Local SEO on Every Platform: The Hashtag, Keyword, and Image Strategy
Most businesses think of SEO as a Google thing.
But every platform has search. Instagram has hashtag search. Eventbrite has event search. Your website has internal search.
If you're optimizing for Google but ignoring platform-specific SEO, you're leaving 60% of visibility on the table.
The Hashtag Research Process
Hashtags aren't random. They're strategy.
Three types of hashtags:
Niche hashtags: #FoodieNYC, #BrooklynNightlife, #LocalBusiness (high relevance, moderate volume)
Location hashtags: #Brooklyn, #NYCeats, #InWilliamsburg (high volume, regional targeting)
Trending hashtags: #FoodsOfInstagram, #SupportLocal (huge volume, but you'll get buried)
The winning strategy: Use 5-10 niche, 5-10 location-based, and maybe 1-2 trending.
Example for a Brooklyn taco restaurant:
Niche: #BrooklynTacos, #TacoTuesday, #LocalBrooklynFood
Location: #BrooklynEats, #WilliamsburgFood, #NYCMexican
Trending: #FoodieLife
Finding Good Hashtags
Don't guess. Research.
Look at competitors: What hashtags do similar businesses use? Which posts got the most engagement?
Search your niche: Type #BrooklynTacos on Instagram. See how many posts use it. (100K+ is good. 1M+ means you'll get buried.)
Check related hashtags: Instagram suggests related tags when you search. Use these.
Test and track: Use 20 hashtags one week. Check which posts got engagement from hashtag discovery. Double down on winners.
Image Optimization
Images have SEO too. Most businesses don't know this.
File name: Instead of "IMG_1234.jpg" call it "Brooklyn_Taco_Tuesday_Nightlife.jpg"
Alt text: Describe the image for search and accessibility. "Fresh tacos on wooden board with lime wedges"
File size: Compress images (10-200KB). Smaller files load faster, which helps SEO.
Metadata: If you're uploading to your website, you can add keyword metadata. Most people skip this.
Photo quality: Higher quality images rank higher. Bad photos with good keywords lose to good photos with okay keywords.
Keywords on Every Platform
Your website: Use keywords in headlines, page titles, descriptions. "Brooklyn's Best Taco Tuesday" is better SEO than "Welcome to Our Restaurant."
Event listings: "Taco Tuesday - Brooklyn Mexican Food Event" is better than "Taco Tuesday."
Instagram bio: "Brooklyn Taco & Bar | Taco Tuesday | Mexican Food | Williamsburg" is better than just "Taco Bar."
Post captions: Naturally include keywords. "Join us Tuesday for Taco Tuesday, Brooklyn's most popular weekly Mexican food event."
Email subject lines: "Taco Tuesday is This Week - Brooklyn's Best Cheap Tacos" vs. "Join Us Tuesday"
Every text field is an SEO opportunity.
The Compound Effect
Here's why platform SEO matters:
Someone searches "Taco Tuesday in Brooklyn" on Instagram. Your hashtags are optimized. Your post shows up. They click.
Same person searches "Taco Tuesday Brooklyn" on Google. Your website is optimized for this. You show up. They visit.
Same person gets an email. The subject line contains "Taco Tuesday." It stands out in their inbox. They open.
One keyword, three platforms, multiple touchpoints.
Location-Based Optimization
This is critical for local businesses.
Location in every field:
Website: "Brooklyn Taco Bar" not just "Taco Bar"
Instagram bio: Include neighborhood
Event listings: Specify exact location
Email: "Brooklyn's best Taco Tuesday"
Local listings:
Google Business Profile (most important)
Apple Maps
Bing
Facebook
All should have consistent information: name, address, phone, hours.
SEO Mistakes to Avoid
Keyword stuffing: "Brooklyn taco Brooklyn taco Brooklyn Brooklyn taco." Stop. Be natural.
Irrelevant hashtags: Using #Fashion when you're a restaurant. Instagram's algorithm notices and deprioritizes.
Outdated information: Old hours, old address, old phone on your website. Kills your credibility and SEO.
No alt text: Images without descriptions don't show up in image search. You're invisible.
Ignoring platform-specific SEO: Optimizing Google but not Instagram. You're only reaching 50% of your audience.
Your SEO Audit
Website: Do your main pages include location keywords? Are page titles descriptive?
Instagram: What hashtags are you using? Are they researched or random? Are they location-based?
Event listings: Do your event titles/descriptions include keywords?
Google Business Profile: Is it complete? Updated? Does it have the right category?
Images: Are they named descriptively? Do they have alt text?
Fix the biggest gaps first.
Ready to Improve Your Platform Visibility?
If you're not optimizing for search on every platform, let's fix it. Small changes to hashtags, keywords, and images can double your visibility.
[Schedule a 30-Minute Growth Audit] — we'll audit your SEO across platforms and show you exactly where to improve.