We live in a world where Local SEO in search is spread across all platforms. While we all know Google takes up the highest search volume, other digital platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X are used by users to look up topics of interest.
Instagram is Meta’s platform that is currently experiencing the best year-on-year growth numbers. It is also home to many businesses as social commerce keeps on growing. Today, 1.13 billion people use the platform with a user rate of 54% in Africa.
If you are a business on Instagram, you should do your best to be found by prospects. We look at quick and easy tips to enhance your Local SEO on Instagram.
1. Localized Hashtags
Always think of hashtags as Keywords. Think of the words people in your locality would probably use when searching. Optimize your local reach by making use of those words as localized hashtags.
This allows people in your area to find your posts and your business through the area-specific hashtag.
So, if you run a restaurant use something like #KilimaniFastFoods or a make-up artist in Kisumu would use #KondeleMakeUpArtist.
2. Geotag Your Posts
Tell Instagram and Instagram users where to find your business. This is a good way to make people visit your business. Today, window shopping starts online, and being the visual platform, it is, Instagram is very popular for window shoppers.
You can geotag individual posts with a location. Hence, users clicking on that location will be presented with a map that shows exactly where your business is located. This is how you get digital windows shoppers into your shop.
Sometimes you can change from posting your exact location by taking advantage of your locale. This happens mostly if people tend to visit a landmark in the area.
If you are business is around Fort Jesus in Mombasa you can geotag the landmark in some posts. These kinds of posts create the opportunity for your content to be discovered by people who search the specific landmarks on Instagram.
Think about what constitutes a landmark in your locality, it could be a school, a stadium, a government facility, and much more. Use it in your local SEO strategy.
3. Use your Location Name
Users on making any search tend to add the location name to localize their search. Your Local SEO strategy should take advantage of this habit. Hence, make sure you add your location name:
- On Your handle name
- On Your username
- In your bio
- In your post
- In your Reel
- On your Story
You simply cannot afford to ignore Local SEO if you would like to reach the right audience.
