Toronto Mike

SEO Tips for Toronto Small Business Owners Coming 2016

Google is  shifting to a more semantic-heavy strategy in 2016, thus small businesses in  Toronto need to focus on local SEO in order to drive both targeted web traffic  and foot traffic. Here are a few tips and tricks small business owners in  Toronto should spend time perfecting in order to drive targeted quality  visitors to their websites.

1. Pay Attention to Google’s Newest  Algorithm, “Pigeon”.
 Google’s  newest algorithm “Pigeon” drastically changed the way some local results are  displayed by modifying how they handle and interpret location cues. The  “Pigeon” update creates closer ties between core and local algorithms for  increased efficiency and consistency.

2. Do an SEO Audit
 Implementing  everything you read is like taking a very basic approach to an extremely  specific and individualized issue. No two businesses are the same, so you have  to take an individualized approach on the SEO tips, tricks, and strategies by  performing a thorough SEO audit. You can either do self-audit using helpful  internet resources and guides or you can seek help from an independent agency. If  you opt for a self-audit, you will save money and learn some new things about  your website and SEO in general, which would enable you to face issues head-on.  But with an independent audit, you gain access to fresh new ideas of  experienced experts who can spot the issues quickly and work with you to fix  them.  The  following 2015 local SEO tips will help your small business drive more traffic  and sales.

SEO Toronto Tips for 2015

Mobile-friendly
 Back in  April of 2015 Google implemented the mobile-friendliness ranking signal for  mobile search results worldwide. Toppled with the fact that smartphones and  tablets make up 35 percent of organic search traffic, it means optimizing your  website to be mobile friendly should be a top priority for your website and  pages. Investing in a responsive design is the best long term solution to make  your website mobile friendly.

Create Detailed And Strategic Location Web  Pages
 Create very  detailed and strategic location pages with relevant content and descriptive  keywords. Include both your target city and state in the title tags, H1 headings,  and URLs for optimal results.

Fix Google My Business Issues
 Google My  Business is finally taking off, so you’ll want to ensure your page is optimized  and accurate for it. Key things to consider include ensuring your location is  correctly placed on the map and check plagiarism and the accuracy of your contact information,  payment types, hours of operation etc. And ensure your official business  website is on your local Google+ page. By encouraging reviews from clients and  customers, you will give your website a social media boost it really needs.

Get Listed On Business Directories
 Verifying  the authenticity of your Google My Business page is not enough; include your  business information on other reputable online directories as well. There are  hundreds available of different types, including industry specific ones  applicable to your business. Some top listing directories include White Pages,  Foursquare, CitySearch and Yelp…

Don’t Forget Meta Descriptions
 Some people  may question the relevancy of Meta descriptions in search ranking results, but  Meta descriptions are very important as there’s an obvious relationship between  the quality of Meta descriptions and click through rates (CTR).

Target Local Blogs and Websites
 Targeting  local blogs and websites is one of the best ways to increase organic relevancy.  Search for such blogs using terms like “[target city] blogs” or “[target  industry] blogs”. By building relationships with these site owners or bloggers,  you increase your chances of getting mentioned or gaining access to guest  blogging opportunities.

Making Use of Social Media
 You can’t  ignore the social media in 2016 if you want to optimize your website for local  results. Use some geo-location tools to help you track, capitalize, and listen  to local traffic and conversations.

Target Geo-specific Long Tail Keywords
 Creating  strategic location pages is not enough; you need to also target geo-specific  long tail keywords through content optimization and blogging. In most cases the  intent behind long tail traffic is to buy or enquire about a service.

Google has  brought in new changes which you must comply to if you want to have SEO success  in 2016, and beyond. For some businesses, the changes may seem big but in fact  all a business will need to do is to slightly change their focus and realign their  goals. The bottom line is, it is all about a better user experience for  searchers and more precise and reliable results.
 Source: SEO Royals

Author image
About Toronto Mike
Toronto
I own TMDS and host Toronto MIke'd. Become a Patron.