search terms. For example, they might search for “best coffee shops near me.” When you optimize your website for these types of keywords, your business is more likely to show up at the top of the search results, increasing visibility and attracting customers from your local community.
2. Targets the right audience
Optimizing for local keywords means you’re targeting people who are more likely to become your customers. These are potential customers who are already searching for the services or products you offer in your area. By appearing in their search results, you’re presenting your local business as a viable option, increasing their chances of choosing you over your competitors.
3. Provides valuable insights
Researching local keywords can provide you with valuable insights into your target audience. You can see what people in your area are searching for, what their pain points are, and what products or services they’re interested in. By utilizing this data, you can tailor your content and services to better meet the needs of your potential customers.
4. Helps build credibility
Social proof is an essential factor in building credibility for your business. One crucial way to do this is by securing a spot in the top search results. By appearing at the top, you’re presenting your business as one of the best options in your area and are more likely to earn the trust and loyalty of potential customers.
5. Low-cost marketing
Investing in local SEO keyword research is an affordable marketing strategy with a high return on investment. Unlike traditional marketing methods like flyers or ads, local SEO can have long-term effects, constantly attracting new customers without additional ongoing costs.
Local SEO is a tool every business should consider when creating their online presence. By targeting local keywords, you increase visibility, target the right audience, provide valuable insights, and build credibility while keeping costs low. It’s a highly effective way to attract new customers and establish your presence within the New Orleans community. So, local SEO keyword research is something that can be a real game-changer for your local online presence.
Optimizing for local keywords means you’re targeting people who are more likely to become your customers.
Conducting Local Keyword Research
Now that you understand the importance of local keywords, let’s discuss how to effectively conduct local keyword research. This process will help you identify the most relevant and valuable keywords for your New Orleans business. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Start with Seed Keywords
Begin by brainstorming a list of seed keywords that are relevant to your business. Seed keywords are the building blocks of your SEO strategy. They help you to identify the words and phrases that your potential customers are searching for online.
By starting with seed keywords, you can develop a list of keywords that are relevant to your business and create content that targets these keywords. This will make it easier for your website to rank higher in search results for the specific queries your potential customers are looking for.
The first step to finding the right seed keywords for your business is to brainstorm a list of keywords that are relevant to your products, services, or industry. For example, if you own a spa in New Orleans, your seed keywords could include “New Orleans spa,” “spa packages in New Orleans,” “spas in New Orleans,” and so on. Make sure to think like your potential customers and try to imagine what they might search for when looking for a local business like yours.
Step 2: Expand Your List with Local Modifiers
Next, expand your list of seed keywords by adding local modifiers. These keyword modifiers include specific location terms that your target audience might use when searching. By adding local modifiers, you can enhance the relevance of your target keywords and improve your chances of appearing in local search results. This is especially important for small businesses that rely on local customers and want to compete with larger national brands.
The first step in adding local modifiers to your seed keywords is to brainstorm a list of location-specific terms. Start by researching the neighborhoods and cities where you want to attract customers such as the Garden District, the French Quarter, the West Bank, and so on. Also think about local landmarks and tourist attractions like Bourbon St. or the French Market or events like Jazz Fest that could be used as modifiers.
Once you have a list of local modifiers, it’s time to use them strategically in your content. Don’t just stuff them randomly into your website; use them naturally in your website copy, blog posts, and meta descriptions. Also, make sure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) is consistent across all your online profiles. This consistency helps search engines like Google verify that your business is legit and located in the area you say you’re in.
Step 3: Utilize Keyword Research Tools
To uncover additional keyword opportunities, use keyword research tools. These tools provide insights into search volume, competition level, and other valuable data. You simply enter your seed keywords into these tools and explore the suggestions they provide. Look for relevant keywords with significant search volume and moderate competition and any low-hanging fruit opportunities.
Some keyword research tools are free, others are paid. But here are the most popular ones:
Google Keyword Planner: This is a free tool offered by Google that provides insights into search volume, competition level, and potential bid estimates. You can enter your seed keywords and get a list of related terms along with their search volume and competition levels. It’s a great tool for discovering new keywords and getting an idea of which ones are worth targeting. You can also filter results by location, language, and date range.
SEMrush: This is a paid tool that offers more advanced features than Google Keyword Planner. It provides detailed information on organic and paid search, including keyword difficulty, search volume, and CPC. You can also use it to analyze your competitors’ keywords and see which ones they’re targeting. It’s a powerful tool for identifying untapped niche keywords that your competitors may have overlooked.
Moz Keyword Explorer: This is another paid tool that offers a comprehensive keyword research suite. It provides insight into keyword difficulty, organic click-through rates, and potential search volume. One unique feature of Moz Keyword Explorer is its ability to generate question-based keywords – these are long-tail keywords that are specific to user queries. This tool is ideal for content creators who want to create content that answers specific questions.
Ahrefs: This is a paid tool that offers a suite of SEO features, including keyword research. Ahrefs provides data on search volume, keyword difficulty, and potential traffic. It also offers a unique feature called “parent topic” – this is a broad topic that a keyword belongs to. You can use this feature to find related keywords that you may not have thought of before.
Answer the Public: This is a free tool that generates keywords based on user queries. It provides questions, prepositions, and comparisons related to your seed keyword. It’s a great tool for finding long-tail, conversational keywords that your target audience may be searching for.
As you can see, there are several tools available to help you conduct local keyword research that can provide valuable insights into search volume, competition level, and other important data. By using these tools, you can uncover additional keyword opportunities that can help increase your online visibility and ultimately attract more customers.
Remember to target relevant keywords with significant search volume and moderate competition to get the best results. These keyword research tools can really help you take your online presence to the next level.
Utilize keyword research tools to uncover additional keyword opportunities and understand how easy or difficult it would be to rank for them.
Step 4: Analyze Competitor Target Keywords
Sometimes, the best place to look for inspiration is your competition. After all, it’s not always necessary to reinvent the wheel. By analyzing their websites, you can gain valuable insights into what keywords they’re using. This simple step can help identify gaps in your strategy and boost your ranking.
Once you’ve identified your competitors, it’s time to analyze their websites. Look for keywords they’re ranking for and use them as a benchmark. Make sure to focus on their content, title tags, and meta descriptions as these elements can reveal a lot about their approach. Tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs can provide a comprehensive analysis of your competitors’ websites.
Now, you can use the information you’ve gathered to identify gaps in your own keyword strategy. Are there keywords you’re not targeting but your competitors are? These very likely are missed opportunities for visibility and conversions. Use this information to adjust your existing SEO strategy and include keywords that resonate with your target audience.
Analyzing your competitors’ websites is one of the most effective ways and sometimes one of the easiest ways to identify relevant and profitable local keyword ideas. By understanding your competition’s strategy, you can adjust your own and gain a competitive edge in the market.
Step 5: Consider Search Intent
While conducting local keyword research, it is essential to consider search intent. Search intent refers to the reason behind a user’s search query. Are they looking for information, ready to make a purchase, or seeking a specific service? By understanding the intent, you can tailor your content to meet the needs of your target audience effectively. This tailored approach will result in higher user satisfaction and better rankings in Google.
The first step towards understanding search intent is to familiarize yourself with the different types of user intent. They are:
- Informational Intent: The user is looking for information on a particular topic. For example, “best seafood restaurants in New Orleans.”
- Navigational Intent: The user is searching for a specific website or page. For example, “Café Du Monde website.”
- Commercial Intent: The user is looking to buy a product or service. For example, “best crawfish boil catering in New Orleans.”
- Transactional Intent: The user is ready to make a purchase. For example, “buy exterior paint in New Orleans.”
By determining the type of intent behind the keywords you’re targeting, you can create content that precisely matches the user’s needs. This approach will lead to better-quality traffic, increased engagement, and higher conversion rates.
After you understand the search intent, optimize your website using long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords are long, more specific phrases that target a particular audience with a clear search intent. These keywords usually have lower search volume, but they are easier to rank for and have higher conversion rates.
For instance, instead of targeting the broad keyword “New Orleans remodelers,” target long-tail keywords such as “New Orleans historic home remodelers/remodeling company.” Such keywords will attract users with very specific commercial intent.
Step 6: Refine Your Keyword List
Once you have gathered a comprehensive list of potential keywords, it’s time to refine and narrow it down. Focus on relevance, selecting keywords that are closely related to your products, services, and target audience. Take into account the specific needs and interests of your audience in the New Orleans area.
In this regard, it’s important to prioritize quality over quantity when it comes to your keyword selection. While it’s tempting to include as many keywords as possible, it’s not always the best approach. Instead, focus on choosing keywords that are most likely to attract your ideal customers and align with your business goals. Quality keywords will not only help you attract the right audience, but they’ll also increase the chances of converting website visitors into paying customers.
Step 7: Evaluate Keyword Difficulty
Keyword difficulty refers to how challenging it is to rank for a specific keyword. When choosing keywords for your website, you want to target those that your potential customers are likely to search for. However, some keywords are more competitive than others and it might be an uphill battle to rank for them on search engine results pages.
For example, broad terms like “restaurant” or “hotel” are highly competitive and will be difficult to rank for, especially if you’re a small business or new to the market. On the other hand, more specific long-tail keywords like “New Orleans seafood restaurant near City Park” have lower competition and are more likely to lead to conversions.
So how can you assess keyword difficulty? There are a few metrics to consider, such as the number of search results and backlinks for a particular keyword. While you don’t need to be an SEO expert to do this, it’s important to use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to research and analyze the keywords you’re considering going after.
By understanding the competition level and search volume for different keywords, you can choose the ones that are most likely to help you rank higher in search results and attract more organic traffic to your website and in the end, more customers.
Step 8: Implement and Monitor Your Rankings in Search Engines
Once you’ve finished doing your local SEO keyword research, it’s time to optimize your website for local search engine ranking success. Make sure that all page titles, meta descriptions, headings, and images are properly optimized with the keywords you’ve narrowed down during your research. Create additional content around these keywords such as through new blog posts or webpages. And don’t forget to review your existing content and add your new keywords throughout the whole website copy.
Next up: create a Google Business profile if you haven’t done so already. This will allow customers to find you more quickly as well as helping boost your local presence on Google. When setting up your profile, make sure it’s optimized with the same target keywords you used in your keyword research and link it back to your website and social media accounts.
Once you have implemented your keywords, regularly monitor and track their performance. Pay attention to changes in search trends, evaluate your website’s performance using tools like Google Analytics and Search Console, and make adjustments to your keyword strategy if necessary.
Remember, SEO is an ongoing process, and staying up-to-date with keyword trends is a must if you want to be visible and stay visible in local search results.
Investing in local SEO keyword research is an affordable marketing strategy with a high return on investment.
It All Starts by Choosing the Right Keywords
By following the steps outlined above, you can leverage the power of SEO to get ahead of your competition. Whether you’re a restaurant trying to attract customer, a boutique wanting to increase brand exposure, or a contractor wanting more leads, utilizing the right local keywords can help make that happen.
So, take the time and effort to select quality keywords that represent your business and focus on search intent, relevance, and visibility. With the right local keywords in place, you’ll start to see an increase in website traffic from your target audience and as a result attract more local customers to your business.