Content is the main pillar of SEO. But as you already know, quality content is expensive.
So, it’s reasonable that you are interested in alternative ways to get your business on top of your local search results.
In this article, we will cover two alternative ways to do SEO for your local business without content: the good way and the bad way.
The Good Way: Focus On Your Google Business Profile.
There are different rules for local businesses when it comes to Google Search.
They’re not only competing for a prominent spot in the search results but also in the local map pack.
A local map pack is a list of 3-4 local businesses with simple information like their name, address, phone number, rating, and working hours, alongside the map displaying their location.
There are different ranking factors for search results and local packs.
Ranking factors for search results consider the relevance and authority of the entire website and its content.
But for the local map pack, it’s more important to have an optimized Google Business profile and consistent NAP information across the web.
So, if you’re looking for a way to do SEO for your local business without content marketing, consider optimizing your Google Business listing.
The Bad Way: Use Black Hat SEO Techniques.
The SEO rules are pretty simple – you create quality content that is helpful for users, and Google rewards you with traffic.
But as mentioned above, quality content is a bit on the dear side – which might turn you to use black hat SEO techniques.
Black hat SEO is all about finding loopholes in the Google algorithm to cheat your way up to the top of the search results.
Here, we’re going to cover the most popular ones.
Exact Match Domains.
The concept of exact match domains is pretty simple – you find the keyword you want to rank for, like “chicago plumbing experts,” and then you buy a domain name with those exact words, like “chicagoplumbingexperts.com.”
Google says that a keyword in the domain name is not a ranking factor, which in practice isn’t true.
An exact match domain can give you an edge over your competition in the search results, but you still need to do your on-page SEO and acquire backlinks.
Buying Backlinks.
A backlink is when a site links to your website.
They are one of the most important ranking factors in the Google algorithm.
Having a lot of links pointing to your website from authoritative websites can push your website up the search results for your commercial keywords, even if you don’t have any other content on your site.
Naturally, your website gets backlinks when you create quality content, and other websites link to it because it’s just that good.
But if you don’t want to create content for your website, you can always buy links.
With that being said, buying backlinks for your website is flagrantly against Google guidelines and can get your website a penalty.
But if you know what you’re doing, and you’re being very careful, you can get away with it.
301 Redirects.
You don’t have to buy backlinks one by one.
You can buy a whole domain that already has tons of links pointing to it and then redirect all of those links to your site using a simple 301 redirect.
Google Stack.
This method is more on the advanced side.
It involves leveraging Google’s properties, like Google Sites, Google Drive, Google Docs, etc., to establish your authority and rank for competitive keywords.
Why You Should Still Consider Content Marketing.
While some black hat SEO strategies still work, no one can quarantine that they will work in the future, as Google is constantly improving its algorithm.
If you are just starting, we recommend optimizing your Google Business profile which doesn’t require a hefty investment, but can quickly start generating leads for your local business.
And as you go forward, start investing in content marketing.