Creating a well crafted, stunning, aesthetically pleasing website isn’t the be all and end all of web design. There are more technical elements too, that you will need to consider if you want your website to perform well. And draw in the interested, and paying, customers. Part of this is appealing to your local audience. So what is local web design all about? And why is it important for your company? Well, here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester, we are Manchester’s leading web design, and web marketing, experts. And we create websites and digital content for companies and clients across Manchester, and the North West region, including Southport and Wigan. As a result, we have produced this guide to web design for local searches.
Web design for local searches
If your company has a real world presence, your website should be trying to increase footfall there too. And you should be focusing on competing online, with other companies in your area. This is because, search engines will take the location data of the person searching online, and use this to tailor results to places close by. So if your website isn’t focused on local search, you could easily be missing out.
Designing websites with local search in mind
There are different ways to design your website, to show off your local touch. And these include:
- Display all the location information and contact details above the fold and in the header. This makes it easy for local people to find your brick and mortar presence, and get in touch.
- Include a map on the home page so that people can find you quickly and easily. This is all part of designing for Google’s micro-moments. And it can be very effective. Especially for mobile website users who are on the go.
- Use local images to create a stunning connection between your company or brand and the place you and your audience live. Make sure that these fit with your colour scheme, and your company branding and style. So that your website is a cohesive and stylish, as well as local.
- Customise your written content with localisation and colloquial language if this is appropriate for your company.
- Create local landing pages specifically written and designed for each location you work in. This will help people searching in different areas find content that has been produced to meet their needs. And as a result, any customers will feel more positive about your website and your company as a whole.
- Dont forget your local links. If you can foster relationships with local companies that are not indirect competition, you could each offer advertising space. Encouraging local businesses to flourish online is increasingly important in the ever changing digital landscape.
Build a connection
Building a connection with your audience is essential if you are to encourage sales and build a community around your brand. Using local optimization can make it much easier to build this connection, and your customers will find it easier to trust a company that they can physically visit, should they wish to.
For more information or advice, get in touch with the professionals today, here at Pumpkin Web Design Manchester.