The Importance of Local SEO

What Is Local SEO?

Local SEO is the process of optimizing a website for local search engine results. This includes optimizing the website for specific local keywords related to the area, as well as creating citations and listings for the business on local directories and map listings. Furthermore, implementing local SEO strategies can help you focus your company’s marketing efforts more intently on a narrow audience. Local SEO is important for any business that wants to be found in local search results, and it is a valuable part of an overall SEO strategy.

Companies can improve their visibility in local search results by using local search optimization strategies. These strategies target terms related to their company and products.

Why Is Local SEO Important?

Local SEO services are important for many reasons. First, local SEO allows businesses to be found by potential clients who are searching for products or services in their neighborhood. Second, it helps to boost a business’ visibility and organic search results in the local area, which can lead to more website visitors and customers. Finally, local SEO can help to create a sense of community and loyalty among customers, as they feel more connected to businesses that are located near them.

All of these factors make local SEO an essential part of any business’ marketing strategy. And with statistics showing that nearly 80% of consumers use the internet to find local businesses, it’s clear that businesses need to be investing in local SEO if they want to stay competitive.

What’s more, did you know that according to Google, 76% of people who conduct a local search on their smartphone visit a business within 24 hours? And not only that, but 28% of those local searches result in a purchase. Plus, 86% of people rely on Google Maps to find the location of a business. All this just goes to show how important it is for a business to have Local SEO.

What Are Google Local Ranking Factors?

Local SEO is the practice of optimizing your online presence to better connect with potential customers in your area. This strategy works best for businesses that have a physical location and rely on foot traffic or close proximity to customers. Local search engine optimization works by focusing on the following key factors:

• Relevance: The most important of these is the relevance of the website to the search query. Google looks at a number of factors to determine the relevance of a website, including the content of the website, the structure of the website, the number and quality of inbound links, and the user’s search history.
• Distance: Another important factor in Google Local rankings is the distance between the user and the business. If a business is physically closer to the user, it is more likely to rank higher in results. This is because Google assumes that the user is more likely to be interested in businesses that are closer to them.
• Prominence: Finally, Google also takes into account the user’s reviews and ratings when determining Local rankings. If a business has positive reviews and high ratings, it is more likely to rank higher in results. This is because Google wants to give its users the best possible results, and businesses with positive reviews are more likely to be providing a good experience for their customers.

What Are the Advantages of Local Search?

Local SEO allows you to utilize your local market more effectively, in addition to giving you a higher return on investment. SEO for local companies is crucial, especially if your local business operates a physical store or provides a service in the local area. Your business information is made available to local searchers (who are usually more qualified) so it drives traffic to your physical location.

Online Search Results Can Convert to Offline Sales Through Local SEO

The Retail Dive survey indicates that 67 percent of consumers research the majority of their purchases online before shopping for them in brick-and-mortar stores. In addition, 30% of traffic goes to the first page of search engine results, so it makes sense that local businesses that appear at the top will benefit from those results. By utilizing local SEO, you can provide your business with visibility to every local consumer searching for products specific to your business niche, converting online Google searches into offline sales.

Local SEO Is Free Advertising

Any business can benefit from local advertising. The local SEO process is like a local advertisement that provides consumers with free access to your web page. A local SEO strategy allows you to provide information about your business, such as the address and phone number, online.

Additionally, SEO techniques can be used to draw attention to and promote the types of services or products you offer on your website. You can use this to boost your company’s online visibility, which can help make your company more well known to local residents. A local SEO campaign is free and considered a highly effective form of advertising online since there are no implementation costs involved.

You Can Get Customer Reviews With Local SEO

People often look online for reviews of new products and services before making a purchase. Potential customers may be wary of giving you their money if you don’t have any reviews. Getting quality reviews from previous customers is an effective way to use local SEO. Several local business listing directories enable consumers to review their local experience or the service they received. Customer reviews can even be encouraged by the business. By doing so, you will provide prospective customers with the necessary confirmation to complete their purchase.

Bring Your Service to More Local Customers Who Need It Right Now

Users frequently want a specific service in the near future when they search for it on the web. An example of this: on local restaurant searches, nearly 64% of users convert either immediately or within one hour. Having a restaurant appear at the top of the search results is a great way to earn a customer’s business. All local businesses must make use of local SEO in order to reach local customers who need your products or services at the earliest stage. Local customers with an immediate need will likely choose to shop nearby if they see your local listing (not your competitors). If your business is closer to them, that increases the likelihood that they will choose you instead of a competitor located far away from them.

How Can a Local Business Improve Its Local SEO?

Now that we’ve established what local SEO is and why you should pay more attention to it, let’s take a look at what you can do to rise to the top of search engine results pages.

1. Adapt Your SEO for Voice Search

With personal assistants like Alexa, Google, Siri, and Cortana accounting for about 10% of global search volume, this tip is no surprise. Simply add more long-tail keywords to adapt this new spoken aspect of SEO.

2. Allocate a Budget for Mobile

We shouldn’t have to say this, but people keep avoiding it. As a retailer, you can expect to see as much as 70% or more of your traffic coming from mobile devices. Invest in mobile and your individual locations will benefit.

3. Establishing Local Link Building Helps Your Local SEO

Look for opportunities to cooperate with other local stores, service groups, clubs, sports teams, schools, and non-competitive establishments through co-promotion, sponsorships, etc. Link to their website either through page content or blogs and have them link back to you in the same way.

4. Improve Your Local SEO By Prioritizing Your Store Locator

To grab people on the go, optimize your store locator. You’ll see higher search rankings on relevant searches and increased local visibility for each individual location.

5. Personalize Ads For Local SEO

List town names and local areas, and add location extensions and local landing pages with hyperlocal content to boost your local ad conversions.

6. Use User Generated Content

People no longer have the time or patience to search through generic content. Consumers now demand relevant, local recommendations from people they can trust. Integrate local user-generated content on your local landing pages to solve this problem.

Avoid These Common Local SEO Mistakes!

Local SEO is complicated, so you are sure to make some mistakes. Here are some myths to avoid falling for.

1. If Your Citations Don’t Include Your Suite Number, You’re Doomed

Google doesn’t actually recognize suite numbers for a vast majority of Google business listings.

2. Any Differences in Your Business Name Are a Huge Deal

Google is smart enough to connect listings together even if they are slightly different. Just make sure the address and phone number are correct so people can reach you.

3. NAP Cleanup Should Involve Fixing Every Single One of Your Hundreds of Listings

Chances are, Google hasn’t (and won’t) index most of your hundreds of listings because they are on unmanaged sites with the same, repeated content. Don’t spend the time or money worrying about this.

4. There’s No Risk in Canceling an Automated Citation Service

It’s important for people to recognize that, if they decide to cancel, they might benefit from budgeting for some manual citation building/cleanup – just in case any problems arise.

5. Citation Building Is the Only Type of Link-Building Strategy You Need

Although citations are important, if that’s the only backlinking strategy you’re using, you’re most likely not going to rank well in competitive markets.

6. Google My Business Is a Citation

Google isn’t really a citation. Using the example of academic papers, Google is like the paper itself and all of your listings out on the web are the resources supporting your paper, aka your citations.

Looking to scale or increase your revenue? SEO is proven to grow your business

Book a Free Consultation

Conclusion

By considering investing in a local SEO strategy for your business, you are already one step ahead in planning a successful marketing campaign. Today, many local businesses are turning their attention to local SEO because they want to tap into a new customer base and provide services to those who are just a few miles down the road. Whether you are a plumber in New York or a roofer in San Francisco, local SEO will allow you to connect with local customers and improve your brand awareness in your local community. Contact us if you want your small business to benefit from the help of a professional local SEO agency.