Local SEO That Works: Here’s How I Got #1 on Google [Case Study]

According to statistics, 46% of all searches on Google are local searches, and 75% of users never scroll past the first page of search results.

All marketers know the importance of having a solid local SEO strategy backed by real data.

Unfortunately, SEO and data don’t always go hand in hand. They should, but that’s not always the case.

I’ve created a case study covering local SEO tips and tools to help you optimize your business for local SEO.

But first, let’s see:

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) improves visibility on search engines for local businesses, mainly those with physical offices.

By following local SEO best practices, businesses can improve organic traffic from user searches in nearby areas.

Search engines rely on signals such as local content, social profile pages, links, and mentions to provide the user with the most relevant local results to gather information for local searches.

With local SEO, businesses can position themselves for their products and services to local potential customers and customers looking for them.

How I positioned a notary’s office website at the top of Google

1. Local SEO audit

First, I conducted a thorough SEO analysis that included onsite and offsite elements for the client’s website. To achieve this, I used essential tools: Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, and Google Search Console.

In this case, I used Screaming Frog, ideal for finding errors on the site and configuring both the On SEO Page and the technical SEO in the best possible way.

One can use the free version in most cases, as it offers to audit 500 pages per website.

However, I exported the file with the data once the audit was finished. These have been very useful for me in improving the On SEO Page part.

Run the local SEO audit and export the data file.

I then went to the “Problems” section and found all the errors on the site.

The major problems were related to the following:

• Low content pages (<350 words);
• H1 is missing, and generally, pages without a well-defined headings structure;
• Lack of a page structure that coincides with internal linking;
• Same keywords optimized on different pages;
• Slow pages;
• Images: Missing alt text and size too large;
• Page titles (SEO) that exceeded 65 characters;
• Insufficient backlinks from a few sources.

The system I used is free; I could also use paid tools like Ahrefs or Semrush for a thorough and complete audit.

Once I had a clear idea of the site, I conducted keyword research to determine the best SEO approach.

2. Local SEO strategy development

I have divided my strategy into three main actions:

• On-Page SEO Optimization and Technical SEO Corrections
• Content improvements and restructuring
• Backlink profile improvements

On-Page SEO Optimization and Technical SEO Corrections

Never underestimate the importance of good On-Page SEO optimization.

An article or a page must be optimized by following the “3 kings” rule:

1. URL
2. SEO title
3. H1

Everything must be done according to the chosen keywords.

I, therefore, followed this arrangement for the title SEO, URL, and H1.

✅ SEO Title: “:Keyword” | “Location” | “Law Firm Name”

✅Good H1: “Location” “Keyword.”

✅URL:” “Keyword.”

I then took into account the 4 On-Page Ranking elements:

1. Primary keyword and where it is entered
2. Variation of the primary keyword
3. Contextual Terms / (LSI)
4. Word count

I have been optimizing the various SEO titles and meta descriptions.

Next, I worked on the site structure. I needed to restructure the website so that Google spiders would understand it better, so I defined internal linking.

Then there were the technical problems found with the audit in the first phase to be fixed. I started with one huge problem: page speed. See the results below:

Speed first

Speed later

Content improvements and restructuring

I defined the main and support pages based on keywords.

In addition to the main pages and support pages, I have created FAQ sections.

The ideal would be to always look at what the competition does and how they structure the contents.

Backlink profile

The third part of the strategy is the most talked about in the SEO world. I first took a look at the existing backlink profile with Ahrefs. The purpose of this inspection was to determine whether the backlinks were valid or harming the website’s authority. Some things to check are:

• DR (Domain rating)
• Traffic
• Spam Score
• TF (Trust Flow) and CF (Citation Flow)

In this client’s case, I needed to remove some backlinks hurting the website. After cleaning them up, I created 100 backlinks from different platforms in a month.

Campaign results (comparison with the initial)

I reached the first position for most of the optimized keywords. The whole process took about two months which exceeded my expectations!

There are certainly no guarantees when it comes to SEO. Ranking on the first page of Google doesn’t mean you’ll stay there forever.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this case study demonstrates the steps and tools used to achieve a successful local SEO strategy for a notary’s office website.

The process involved a local SEO audit, keyword research, and optimization of on-page elements, site structure, and backlink profile.

By following local SEO best practices and utilizing tools such as Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, and Google Search Console, the website was able to rank #1 on Google for local searches, resulting in increased visibility and organic traffic from nearby areas.