8 Tips to Improve Your Local SEO Reporting

If you run a local business, improving your local SEO can be a game-changer. But how do you know if your efforts are paying off? Enter local SEO reporting. In this guide, we'll give you 8 expert tips to improve your Google My Business Profile using local SEO reports to track your success. From tracking rankings to optimising for Google My Business, we've got you covered. So let's dive in and take your local SEO to the next level!

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the practice of optimising a website and its content to increase its visibility and rankings in local search results. It involves targeting specific geographical areas, such as cities, suburbs or neighbourhoods, and optimising a business's online presence to attract more local customers. 

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The goal of local SEO is to help promote local businesses and make it easy for potential customers searching for their products or services in their local area. It often involves optimising a business's website, Google My Business profile, and other online directories and citations to improve their rankings in local search results.

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What are the Benefits of Local SEO?

Local SEO offers several benefits for businesses looking to increase their online visibility and attract more local customers. Some of the key benefits of local SEO include:

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• Increased visibility in local search results: Local SEO helps businesses show up in relevant local search results, making it easier for potential customers to find them.
• More website traffic: With better visibility in local search results, businesses can attract more website traffic from local customers who are actively searching for their products or services.
• Better targeting of local customers: Local SEO allows businesses to target specific geographical areas, such as cities or neighbourhoods, to attract more local customers.
• Increased trust and credibility: A strong local SEO presence can help establish a business's trust and credibility with potential customers in their area through positive reviews and ratings.
• Competitive advantage: By optimising their online presence for local search, businesses can gain a competitive advantage over other businesses in their local area.

How Does Google Rank Local SEO?

Google uses a variety of factors to determine the ranking of local search results. Some of the key factors that influence local SEO ranking include:

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• Relevance: Google looks for businesses that are relevant to the user's search query, such as the business's category, name, and description.
• Distance: Google takes into account the physical distance between the user's location and the business's location when determining search results.
• Prominence: Google considers how well-known a business is in its local area, based on factors such as the number of reviews and ratings, the quality and quantity of backlinks, and the business's overall online reputation.
• Google My Business profile: Google heavily relies on the information provided in a business's Google My Business (GMB) profile, such as the business's name, address, phone number, business hours, reviews, and photos.
• Website quality and content: Google also considers the quality and relevance of a business's website and its content when determining search results.
• Citations: Google takes into account the consistency and accuracy of a business's online citations, such as directory listings and mentions on other websites.

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Understanding how these factors work and getting your local SEO set up right can increase the lead generation and save you a lot of time and energy. This is where digital marketing agencies like us can help you with. We can guide you in creating and improving your local SEO reports, driving your business growth, sales, and revenue.

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Do Good Things is a full-service SEO and website design Auckland businesses can rely on.  We specialise in helping grow businesses' online presence. If you want to know the best local SEO strategy that suits your goals and needs, feel free to reach out to us; we will be more than happy to attend to your content marketing needs!

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Get in touch with us as we can help you with your SEO needs to boost your organic search growth. We believe that the heart of any good marketing campaign starts with a strong SEO strategy and a team whom you can rely on.

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How Do I Set Up My Local SEO?

If you're looking to improve your business's visibility and attract more local customers, setting up your local SEO is essential. To help you get started, here are some key steps you can take to optimise your business's online presence and improve your local search rankings:

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1. Claim and optimise your Google My Business (GMB) profile: This is a crucial step in local SEO. Following the guided steps to create your GMB profile. Ensure the profile is complete, accurate, and up-to-date, and including your business name, address, phone number, business hours, and photos.
2. Optimise your website for local search using local keywords: Use local keywords in your website content, meta descriptions, and title tags to help Google understand where your business is located and what it offers. Use long-tail keywords to target specific local search queries.
3. Use schema markup: Use schema markup to provide additional information about your business to search engines, such as your business hours, address, and phone number. This can help improve your visibility in local search results.

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If you're short on time or unsure where to start, an SEO agency specialising in Local SEO can speed up the process and make it easy for you to start ranking in your area. 

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Do Good Things can help optimise your local search and website site in a flash. Our methods are tried and tested on our site and we rank number 1 for 10/10 services we offer in our own home town. Get in touch today and we will show you how we can help you!

What is Local SEO Reporting?

Local SEO reporting refers to the process of tracking and analysing the performance of your local SEO efforts. It involves monitoring various metrics and data points related to your local search rankings, website traffic, customer reviews, and other factors that influence your business's online visibility and reputation in your local area. 

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The purpose of local SEO reporting is to help you understand how well your local SEO strategies are working, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions to optimise your local SEO efforts. Local SEO reporting can be done through various tools and platforms, including Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and third-party SEO reporting tools.

How to Track Your Local SEO Results?

Tracking your local SEO results involves monitoring various metrics and data points related to your local search rankings, website traffic, customer reviews, and other factors that influence your business's online visibility and reputation in your local area. Here are some ways to track your local SEO results:

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• Google My Business Insights: This tool provides detailed data on how users interact with your Google My Business listing, including how many people view your listing, where they're located, and how they found your listing.
• Google Analytics: This tool allows you to track your website traffic, including how many people visit your site, where they're located, and how they found your site. It also centralises the data from Google Search Console and your website in one place.
• Google Search Console: This tool provides insights into how your website performs in Google search results, including your average search ranking by search query, the number of clicks your site receives, and the search queries and keywords people use to find your site.
• Third-party SEO reporting tools: There are several third-party tools available that allow you to track your local SEO results, including Moz Local, BrightLocal, and SEMrush. These tools can provide detailed insights into your local search rankings, website traffic, and online reputation.

What are Metrics to Track?

To track your local SEO performance effectively, it's important to monitor a range of metrics and data points related to your local search rankings, website traffic, customer reviews, and other factors that influence your business's online visibility and reputation. Here are some key metrics to track for local SEO:

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• Google My Business metrics: Monitor the number of views, clicks, calls, and direction requests for your Google My Business listing. Also, keep an eye on the average position and engagement rate for your listing.
• Local search rankings: Track your website's local search rankings for targeted keywords and phrases in your local area, such as SEO Wellington or Builders Queenstown. 
• Website traffic: Monitor your website's traffic, including the number of unique visitors, page views, bounce rate, and time spent on your site.
• Online reviews: Keep track of the number, frequency, and sentiment of online reviews on sites such as Google, Yelp, and Facebook.
• Local citations: Monitor the number and quality of local business citations, including directory listings, mentions on other websites, and backlinks.
• Social media engagement: Track your social media engagement metrics, including the number of followers, likes, shares, and comments on your social media profiles.

How Do You Create a SEO Reporting Dashboard?

Creating an SEO reporting dashboard is a great way to track and analyse your local SEO performance over time. Here are some steps you can take to create an SEO reporting dashboard:

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1. Define your goals: Before you start creating your SEO reporting dashboard, define your goals and objectives. This will help you identify the key metrics and data points to track, and ensure that your dashboard is focused on the metrics that matter most to your business.
2. Choose your reporting tool: There are many tools available for creating SEO reporting dashboards, including Google Data Studio, Tableau, and Klipfolio. Choose a tool that best fits your needs and budget.
3. Determine your KPIs: Identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) that you want to track in your dashboard. These might include metrics such as website traffic, local search rankings, online reviews, and social media engagement.
4. Gather your data: Collect the data you need to track your KPIs. This might involve connecting your reporting tool to Google Analytics, Google Search Console, or other SEO tools.
5. Design your dashboard: Create a visually appealing dashboard that clearly displays your KPIs and other important data points. Use charts, graphs, and other visualisations to make your data easy to understand.
6. Set up automated reports: Set up automated reports to ensure that your dashboard is updated regularly with the latest data. This will save you time and make it easier to track your SEO performance over time.

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Feel free to read our complete guide if you want to know more on How to build an SEO Reporting Dashboard.

What are the 8 Tips to Improve Local SEO Reporting?

Improving the quality of your local SEO reporting is crucial, and it starts with creating informative and customised reports. Follow these guidelines to effectively track and analyse your local SEO performance.

Tip #1: Identify The Right Metrics

Determine which metrics are most important for your business goals, such as local search rankings, website traffic, phone calls, or direction requests.

Tip #2: Use Data Visualisation Tools

Use data visualisation tools such as Google Data Studio or Tableau to create custom reports that are easy to read and understand.

Tip #3: Set Up Tracking And Reporting Tools

Use tracking and reporting tools such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Google My Business Insights to collect and analyse data about your local SEO performance.

Tip #4: Analyse And Measure The Success

Analyse and measure the changes you make to gain insights into how your local SEO efforts are impacting your business. Use the data to identify areas for improvement. Choose your local keywords which have low competition but solid search volume to optimise for first, then track your gains over a period of weeks to see what has worked the best and then iterate on that. 

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Tip #5: Customise Your Reports

Customise your reports to focus on the metrics that matter most to your business. Include visual aids such as charts, graphs, and tables to make the data more accessible. Making it easy to read and access will ensure you see the gains you make. 

Tip #6: Provide Actionable Insights

Provide actionable insights that can help your team make informed decisions about how to improve your local SEO performance.

Tip #7: Regularly Review And Update Your Reports

Regularly review and update your reports to reflect changes in your local SEO strategy and business goals. This could be focusing on a new set of keywords for a period of time or as you refine your SEO strategy you can increase the types of KPIs you track. 

Tip #8: Communicate Your Findings

Communicate your findings to your team, clients, or stakeholders in a clear and concise manner. Use the data to demonstrate the impact of your local SEO efforts and make a case for continued investment in local SEO. 

How Can I Improve My Local SEO Listing?

Improving your local SEO listing is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort and attention. Here are some tips to improve your local SEO listing:

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• Claim and optimise your Google My Business (GMB) listing: Claim your business on GMB, ensure that your business information is accurate and complete, and use relevant keywords in your business description and category. Add photos and videos to your listing to make it more engaging and informative.
• Get listed in relevant online directories: List your business in relevant online directories such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Yellow Pages. Make sure that your business information is consistent across all directories.
• Use local keywords: Use local keywords in your website content, meta descriptions, and title tags to help Google understand where your business is located and what it offers. Use long-tail keywords to target specific local search queries.
• Encourage customer reviews: Encourage your customers to leave reviews on your GMB listing and other relevant review sites. Respond to reviews promptly and professionally. Positive reviews can help improve your local search rankings and attract more local customers.
• Use schema markup: Use schema markup to provide additional information about your business to search engines, such as your business hours, address, and phone number. This can help improve your visibility in local search results.
• Build local backlinks: Build high-quality backlinks from local websites and directories to your website. This can help boost your local search rankings and drive more traffic to your site. Consider partnering with other local businesses to create mutually beneficial link-building opportunities.
• Build local citations: Create local business citations, such as directory listings and mentions on other websites, to help establish your business's online presence and credibility.
• Use social media: Use social media to engage with local customers and promote your business. Share relevant content, promotions, and news about your business. Use social media advertising to target local audiences and drive more traffic to your website.
• Monitor your local SEO performance: Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor your local SEO performance. Track your rankings, traffic, and engagement metrics, and make adjustments as needed to improve your performance over time.

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Remember that local SEO is an ongoing process, so continue to monitor your performance and make adjustments as needed to stay ahead of the competition.

Do Good Things offers a wide array of digital marketing services in Wellington, including website design, content optimization, and SEO services. We all know by now how important local SEO reporting is - it leads to better business outcomes and increased success in local search results.

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Working toward improving your SEO reports is vital in achieving the online presence you're aiming for. We can help you boost your SEO rankings for local searches. We'll do this by building a comprehensive report and tailoring an SEO strategy to get you on the first page of Google.

‍Get in touch with us today, so we can talk about how we can help you evaluate your website's performance!