7 Steps a Chicago SEO Agency Uses to Increase Visibility

It’s very hard for a young business to gain traction online; even older, legacy businesses may struggle. Competition, marketing-specific know-how, and resource allocation can make establishing a flourishing online presence difficult for non-marketing professionals.

If your business is in a similar situation, you may need to improve your SEO strategies. SEO or search engine optimization increases your visibility and traffic online and makes you more well-known to local (and global) audiences.

We’re Digital Authority Partners (DAP), a Chicago SEO agency committed to helping growing and established businesses expand their reach and revenue.

Continue reading for seven SEO fundamentals to help boost rankings and exposure in Chicago (and beyond) and a quick video on national search engine optimization from our Chicago SEO specialists. 

7 SEO Visibility Tips for Chicago Businesses

Typically, ranking #1 on Google doesn’t happen overnight (sadly), but you can speed up the process with these important SEO tips.

1. Do Local Keyword Research

Local keyword research is finding the right keywords that are popular among internet users near you.

Use keyword research to find what residents are typing when they search for a product, service, or business. Keyword research guides SEO and content efforts in writing pieces that answer the user’s intent (by incorporating those words, phrases, and their variations).

Start with a list of broad terms that describe your niche. For example, if you are running a restaurant, you might simply start with “restaurant” or “diner.” Narrow it down further by adding the type of restaurant and your location. Your keyword may be something like “fast food restaurants in Chicago.” These longer, specific keywords are called long-tail keywords.

You can use a handful of keyword research tools like Ahrefs and Semrush to find long-tail keywords. These tools also give keyword difficulty levels and monthly search volume. Ideally, you want a high search volume and a low keyword difficulty. These keywords rank easier because of their high demand and low competition.

Take note of each keyword’s search intent as well. Search intent refers to the user’s goal or intention with that keyword. 

Here’s a quick bullet list summary of keyword search intents:

• Commercial: The user wants to buy a product.
• Informational: The user wants to learn more about a certain topic.
• Navigational: The user wants to find a specific page.
• Transactional: The user wants to complete an action (not limited to buying a product).

Organizing your keywords according to these search intentions helps you write content that matches the search intent.

Curious about local SEO in Chicago? Jason has a few pointers!

2. Start Link Building

One of the main ingredients to SEO visibility is high-quality link building, which is having other websites link back to your website or article.

When competing against other websites, you want to gain as much authority as possible. Link building with high-authority sites increases your authority, making it easier to rank on Google without relying on paid searches.

Reaching out to credible site owners and asking them to link to your website is also known as link building. The more backlinks you have, the more authoritative you are to Google’s algorithm and the higher you will rank.

Remember to check the domain rating (DR) or domain authority (DA) of the site you are linking to. The higher the DR, the better! Look for guest sites in Chicago and Illinois as well as those in your specific industry.

3. Follow Anchor Text Practices 

Does your blog have at least three internal links and three external links? Are you linking to relevant pages (from your own site — internal links) or high-value related pages (from another site — external links)? 

Make sure each link is placed on the relevant anchor text. Preferably, this anchor text should generally match the main keyword of what you are linking to. At the very least, the topics should be closely related. 

• Chicago SEO Visibility Tip: You do not want to insert too many links or you could be penalized for link spamming.

4. Optimize On-Page SEO

On-page SEO refers to optimizing all elements on the web page itself to boost SEO visibility. It also ensures that users have an easy time navigating the site. The better your site’s on-page SEO is, the easier it is for Google to crawl and index, leading to higher rankings.

Start by checking your title, title tags, headings, and meta descriptions. When these elements include the target keyword, it’s easier for Google to understand what your content is about.

Follow up by conducting a content audit. Take the time to read and review each piece of SEO-focused content. Update old content with new and accurate information to maintain value and relevance. Content pruning is another trick that removes content that is not performing well or not contributing to rankings. Remove broken links and fix redirects. 

If your content does not include your main keyword, find areas where you can insert it sparingly but naturally. Add clear examples, anecdotes, or unique points to help substantiate your writing.

• Chicago SEO Visibility Tip: Check your backlink profile as well. Some links may be broken, inactive, or low-quality, so it is best to remove them and replace them with relevant, higher-authority ones.

5. Write Well-Designed Landing Pages

Landing pages are your website’s front door. Think of it as a giant welcome sign inviting users who have just “landed” on your website. A landing page is the main hub where users will see everything to do with a particular service your business offers. 

Landing pages are huge SEO boosters because they attract customers and entice them to take action, whether that be signing up for a newsletter, free consultation, or buying a product. These actions increase sales and conversion rates and ultimately expand your customer base.

To optimize a landing page, make sure to include relevant keywords. For example, to rank for the primary keyword “Chicago Digital Agency Services,” put that keyword in your headings, meta description, and title tags.

In this case, other relevant keywords, such as "search engine optimization" or "marketing strategy" also add further context and value to your landing page. 

Landing pages should have a clean, easily navigable structure. Start with your H1 (the header — the main title that describes the subject matter of your page). Show this clearly and accurately so the reader and search engine understand. Remember to include the main keyword!

Segment the following sections with easy-to-read headers, such as H2 and H3. H2s describe each succeeding section of your page, while H3s provide supporting information. Try to find ways to naturally insert your main keyword in these sections as well.

6. Fill Out Your Google Business Profile (GBP)

Ramp up SEO visibility by listing your business on your Google Business Profile and other local directories in the Chicago area. Registering your business in GBP allows you to appear on Google Maps and Google’s three-pack. 

This three-pack lists the names of the top three search results, making it much easier for customers to find. This sounds like the ideal place to be, but your details must be complete and accurate for Google to list your business in the three-pack.

When creating a Google Business Profile, ensure that the information is consistent and updated on all platforms (such as your website, Yelp, or any other third-party listing websites). 

Is the following information in order?

• Company name
• Company address
• Contact information (Phone number or email address)
• Company description
• Business hours
• Types of services
• Services areas
• Photos of your business
• Reviews

7. Try Reputation Management

Reputation management is another factor in improving SEO visibility. Google values websites or brands that positively impact the user experience. In other words, a brand with good feedback and a solid reputation is more likely to rank on the SERP.

Request positive reviews from previous customers and consider featuring the best ones from your GBP or Yelp on your site. Once Google sees that feedback on your brand is consistently positive, hopefully, your rankings will start to climb. This type of social proof helps attract more clients in Chicago and puts in a good word for your business.

Increase SEO Visibility With Digital Authority Partners

Proper SEO ensures that both Google and your target audience know you exist and provide quality services.

No matter how big or small the adjustment is, these tips will make a big difference in your site’s rankings. All that’s left is to invest time and effort into implementing them.

Talk to the SEO Team at DAP today to learn more about how you can improve your brand’s SEO visibility.