How to Create a Content Calendar That Supports Your Local SEO Goals
As a local business owner, it’s essential to maintain a steady flow of high-quality content that not only resonates with your target audience but also aligns with your SEO strategy. One of the best ways to ensure you stay on top of your content marketing efforts is by creating a content calendar. A well-planned content calendar not only keeps you organized but also enhances your local SEO, driving more traffic, leads, and conversions.
I’m Ben, founder of Dalmatian Digital, where we help businesses grow their online search presence through results-driven SEO strategies. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll show you how to create a content calendar that aligns with your local SEO goals to help your business thrive.
Why Content Planning is Crucial for Local SEO
Despite what you may hear, in local SEO, content is still king. The more relevant, localized, and keyword-optimized content you create, the better your chances of ranking higher in local search results. However, creating content on a whim without a plan can lead to inconsistency and missed opportunities.
A content calendar ensures you’re:
Consistently publishing content that targets location-based keywords.
Addressing your local audience’s needs and pain points.
Planning ahead for seasonal trends, events, and other local opportunities.
Optimizing each piece of content to drive traffic and increase visibility in local search results.
1. Set Clear Local SEO Goals
Before you even think about what content to create, you need to identify your local SEO goals. Your goals will help shape the type of content you publish and ensure it aligns with your overall business strategy.
Examples of local SEO goals might include:
Increasing your website’s visibility for local search terms (e.g., “dog grooming in Philadelphia”).
Attracting more local traffic to your website.
Getting more reviews from customers in your area.
Driving foot traffic to your physical location.
Once your goals are clear, you can begin planning content that directly supports these objectives.
2. Conduct Local Keyword Research
The foundation of any great content calendar is keyword research, especially for local SEO. You need to know which terms and phrases your local audience is using to find services like yours. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, Moz, or Ahrefs can help you identify high-volume local keywords.
Focus on Location-Specific Keywords: Include your city, neighborhood, or region in the keywords you want to rank for. For example, instead of “best Italian restaurant,” use “best Italian restaurant in Philadelphia.”
Research Local Competitors: See what keywords your competitors are ranking for, and identify content gaps or opportunities they’ve missed. This allows you to create content that outranks them.
Action Step: Once you have your keyword list, prioritize keywords based on search volume, competition, and relevance to your business. These keywords will serve as the foundation for your content calendar.
3. Create Content Pillars That Support Local SEO
Your content calendar should be built around content pillars—broad topics that you can create multiple pieces of content around. For local SEO, content pillars might include:
Local Guides: Create location-specific guides that provide value to your audience, such as “Top Things to Do in Philadelphia” or “A Local’s Guide to Philadelphia Dining”. These guides will naturally include local keywords and attract local readers.
How-To Articles: Write articles that solve everyday problems related to your business and localize the content by referencing local suppliers, landmarks, or events.
Customer Stories and Testimonials: Share real-life experiences from your local customers. These not only boost trust but also allow you to include location-specific keywords in a natural way.
Action Step: Choose 3-5 content pillars that align with your local SEO goals and the services you offer. Then, plan to create content around these pillars on a regular basis.
4. Plan for Seasonal and Local Events
Take advantage of seasonal trends and local events that are relevant to your business. By timing your content around these events, you’ll attract more local traffic and engagement.
Seasonal Content: Depending on your industry, there are likely seasonal peaks and trends. For example, if you run a landscaping company, create content around “Winter Landscaping Tips in Philadelphia” or “Spring Clean-Up Services in Philadelphia”.
Local Events: Use local events to inspire content. If there’s a big annual event in your city, create a blog post or social media content that highlights the event and ties it to your business.
Action Step: Incorporate these seasonal and local events into your content calendar well in advance. This ensures your content is timely and relevant when search volume around these events is at its highest.
5. Optimize Each Piece of Content for Local SEO
Every piece of content you publish needs to be fully optimized for local SEO. This means:
Using Local Keywords: Ensure your chosen local keywords appear in key places, including your title, meta description, headers, and throughout the body content. Be sure to use natural language and avoid keyword stuffing.
Adding Geo-Location Data: Mention specific neighborhoods, cities, and landmarks in your content to make it even more locally relevant.
Incorporating Local Links: Link to other local businesses or partners in your area when appropriate. This not only builds relationships but also shows search engines that your content is part of a local ecosystem.
Action Step: As you publish new content, check that it’s fully optimized by reviewing it against local SEO best practices. Use tools like Yoast or RankMath to ensure your content is optimized for local search.
6. Use a Visual Content Calendar Tool
To stay organized and ensure you’re consistently publishing content, use a visual content calendar tool. Some great tools include:
Trello: A simple, visual tool where you can create boards for each content pillar, assign deadlines, and track progress.
Google Sheets: A free and easy-to-use tool where you can create a content calendar with columns for dates, topics, keywords, and status updates.
CoSchedule: A paid tool specifically designed for content marketers to manage and execute content plans.
Action Step: Choose a tool that works for your team and start scheduling content at least one month in advance. Be sure to assign each piece of content to a specific date and set deadlines for drafts and reviews.
7. Measure Success and Optimize Your Content Calendar
Once you’ve created and implemented your content calendar, you need to track its effectiveness and adjust accordingly. Use analytics tools like Google Analytics or Google Search Console to monitor the performance of your content in local search results.
Track Key Metrics: Look at metrics like organic traffic, bounce rate, and engagement to see how your content is performing. Additionally, track the number of local searches your content is generating.
Optimize Underperforming Content: If certain pieces of content aren’t ranking well or driving traffic, revisit them. Update old content with new information, improve on-page SEO, or create new internal links to boost its authority.
Action Step: Set up regular monthly or quarterly reviews of your content calendar to identify what’s working and what needs improvement. Continuously optimize your strategy to maximize your local SEO efforts.
A Content Calendar That Drives Local SEO Results
Creating a content calendar that supports your local SEO goals is a powerful way to stay organized and consistently publish content that resonates with your target audience. By incorporating location-based keywords, planning for seasonal trends, and optimizing each piece of content, you’ll be well on your way to dominating local search results.
At Dalmatian Digital, we specialize in helping local businesses achieve their SEO goals through content-driven strategies. If you’re ready to take control of your content marketing and boost your local search rankings, reach out for a free SEO audit today!
Let’s start creating a content plan that drives real results!