Local SEO: Optimising for London’s Borough-Specific Search Terms

London is a fantastic city for businesses in a wide range of sectors, but it is also incredibly large and competitive. Statistics show that 46% of all Google searches have local intent, which means that in a city like London, you should be making use of borough-specific search terms to enhance your visibility in search results. London has 32 separate boroughs, so using borough-specific search terms can be a smart way to rise above the competition and engage your target audience online.  This post will outline the value of optimising for borough-specific search terms and look at a few of the most effective strategies. Interested? Keep reading to find out more.

The Value of Local SEO for Borough-Specific Terms

London is a vast city and one that is incredibly competitive in many sectors. This means that you are going to find it challenging to rank for search terms such as “best digital marketing agency London), which could impact your success. Instead, by focusing on a borough-specific search term, such as “best digital marketing agency Hammersmith”, you will have less competitive and find it easier to achieve a strong position that will increase organic traffic and help you attract your target audience.

While many consumers will use London as a search term, there are many (particularly residents) who will narrow their search to specific boroughs. When you are aware of this, you can use optimisation strategies that will help you achieve online success and improve visibility among the right audience.

Strategies to Optimise for London Boroughs

So, what can you do to optimise for borough-specific search terms? There are a few strategies you can use that will help you climb local SERPs and engage your target audience online.

Understand Local Search Intent

First, you need to understand local search intent for your specific borough. While you might find that there are a lot of similar searches in all boroughs, there may be some that are more specific in certain areas. For example, Greenwich may have a higher number of searches for family-friendly attractions compared to Westminster. You should also consider the issues and challenges faced in the specific borough so that you can offer solutions.

Use Borough-Specific Keywords

Of course, keywords are key for improving search engine ranking. Long-tail keywords are most effective when it comes to local SEO, so you should use phrases such as the type of business you operate in your borough. Using the previous example, this would be something like best digital marketing agencies in Wandsworth”

Use Localised Landing Pages

You can also enhance online visibility by creating landing pages for the borough(s) you want to target. Instead of focusing on London, you can focus on the specific borough with content relevant to this area, such as landmarks, attractions, and local services. Additionally, be sure to use structured data markup (schema.org) for local businesses on every borough-specific landing page - this will help search engines better understand the geographical relevant of your company.

Optimise Google My Business

Google My Business (GMB) has a significant impact on local search ranking. Therefore, you want to claim and optimise your profile for the borough(s) you operate in. This means including your business name, address, phone number, and opening hours. You should also choose the most accurate categories and services and encourage customer reviews.

Local Link Building

Link building remains one of the most effective ways to enhance search engine visibility. Local link-building involves obtaining backlinks from reputable websites in your borough, which could include news websites, blogs, and local directories. You could also obtain links from local institutions like schools, charities, and libraries to boost your backlink profile.

You can also enhance your backlink profile by forming strategic relationships with other businesses in the area. By creating backlink opportunities for one another, you can help each other improve domain authority and search engine ranking.

Encourage Reviews

Reviews are another influential ranking factor in local searches. Therefore, you want to encourage customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google and Yelp and mention the borough where you are located. Additionally, be sure to respond to reviews to signal to search engines that you are active.

Utilise Social Media

You can also make use of social media to engage a borough-specific audience. One of the best ways to do this is with the use of targeted social ads, which allow to use geotargeting to direct your campaigns to users within specific London boroughs. Creating and sharing borough-specific content can also help, such as news, promotions, and opinion pieces on borough-specific happenings.

Engage With Local Influencers

These days, influencers are everywhere (especially in London). Therefore, you should identify relevant influencers in your borough and collaborate with them to enhance your visibility, reach, and backlink profile. This can be a highly effective way to build trust and reach a larger audience.

Optimise for Mobile

Keep in mind that local searches often happen on a mobile device, so you must make sure that your website is optimised for mobile. This involves fast loading times, responsive design, and simple navigation. Additionally, you can use Google Ads (and other paid platforms) to target users based on specific boroughs.

Monitor Your Progress

Finally, you need to make sure that you are tracking and monitoring your progress. You can use tools like Moz and BrightLocal to track your progress for borough-specific search terms, which allows you to identify what is working and areas where you need to adjust your strategy. You can also use Google Analytics to monitor traffic, user behaviour, and conversion rates from borough-specific landing pages.

For businesses in the capital, you need to be smart when it comes to digital marketing strategies. London is a fiercely competitive and enormous marketplace, which is why you need to break it down into boroughs. By using borough-specific search terms, businesses can enhance their viability online, rise above the competition, and engage their target audience at the right time. Ultimately, this should increase traffic and conversions for higher levels of success.