Local Searches Behave Differently

Searches made in Kenya usually carry local intent. "Cars for sale Kenya", "plumber Nairobi" and "web hosting Kenya" are valuable searches that bring paying customers. Competition for local SEO in Kenya is lighter than in global markets, so with a sound plan you can rank on Google Kenya sooner.

Six Building Blocks of SEO in Kenya

1. Research What Kenyans Type

Google Keyword Planner and Ubersuggest show the phrases Kenyans really use. Add places such as "Mombasa", "Nairobi" or "Kenya" to your keywords, and think the way your customer thinks.

2. Write Strong Titles and Descriptions

Give each page its own title tag of under 60 characters and a meta description of under 160 characters. Both should contain the target keyword and give searchers a reason to click.

3. Make the Site Quick on Phones

Google weighs the mobile experience heavily in its rankings, and most Kenyans go online by phone. A sluggish mobile site will struggle to rank.

4. Publish Content with a Kenyan Focus

Answer the questions Kenyans actually ask in guides, FAQs and blog posts. The blog you are reading is one example: content that helps Kenyan businesses ranks for Kenyan searches.

5. Earn Links from Kenyan Sites

List your business in Kenyan directories such as BizKenya, Yellow Pages Kenya and Google Business Profile. Swap guest posts with Kenyan businesses whose work complements yours.