The goal of any digital marketing campaign is to get people who want your services to your site and ultimately to reach out for more information. SEO for solar companies aims to help you pop up in the search results of people nearby. While it’s great to rank high for search terms nationally, what really matters is what people in your area see when they Google terms like, “solar installation company near me.”
One of the most effective ways to get people to your site is to implement local SEO tactics. This helps you increase your search rankings and better target people who live in your service area. In this article, we’ll provide you with actionable steps to optimize your website and improve your local SEO ranking.
What Is Local SEO?
Local SEO, or Local Search Engine Optimization, is a digital marketing strategy aimed at optimizing a website’s visibility and rankings within local search results. It focuses on improving a business’s online presence in specific geographic areas to attract more local customers. In other words, it helps you attract solar leads that live near you. Who doesn’t want that?
Local SEO involves various tactics, including:
- Optimizing website content with relevant keywords
- Creating and optimizing Google My Business listings
- Obtaining positive customer reviews
- Building local citations
- Ensuring a consistent business name, address and phone number across online directories.
By implementing effective local SEO strategies, your solar installation company can increase its online visibility, drive more local traffic, and ultimately boost your chances of attracting and converting local customers.
Local Search Result Features Explained
In a local SEO campaign, there are several SERP (Search Engine Results Page) features your solar business can occupy. Some of these features include:
- Local Pack: Also known as the “Map Pack,” this is a group of three local business listings that appear prominently on the search results page. It includes a map and showcases the top local businesses related to the search query.
Google My Business (GMB) Knowledge Panel: This feature displays key information about a local business such as its address, phone number, website, opening hours, and customer reviews. Optimizing your GMB profile is crucial for local SEO success. - Local Carousel: The Local Carousel presents a horizontal display of images related to local businesses in response to a specific search query. It allows users to scroll through the images and click on the ones that catch their interest.
- Featured Snippets: These are concise excerpts of information that appear at the top of the search results. Featured snippets aim to provide quick answers to users’ queries. Optimizing your content to answer local FAQs about your services can increase your chances of appearing in featured snippets.
- Reviews: User-generated reviews play a significant role in local SEO. Google often displays review ratings alongside search results. Encouraging positive reviews and managing your online reputation can help attract more customers.
- Local Schema Markup: Schema markup is structured data that provides search engines with additional information about your business, such as its location, contact details, opening hours, and more. Implementing local schema markup can help search engines better understand and display your information in search results. (You’ll find more about this advanced tactic in the next section.)
Getting Solar Leads From Local SEO
- Local SEO Basics
The first step in any local SEO strategy is to make sure your site is healthy. What does this mean? Your site should be:
- Mobile-friendly
- Fast-loading
- Easy to navigate
Next, make sure you implement local keywords to show search engine crawlers what areas your solar company serves. Includes your location-specific keywords, such as solar panel installation provider in (service area). Make sure the business address is in the website footer and on the Contact page.
You want to do this in a way that feels natural, not forced. A good example is Ecohouse Solar, a solar installation company in the Columbus, Ohio area.
Here, they included reference to their region (Central Ohio) in the section headline and then included more specific information about location (Greater Columbus) in the section text. It helps tell potential customers (and search engine crawlers) exactly where they service.
Including these location references has paid off for Ecohouse Solar. They rank for 55 different “Columbus” related search terms, roughly half of which they’re in the top three organic search rankings or one of the SERP features listed above. That’s impressive!
2. Optimize Your Google My Business Account
Your company Google My Business (GMB) profile is a critical tool for attracting solar leads, especially when it comes to local SEO. Make sure to:
- Fill out your profile completely with accurate business details, local contact information, business hours, reviews, images, and videos.
- List your company under the relevant category, such as “Solar panel installation service”
- Include a physical address or service area.
- Verify your business with Google.
- Respond to reviews
- Encourage customers to leave them on your GMB page. (This helps build credibility and trust among potential clients.)
3. Use Schema Markup and Local Structured Data
Structured data is a code that you place on your website to help search engines understand the information displayed on your web pages. Local schema markup and structured data provide search engines with essential data about your business, location, and other relevant information. This is a critical aspect of local SEO because it can increase your chances of appearing in featured snippets or answering user search queries in other SERP features. It does take a little technical know-how to set this up, so make sure to get some help from a web developer or web services company if you need it.
4. Maintain a Presence on Online Directories
Listing your business on online directories, such as Yelp, Bing Places, and Yahoo Local, can help with company visibility and increase the chances of appearing in the SERP features. Ensure that you provide accurate and consistent contact info across all directories. Be careful not to duplicate listings or give incorrect or inconsistent business information. This can negatively impact your local SEO ranking.
5. Leverage Local Keywords
As we noted above, make sure to use location-specific keywords in your website content, meta descriptions, image alt tags, and social media posts. These keywords should be relevant to your business and the service area you operate in. This increases your chances of getting featured in search queries and capturing potential clients who are looking for solar installation services near them.
When to Ask for Local SEO Help
Search engine optimization is a long-term strategy that can get you a sizable return on investment if you’re committed to consistency. These are strategies aimed at increasing your organic search results, which are more affordable and considered by users as more trustworthy than paid search ads.
These tips can help get you started towards creating an efficient local SEO strategy that boosts your lead generation. If you have follow up questions or would like us to provide additional thoughts on this subject, feel free to reach out to us.
