Proven local SEO tactics for New Brunswick businesses — part 1

Having a strong online presence is important for any business, but it’s even more critical for local businesses in New Brunswick.

Here’s the short version: if you want to compete in your industry and get “customers through the door,” you need to master local SEO.

Local SEO isn’t a nice thing to have for New Brunswick businesses — it’s a must-have. More than 80% of consumers are searching for local businesses online weekly — so your online presence will make or break your success in your local market.

Local SEO, or Local Search Engine Optimization, is the process of optimizing your online presence to get more business from local searches like “tire shop near me.” It’s about ensuring that when people in New Brunswick search for products or services you offer, your business appears in the search results.

Here’s the problem: New Brunswick businesses have unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to local SEO. With urban centres like Saint John and Moncton and smaller communities all over the province, the local search landscape is complex.

Luckily, at Essential™, we’ve created a series of posts to share proven local SEO tactics for New Brunswick businesses — to help you navigate the digital waters and stand out in your local market. Here is Part 1.

Understanding local SEO in New Brunswick

Local SEO is a subset of SEO that focuses on optimizing a business’s online presence to attract customers from local searches. For businesses in New Brunswick, this means showing up in search results when people in your area are looking for what you do.

Fully 81% of consumers search for local businesses online at least once a week, and 32% search daily, so the importance of winning the local search game for your New Brunswick business can’t be emphasized enough.

SEO levels the playing field, allowing smaller local businesses to compete with big corporations by targeting specific local markets. For example, a local hardware store in Edmundston can outrank big box retailers for local searches if their local SEO is strong. This drives more foot traffic to brick-and-mortar stores and increases online visibility for businesses that serve the local community.

And with the rise of “near me” searches and people using mobile devices to find local information, having a solid local SEO strategy is key to getting customers in your community. Whether you’re a small boutique in Fredericton or a service provider that covers the entire province, local SEO can help you reach your target market more effectively.

While general SEO and local SEO share many similarities, there are key differences. Local SEO puts more emphasis on geographical locations, local content, and citations from other local businesses. It also relies heavily on platforms like Google Business Profile.

Google Business Profile for New Brunswick locations

One of the most important steps in local SEO for New Brunswick businesses is to claim and optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing. GBP is a free tool provided by Google that allows you to control how your business shows up in Google Search and Maps.

For New Brunswick businesses, a well-optimized GBP will get you in local search results and the coveted “Local Pack” — the top three local business results that show up on Google’s search results page.

There are search benefits to cleaning up your GBP, too. Businesses with complete Google Business Profiles are seven times more likely to get clicks than incomplete ones!

To get started on yours, claim and verify your GBP listing (if you haven’t already). This typically involves Google sending a postcard with a verification code to your business address. Once verified, focus on optimizing your profile:

• Make sure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are accurate and consistent with the information on your website and other online directories.
• Choose the most relevant business categories. For example, if you’re a restaurant in Saint John, don’t just select “Restaurant.” Be specific with categories like “Seafood Restaurant” or “Canadian Restaurant” if applicable.
• Write a business description that includes relevant keywords for your New Brunswick location and services. For example, “Family-owned seafood restaurant serving fresh Atlantic lobster in downtown Saint John since 1985.”
• Add high-quality photos of your business, products, and services. Include images that show your New Brunswick location, such as your storefront, with visible local landmarks, if possible.
• Keep your business hours up to date, including special hours for holidays or local events like the New Brunswick Day long weekend.
• Once you’re set up, use GBP features like posts, Q&A, and reviews to engage with your local audience.
• Use GBP posts to share updates about special offers, events, or new products. For example, “Join us for our Canada Day celebration featuring local New Brunswick craft beers!”
• Monitor and respond to Q&A to provide helpful information to potential customers.
• Ask happy customers to leave reviews and respond to all reviews, positive and negative.

For businesses with multiple locations in New Brunswick, you should create separate GBP listings for each location. This allows you to optimize each listing for its specific local area, whether it’s in Moncton, Bathurst, or anywhere else in the province.

By fully optimizing your Google Business Profile listing, you’ll get more visibility in local search results and make it easier for potential customers across New Brunswick to find and choose your business.

Next up

Read part 2 of this series for more on local SEO for New Brunswick businesses, keyword research, on-page optimization, etc.

In the meantime, don’t let your New Brunswick business get lost in the digital shuffle. At Essential™, we specialize in custom local SEO strategies for businesses across our province. Ready to get your business to the top of the local search results? Let’s get your business on the New Brunswick map.