If you’ve been Googling ways to grow your business by getting more traffic to your site, then you’ve probably come across the term Search Engine Optimization, also known as SEO.
What exactly is SEO, you ask?
SEO is the process of taking steps to help your website rank higher on Google.
If you are ready to learn more about the benefits of Local Search Engine Optimization and how it can help your business, keep reading for some useful tips!
Before we go any further, we first need to understand the difference between SEO and local SEO.
When you have a website, SEO allows you to target the entire (online) world. On the contrary, local SEO focuses on ranking your website higher in your local area rather than around the entire world.
Whether you have a brick-and-mortar business or an online business, you want to make sure your web pages rank for specific search queries performed by a local audience.
This is where the optimization comes in.
Optimizing your business’s website is about making sure people can find you when they search on platforms like Google or Bing. Optimizing your site for local search is very important, especially when trying to gain new clients in specific towns, cities, regions, and even states.
Why is Local Search Engine Optimization important?
When you use local SEO, it allows people to find information about your business quickly and easily, increasing their likelihood of using your service.
Customers are searching for the best products and services near them – and they don’t want to have to wait for answers.
Think about the last time you Googled a service. Did you scroll through and look at all of the options, or did you look at the top suggestions from Google?
If you answered the latter, do you know if your business shows up at the exact time when local customers are looking? Will they pick you out of all the local competition? If your answer is anything less than a yes, then you need to take a look at your business’s local SEO.
Local SEO is all about letting search platforms like Google know where your business is located. This helps search engines know where your business is located and allows people in that area to find your business.
Search terms are essential to understand and play a big part in customers finding you.
For example, if you have a business in Las Cruces, New Mexico, you would want to incorporate local SEO search terms to help customers in the Las Cruces area find you. You would want to choose local keywords that focus on that geographic location. Keywords like “web designer in Las Cruces” or “Las Cruces website designer” can help reach people who want to find a local professional or business. These keywords are then integrated into your website, which allows your business to rank in local search results.
Now that we have talked about what local SEO is, it’s time to discuss if a local SEO strategy is a good option for your business. Since local searches convert to sales, your business will definitely benefit from using local SEO.
The main reason you will benefit is that local searches have a high conversion sales rate! When users conduct local searches, they’re typically ready to find a business that fits their needs and immediately convert. But if you don’t have a local SEO plan in place, you’ll miss out on so many valuable leads for your business and will also lose the customers to your competitor.
Local SEO is geo-targeted and timely. Get found by local customers in real-time as they are searching for a solution that you offer.
Local SEO is untapped potential. Instead of only focusing on ranking for general search terms, you can stretch your marketing budget by hiring a local SEO specialist to help you get found by potential customers.
There are many things you can do to improve your local SEO. Here are three ways you can improve your local SEO and get found by customers in your areas.
Part of your local SEO strategy should focus on updating your Google My Business (GMB) listing. Your GMB listing will list the information that’s relevant to your business, which includes:
A key component to local SEO is keeping your GMB listing up to date. People can find your GMB listing anytime they do a Google search for your product or service. Creating and updating your GMB listing will improve your local SEO, and customers will find your business with ease. We offer Local Search Engine Optimization & GMB management services to take this off your plate.
Review generation means getting regular reviews from happy customers. There are many benefits to getting your customers to write reviews for you, not just the fact that it optimizes your online presence; it also encourages more local customers to buy from you.
Here are a few tips to help you encourage customers to leave reviews:
Remember to respond to existing reviews professionally, thanking reviewers and addressing complaints in not-so-favorable reviews. Our Review Generation services can help you exponentially increase your reviews from customers!
Your website and the keywords you use play a huge role in local SEO. As a web designer, I can’t stress enough how important it is to improve your website if you want great local SEO results.
The location page or about us page on your website plays a huge factor in local SEO. You need to make sure you list important information on your website, like your address and the Google Maps attachment of your location.
Your website also needs to hone in on local keywords. Your keywords should be relevant to local customers. It only makes sense, doesn’t it? Create a list of locally relevant keywords to target and add to your website’s meta content, copy, and URLs.
Another way your website contributes to local SEO is through mobile optimization. Mobile website visits are quickly becoming the number one way to search online. You have to optimize your website for mobile to be a player in local SEO (and, really, for any SEO).
By now, you should have a better understanding of how your business will benefit from local SEO along with the benefits that local search offers. Now it’s time to take advantage of local search engine marketing! If you are looking for better search results or help to improve your local listings in Google Maps, Google my business or Bing, then you can trust that our local SEO expert will help you dominate your local search results.
If you are ready for more foot traffic and local leads, then you should talk with us!
Set up a free call to talk about your business goals and see how we can help!
