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ToggleDecember is just around the corner, and the festive cheer is in the air! For businesses, it’s prime time to strategise and ensure those holiday sales are ringing in.
The holiday season offers a golden opportunity to invest in local SEO. It’s the perfect solution to elevate your Google Search rankings, drive online sales, increase foot traffic, and capture the attention of your local audience. This strategy is especially beneficial for manufacturers, shops, and small businesses.
Fortunately, the lead-up to Christmas provides ample time for business owners to optimise their local SEO strategy before the festive rush kicks in. At SEO Local Business, we specialise in providing affordable and effective SEO services. Dive into our top tips below to discover how local SEO can be your holiday business ally.
Keep Your Information Updated
It may sound simple, but many local businesses overlook the importance of having accurate information online, including names, addresses, and phone numbers. Ensure this information is consistent across all digital platforms. List your business on Google Maps, and don’t forget to showcase your products on your Google Business Profile. Update seasonal opening hours to present the most accurate representation of your business online. This simple step can put you in a prime search position and attract festive leads.
Optimise Your Content with Christmas Keywords
Shoppers often have a specific idea in mind when they turn to Google. Optimize your website landing pages with a mix of general festive and brand-specific keywords. Create locally focused blog content and a dedicated landing page highlighting holiday promotions, extra services, exclusive products, or in-store events. This approach ensures that your local customers are well-informed and more likely to make a purchase.
Stand Out Visually
Simplicity coupled with visually striking images can make your webpages stand out. Use holiday-appropriate images showcasing special offers. Consider placing a Christmas-themed hero image on your website’s front page to catch users’ attention immediately upon loading. Direct them seamlessly to what you’re offering, creating a visually appealing and user-friendly experience.
Don’t Forget the Local Touch
Drive customers to your physical store with enticing incentives such as in-store-only discounts or limited-edition items available to the first 100 customers. Recognise the importance of local SEO for your brick-and-mortar success during the Christmas period. A seasonal local SEO strategy can help more customers discover your business, enticing them to your store for an authentic festive experience.
Steer Clear of These Small Business SEO Slip-Ups
As a prominent SEO agency in the UK, the SEO Local Business team has been privileged to collaborate with numerous small businesses, propelling their SEO strategies to new heights. Yet, in our journey, we’ve encountered some significant blunders that, instead of enhancing SEO, have a detrimental impact. If you find yourself guilty of any of the following, hit pause and reach out to the experts immediately.
Beware of Keyword Stuffing
While terms like ‘holiday sale,’ ‘Christmas presents,’ and ‘gift ideas’ work wonders for SEO, keyword stuffing is a definite no-go. Overusing keywords to the extent that your content becomes unreadable or robotic signals trouble to Google, inviting penalties. Feel free to incorporate these terms into your SEO strategy, but ensure your content remains relevant and captivating for your audience.
Spread Some Cheer to Your Customers
‘Tis the season of giving, and generosity can significantly boost your SEO. Offering simple incentives like a 10% discount or free shipping can work wonders for your Google ranking and endear you to your customers.
Plan Beyond Christmas Day
The holiday rush may dominate your small business agenda, but remember, December 25th will pass. Prepare your SEO strategy for the post-holiday season. With people spending more time online between Christmas and New Year’s, seize the opportunity to run targeted ads for summer sales, optimise for Back-To-School campaigns, or engage in remarketing to capitalize on the post-Christmas calm.
Focus Your Advertising Efforts
While you may have a diverse array of products and services, focus your advertising and SEO campaigns on the ones that shine during the Christmas season. Consult your analytics from the previous year, identify top-performing products, and leverage any existing trends to maximise your campaign’s impact.
Leave Your Christmas Content Be
Post-Christmas, resist the urge to tinker with your landing pages and holiday content. Searches for Christmas-related content drop significantly, making it unlikely that users will seek out seasonal landing pages. Let them be until next year when you can refresh and repurpose the content for a new season.
Don’t Go Solo—Get Expert Help
If SEO feels like uncharted territory, resist the temptation to run your own campaign. While tutorials may offer some success, why settle for less when the experts are at your disposal? The SEO Local Business team is well-versed in SEO intricacies and is ready to assist in crafting a Christmas campaign that ensures your best season yet. Reach out and let’s make this holiday season one for the books!