How to Increase SEO Score for Higher Local Rankings

Busy Nottingham business owners often feel overwhelmed by how quickly search rankings change, leaving their website unnoticed by local customers. Improving your website’s SEO score is vital for standing out in competition and driving more online sales. By focusing on a clear hierarchical structure and well-designed content, you can make your website more accessible to search engines and visitors, paving the way for long-term local success.

Table of Contents

• Step 1: Audit Your Website Structure
• Step 2: Optimise On-Page Content
• Step 3: Enhance Local SEO Elements
• Step 4: Build Quality Backlinks
• Step 5: Monitor and Refine Results

Quick Summary

Step 1: Audit Your Website Structure

Auditing your website structure is a critical first step in improving local SEO rankings and ensuring search engines can efficiently understand and index your content. A well-organised website architecture helps search engines and users navigate your digital space with ease.

To conduct a comprehensive website structure audit, start by mapping out your current site architecture. This involves creating a detailed overview of how your webpages are connected and organised. You’ll want to review key technical aspects like URL structure, internal linking, and page hierarchy. The UK Government Digital Service guidance emphasises designing content around user needs, which means your structure should prioritise logical navigation and clear pathways.

Consider these essential audit steps:

• Analyse URL consistency: Ensure URLs are clean, descriptive, and follow a logical pattern
• Review site navigation: Check that main menu and site map are intuitive and user-friendly
• Evaluate internal linking: Confirm links between related pages are strategic and meaningful
• Check mobile responsiveness: Validate that your site functions smoothly across all devices

As you audit, pay close attention to how easily users and search engine crawlers can move through your website. Pages should be no more than three clicks away from your homepage, creating a clear hierarchical structure.

Here’s a summary of essential website structure audit criteria and their impact:

Pro tip: Use free tools like Screaming Frog or Google Search Console to generate a comprehensive site crawl and identify structural issues quickly.

Step 2: Optimise On-Page Content

Optimising your on-page content is crucial for improving local SEO rankings and attracting potential customers directly through search engines. Your website’s content must not only be informative but strategically crafted to meet both user needs and search engine requirements.

To effectively optimise your on-page content, focus on creating high-quality, user-centric material that addresses specific search intentions. The Government Digital Service guidance emphasises writing in plain English and structuring content for maximum readability. This means developing clear, concise paragraphs that communicate your message efficiently while incorporating relevant keywords naturally.

Key strategies for on-page content optimisation include:

• Conduct thorough keyword research: Identify terms your local customers are searching for
• Create compelling meta descriptions: Write engaging summaries that encourage click-throughs
• Use header tags strategically: Organise content with H1, H2, and H3 tags for improved readability
• Incorporate local references: Include location-specific terms and landmarks relevant to your business
• Ensure content uniqueness: Develop original, valuable information that stands out from competitors

Your content should answer user questions comprehensively while maintaining a natural, conversational tone.

When writing, prioritise user intent over keyword stuffing. Search engines now favour content that genuinely helps users and provides meaningful information.

Pro tip: Regularly update your content to keep it fresh and relevant, signalling to search engines that your website is actively maintained and current.

Step 3: Enhance Local SEO Elements

Enhancing local SEO elements is critical for helping potential customers find your business in localised search results. Your goal is to make your business stand out in local searches by strategically optimising key digital touchpoints that signal your relevance to search engines and local customers.

The UK Digital Strategy highlights the importance of regional digital infrastructure, which means creating a robust local online presence that connects your business with nearby customers. This involves several strategic approaches to making your local digital footprint more prominent and compelling.

Key local SEO elements to focus on include:

• Optimise Google My Business profile: Ensure all information is accurate and complete
• Build local citations: Get listed in local business directories and review sites
• Use location-specific keywords: Incorporate local landmarks, neighbourhood names, and regional terms
• Collect genuine customer reviews: Encourage satisfied local customers to share their experiences
• Create location-specific content: Develop blog posts and pages targeting local audience interests

Local SEO is about proving your relevance and authenticity to both search engines and local customers.

Pay special attention to geographical targeting, ensuring your content speaks directly to local customers and reflects your specific regional context.

Below is a quick reference on key local SEO elements and their strategic benefits:

Pro tip: Verify and update your local business information quarterly to maintain accuracy and signal active management to search engines.

Step 4: Build Quality Backlinks

Building quality backlinks is a strategic process essential for improving your website’s authority and local search rankings. These digital endorsements from reputable websites signal to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy.

The University of Arts London’s SEO course emphasises the importance of acquiring backlinks ethically through content marketing and public relations. Quality matters far more than quantity when developing your link-building strategy.

Effective backlink building strategies include:

• Create compelling local content: Develop resources unique to your region that others want to link to
• Engage with local business networks: Build relationships with complementary local businesses
• Participate in community events: Sponsor local events or write about regional activities
• Contribute guest articles: Write for local publications and industry blogs
• Leverage professional directories: Get listed in reputable local and industry-specific directories

Authentic backlinks are earned through genuine value and community engagement, not manipulative tactics.

Focus on building genuine relationships and creating high-quality, shareable content that naturally attracts links from credible sources.

Pro tip: Monitor your backlink profile regularly using tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to ensure link quality and identify potential opportunities.

Step 5: Monitor and Refine Results

Monitoring and refining your SEO results is an ongoing process that ensures your local digital strategy remains effective and responsive to changing search landscapes. By systematically tracking performance metrics, you can make data-driven adjustments that continuously improve your website’s visibility.

Jisc’s digital strategy report emphasises the importance of continuous monitoring and strategic refinement of digital presence. This means regularly analysing your SEO performance and being prepared to adapt your approach based on concrete data and insights.

Key performance metrics to track include:

• Organic search traffic: Monitor volume and sources of website visitors
• Keyword rankings: Track position changes for target local keywords
• Conversion rates: Measure how effectively search traffic translates into business enquiries
• Bounce rates: Assess user engagement and content relevance
• Click-through rates: Evaluate the effectiveness of your meta descriptions and titles

Consistent monitoring allows you to identify trends, opportunities, and potential areas for improvement in your SEO strategy.

Utilise analytical tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to gain comprehensive insights into your website’s performance and user behaviour.

Pro tip: Set up monthly review sessions to analyse your SEO metrics and create a flexible improvement plan based on your findings.

Elevate Your Local SEO with Proven Expertise

Struggling to increase your SEO score and achieve higher local rankings can feel overwhelming. This article breaks down crucial steps such as auditing your website structure, optimising on-page content, and enhancing local SEO elements — all vital to make your business stand out in local searches. If you find managing URL structure, local citations, or building quality backlinks challenging, expert guidance is essential to transform insights into measurable results.

Paul Baguley Digital offers personalised SEO consultancy tailored specifically for businesses aiming to boost online visibility in Nottingham and across the UK. With over 14 years of hands-on experience, Paul specialises in national, local, and eCommerce SEO strategies that improve website traffic, brand awareness, and sales conversions. From detailed website audits to targeted local SEO campaigns, every service is designed around your unique business goals.

Take control of your local SEO journey today by visiting Paul Baguley Digital. Discover how a comprehensive SEO audit combined with expert on-page optimisation and local SEO tactics can unlock your website’s full potential. Don’t let your competitors capture your local market—connect now to start growing your visibility and attracting the customers you deserve.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I audit my website structure for better local SEO?

Start by mapping out your current site architecture to see how your webpages are organised. Focus on ensuring URLs are descriptive, navigation is user-friendly, and internal linking is logical. Aim to have all pages accessible within three clicks from your homepage to improve both user experience and search engine indexing.

What steps can I take to optimise my on-page content for local rankings?

To optimise your on-page content, conduct thorough keyword research to identify terms your local customers are searching for. Create high-quality, user-centric material that addresses these search intentions, and update your content regularly to keep it relevant and fresh.

How do I enhance local SEO elements to attract nearby customers?

Enhance your local SEO by optimising your Google My Business profile and building local citations in relevant directories. Incorporate location-specific keywords within your content and encourage genuine customer reviews to boost your local visibility and credibility.

What strategies should I use to build quality backlinks for local SEO?

Focus on creating valuable, locally relevant content that others want to link to, and engage with local business networks to foster relationships. Participate in community events and contribute guest articles to local publications to ethically acquire backlinks and increase your online authority.

How can I effectively monitor and refine my SEO results?

Set up a scheduled review of key performance metrics like organic search traffic and keyword rankings to track your SEO progress. Use this analysis to refine your strategies based on emerging trends and data, aiming for regular adjustments that enhance your local search performance.

Recommended

• Understanding What is Local SEO for Your Business – Paul Baguley
• Understanding SEO for Local Business: A Comprehensive Guide – Paul Baguley
• Complete Guide to Local SEO Ranking UK – Paul Baguley
• Local SEO Step by Step: Boost Your UK Business Fast – Paul Baguley

Paul Baguley

I’m Paul Baguley, a freelance SEO consultant with 14 years of experience helping UK businesses rank higher, attract better leads, and grow revenue through organic search. I’ve worked with over 100 businesses, with a specialism in ecommerce SEO. No agency overhead. No junior account managers. Just honest SEO that compounds month on month.