Businesses that depend on customers in the local community need to dominate local search results to stand out from the competition. Rising to the top of local searches is simply a matter of following these best practices.

Use geo-targeted keywords and content for increased visibility in local searches. Avoid keyword stuffing, such as a plumbing company placing Venice Beach plumber and twenty other cities followed by plumber at the bottom of each page of their website. Business owners who haven’t mastered writing geo-targeted content using one keyword phrase per page should look for a firm specializing in local search engine marketing in California.

Businesses that depend on walk in traffic should have their address, phone number and hours of operation prominently displayed on the homepage their website, along with customer reviews, which help consumers make a decision. Mobile consumers want information quickly; they will not waste precious data searching for a “contact us” link. A California Internet marketing firm may suggest adding a map or information about local public transportation to make it easy for consumers to reach the business.

Get local citations and your business will dominate the local search results. A Google My Business listing is essential. Yahoo! Local, Yellowbook and Manta are also perfect examples of places to claim your business listing. Always include multiple photos when it’s possible. Local citation building takes time unless a business owner hires a California Internet marketing company to perform citation building.

California SEO agency Sticky Web Media specializes in on site optimization for businesses of all sizes.