How to do local SEO 2018

Local SEO in 2018 revolves around three core elements: your Google My Business listing, local citations, and location-specific content. Start by claiming and completely optimizing your Google My Business profile, which is non-negotiable. Ensure your NAP data (name, address, phone number) is consistent and matches exactly across your website, citations, and directories. Fill out every available field in GMB—business hours, service areas, attributes, photos, and categories. Google uses this information to determine local relevance, so incomplete profiles directly hurt visibility. Post regularly to your GMB feed and monitor customer reviews, responding to both positive and negative feedback. In 2018, Google is increasingly weighting review signals and engagement metrics, so active GMB management directly impacts your local rankings.

Beyond GMB, build high-quality local citations on relevant directories. This means going beyond the "big three" (Google, Yelp, Facebook) and finding industry-specific and location-specific directories that matter for your clients' markets. For a plumber in Denver, this might be local chamber of commerce listings, plumbing-specific directories, and neighborhood sites. Consistency across citations matters, but relevance matters more—a citation on a hyper-local directory carries more weight than a generic listing. Use tools to audit existing citations and identify gaps. Don't just create citations for the sake of it; focus on directories your target customers actually use.

On the content side, create location-specific pages that target your service areas with actual substance. Thin, templated location pages hurt rankings more than they help. Instead, write pages that address local needs, include local keywords naturally, mention local landmarks or neighborhoods, and provide genuine local value. For multi-location businesses, each location page should include unique content about that area, not just different headings with the same body copy. Incorporate schema markup (local business schema) to help Google understand your business structure and locations.

Finally, don't overlook local link building. Get mentioned on local business association sites, sponsor local events and get coverage, and build relationships with local journalists. Local links still carry weight in 2018, particularly from trusted local sources. Focus on quality relationships that generate natural mentions rather than chasing link count. These three pillars—GMB optimization, citations, and location-specific content—form the foundation of effective local SEO for any market.