By Reaching out to people in your city must be one of your top priorities when creating and implementing your content marketing strategy. Since the locals are more likely to purchase your product or service because there are no significant physical obstacles for doing so, you can’t afford to ignore or disregard them.
Search engines also share the same sentiment. People looking for a pizza restaurant in Chicago will get results of establishments in the city. It is highly unlikely that an Italian diner located in California will end up on the first page of their search.
Publishing localized content, or content specific to users in particular locations is one way of ranking higher on search engines and getting more customers within your area. If you are a local business in Dubai for instance, it pays to work with a seasoned freelance copywriter in Dubai to ensure the content presents local flavor and insider expertise.
Aside from posting new content intended for your target market, if you have business expansion plans, you can localize existing ones for the same purpose. By properly translating and adapting your current content, you will make it more relevant and culturally-sensitive for the specific city or state you will be expanding to.
With more relevant and culturally-appropriate content, you will be successful in reaching out to a new market. The localized, quality articles will be a great help in your local search engine optimization campaign as well.
How to Create Optimized Localized Content
Whether you are crafting new content or localizing the ones on your site for expansion purposes, follow these tips to ensure they are optimized for local searches:
1. Use location-specific words and phrases
One of the easiest techniques for creating localized content is to incorporate language that your target market uses or are familiar with in the keywords you will use and in the articles themselves.
Before you start writing content, create a list of words and phrases that people in your target destination widely use. Look up these words, expressions, and catchphrases online. If you know individuals who live in that particular area, ask or interview them as well.
Once you have a list, use these words in your content or incorporate them in your keywords. Check for keyword competitiveness and area-specific search volumes to make sure they will help optimize the content.
When you use the right keywords in your content for your target locale, you will boost your SEO in this particular area.
2. Find out how your target market looks for your product or service
People from different countries use different techniques for searching for the things they need. Use this fact to your advantage to increase your page rankings.
Study how people in your target area use the Internet to look for the product or service you offer. Start by researching your competitors; find out how they advertise their offerings. Try to learn how and where they get their inbound links from as well.
Conducting a survey in your target locale is also an excellent way to find out how consumers look for and purchase items on the Internet.
Once you have enough data and understand the differences in cultures, use them in your new and localized content. By doing so, you will be able to optimize the reach of your online marketing campaign and give your company the most traction in your chosen area.
3. Team up with local experts
If your research is not enough or you think you can craft better localized content with more information, consider working with experts based in your target locale.
Marketing, advertising, and sales experts and influencers who are looked up to in your chosen area have a better understanding of the language, culture, interests, and purchasing habits of the locals. As such, they can give you helpful insights that will allow you to craft engaging localized content.
Additionally, these local experts can give you some editorial advice if you are adapting existing content. They will help you come up with more accurate translations of your posts.
Lastly, with the insights and advice of industry experts and leaders in your target area, you can effectively convey your brand’s emotions and messages to your audience.
When you have content that catches the interest of and resonates with your new market, you can expect your website to rank higher on search engines.
4. Offer something that will set you apart from the competition
Whether you want to rank higher in local searches or your target area, offering something that your competitors don’t will help boost your SEO rankings.
Create content about features and perks that your competitors do not offer. By showcasing these bonuses and value-added services, you will have more people searching for your site.
However, make sure these perks and add-ons will catch the interest of your target market. If you want to offer discounts or coupon codes, find out what amount or percentage will excite the local consumers. You may have to offer something higher than what you are used to if you want to make a splash in a new city.
Additionally, conduct some market research to test your concepts before promoting them on your site to ensure they will be locally relevant and culturally appropriate.
5. Don’t forget the technical aspect of content localization
Before publishing your localized content, make sure it will help your website rank higher on search engines by working on its technical components. These include font size, design, and layout.
Although you have already made your content as relevant and engaging to your target market, you still need to present it in a way that feels natural and familiar to them. This means using a font and size that the locals are used to.
Also, make sure page scores high on readability. You don’t want to turn off potential customers simply because the text is spilling over the menu bar of the page, making the content impossible to read.
6. Use the right social channels
Lastly, a crucial part of search engine optimization is social media marketing. As such, focus your attention on this part as well.
When localizing content to boost local SEO, it is important to use only the most relevant social platforms. Again, do some research and identify the most popular channels in your target region.
Keep in mind that even if a site is widely used in your location, it doesn’t mean it is also popular in another city. Every area has its own preferences which you need to find out if you want to rank higher on search engines.
Content localization is a vital part of expanding your business. It is also something you have to work on if you want people in your area to know more about your brand, product, or service.
You will achieve both goals if you find a way to make content localization and SEO work for you.
AUTHOR BIO:
Hisham Wyne is an award-winning copywriter, brand consultant and content creator based in Dubai. He has over a decade’s experience in helping brands get their messages right. From crisp web copy and zippy brochures to in-depth company profiles and analytical annual reports, Hisham makes words work for you – so you can sell better, gain visibility, and give your brand a unique voice.
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