Creating local landing pages may be one of the best methods in growing your lead source in a local, targeted area.
This post will overview exactly what to do and how to do it so you’ll be ready to create a better local marketing plan (in relation to search marketing).
Ranking better in the SERPS is a powerful way to create long term, lead gathering success.
This is a two part process involving a strategy that is neither simple nor quick. However, it will prove to be effective if implemented correctly.
Ultimately, after you’ve completed many of the content steps the primary goal is to gather social media mentions and high quality links (How to: described below).
This post will help the following businesses:
Single Location Service Area
You have a dedicated street address and a local phone number, but you don’t expect your customers to come to you.
Single Location Brick & Mortar
This is the retail shop, doctor’s office, or restaurant with just one physical location. However, you have clients visiting from other cities nearby.
Multi Location Brick & Mortar or Service Area
In this scenario, you have more than one office, either from which your staff travels to offer services or to which your customers come to do business.
National Company with a Local Outreach Need
National Company with a Local Outreach Need Search engine traffic may have dropped and you need a boost.
First, you’ll start off with your basic plan (an understanding of what you’ll be doing). We recommend starting with one city, gauging success and then moving on to expand in your marketing area.
Local Landing Page Lead Overview
- Identify the key cities in which you serve, beyond your city of location. Pick one, start there.
- Create a unique page with city specific content on your website for each of these cities (or areas) See Below. One page per city, content MUST be unique and useful. Start with one city, analyze and move to more (in time).
- Earn links and social media mentions. See Below.
- Update content regularly. Make sure all details on the pages are current (up to date and useful).
How to Execute the Local Lead Plan
The first step in creating a powerful, valuable landing page is planning.
This initial blog post (your set up) is not to be self serving, it’s simply to showcase a high quality and useful page that local influencers want to share.
Creating the Blog Post (social mentions & link bait)
Jump In
Discuss the city and what it has to offer, serve as a local resource for the city (City Spotlight). Include any details you can dream up.
An example of a title for your blog post could be “Minneapolis City Spotlight (why we love Minneapolis and you should too)”
Include a Calendar of Events
Send yourself an update to update the events at certain times during the year.
Share Advice
Regarding laws, codes, weather, terrain or issues that are important to a specific community and relevant to your industry.
Create City Specific Infographic
- Mine for data about the city
- Purchase an infograph template: Graphic River or Creative Market
- Hire a designer to piece it together
Re Purpose a City Video (with permission)
Embed and optimize using Wisita (video sitemap), link to the site who produced the video.
Share Details of Your Involvement in Specific Cities
Include events you participate in or organizations you sponsor.
Create Lists
- Prominent Organizations in the Area (use Wikipedia as a resource)
- Top 10 restaurants in the city (use Yelp to generate data).
- Top attractions in the city (use Yelp to generate data).
- Colleges or training programs (with a description of each).
RSS Feeds
Embed styled RSS feeds from local news sources.
Share why YOU love the city.
Get personal and be likeable.
Explain Who You Are
Link from your post to your city page regarding your service. At the bottom of the post you can explain who you are and add a plug.
“We created this post because we love Minneapolis and thought we’d showcase how great the city is! We offer (insert service) and if you or someone you know might be interested we’d really appreciate the referral. Thanks for stopping by, it means a lot!”
Make this stand out at the bottom of the post, include a picture of the author too!
Focus on User Experience
Organize content neatly and think about the user experience, details matter.
IMPORTANT: Social Media Outreach
- Locate local influencers (city officials, city pages, chamber of commerce, journalists, bloggers, business owners).
- Connect and reshare content they’ve posted on your company profiles (before you even have a post ready). Focus on the best outlets (recommended: Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, Google+).
- Build relationships, do more than just share their content, really connect.
- Reach out after post launch with a personalized message, meet for coffee or lunch.
Reach out to:
- Local Influencers
- Organizations you mentioned
- Restaurants
- City Officials
- Official City Accounts
- Colleges or Local Training Organizations
You’ve created something that sits on common ground, an interest in the city. They’ll appreciate your effort and want to help you endorse the city.
IMPORTANT: Outreach for Links
Get links from .gov and .edu sites about your post. This can be a time consuming process. Reach out to specific people, taking time with this step could be the biggest ranking factor of this entire process.
Take your time and be smart. Social media connections will go a long way, be courteous and genuinely interested in the person behind the account. Meet outside of internet (in real life… gasp!).
If you can earn links from the city or local college, it’ll go a long way in your marketing efforts.
Create Unique Content for your Local Landing Page
Now it’s on to the actual landing page. You’ve created a blog post that WILL earn social media mentions and if you do things right you should be able to reach out and get some powerful backlinks.
This means you’re becoming important in the community you’re targeting. Now that you have this new found authority, on to the targeted, local landing page.
Show Off Your Work
Showcase completed projects in each city, using text and photos. Gain trust with real examples.
Schema Testimonials
Publish customer testimonials from customers in each city, encoded in Schema review markup. Great for standing out with the rich snippet in Google SERPS and adds trust value when a visitor is on a page.
Get Personal
Interview your service people who serve those cities, introducing them to your customers. If it’s just you add a picture and bio.
The more the visitor feels like they know and trust you the more likely they are to fill out a form or call.
Clear Call to Action (phone number or form)
If you can track this data, do it. Recommended: place the call to action near the very top of the page.
Click Example:
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Form Example:
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Call Example:
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Use Video!
Create and publish city-related videos on each page and offer a transcript using Wisita. Recommend: hire a professional to create your video, it’s an amazingly powerful tool.
Create the video sitemap and add your video. The video sitemap will also really set you apart in the SERPS!
Offer Deals
Offer city-specific specials in rotation from city to city.
DIY Tips
Provide unique do-it-yourself tips for things customers can do on their own.
Giveaways
Create opportunities for user-generated content through contests and promotions. Share local promotions via social media and reach out to influencers in the area. Use: Rafflecopter.
Certificates, Awards, Organizations
Share details of your involvement in specific cities, such as events you participate in or organizations you sponsor. If you have organizations you’re a part of your prospects will want to know!
User Experience
Make user experience your number one priority. Ensure the site is responsive and test all devices thoroughly.
Use the process outlined here in more situations than just local landing pages, get creative and use this as an inspiration guide for creating great, linkable content. This is not a simple solution, if it was it most likely wouldn’t work. Modify this plan as you see fit and let us know in the comments what you would add!
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