Did you know that more than 45% of all Google searches are “local”. Google has seen as much as 500% increase in “near me” searches.
It is extremely important to have your local business appear in search results, when someone in your target location is searching for a relevant product or service. That is where you need local SEO.
You need a local SEO service to optimize your business listings for local searches. Otherwise, you will be leaving money on the table.
How Local SEO Works?
The basics of local SEO are not different from global SEO but proximity and relevance plays a much more important role when you are targeting local searches.
Local SEO strategy is based on your geographical location. It revolves around your city name, town, and zip code. The techniques like keyword research or on-page optimization stay the same. It is just that you are focusing entirely on the location.
Similarly, when you are building links, you will be trying to get the links or citations from local business directories, local magazines, and industry-related websites. Reviews from existing customers will also play a huge role.
Why hire a Local SEO agency?
You can do the SEO yourself but learning and implementing the SEO best practices will take a lot of time.This is why you can hire experts to do the job while you focus on other, more important aspects of your job.
Increased Traffic for Related Searches
Local SEO will make sure that your site is showing in the SERPs for relevant searches. Local organic visitors have a very high chance of conversion because people will prefer dealing with a nearby business.
A HubSpot study shows that 75 percent of internet users do not check beyond the first page of search results. You need to be in the top 3 or top 5 positions of search results if you want to survive and thrive as a local business.
Increased Visibility
Getting featured in local directories or sites like yellow pages or yelp will not only serve as a link but it will also give you some much needed exposure.
When you build your business’s online presence through local citations, you will instantly start to get your target customers’ attention. Getting on the platforms like TripAdvisor or Yelp and getting some good reviews will tremendously help your business.
Improved Reputation and Credibility
Customer reviews and feedback are vital for the success of a local business. Online reviews improve a business’s reputation and add credibility, which also improves the conversion rate. These reviews can be a make or break factor for a local business.
According to a survey, customers are becoming more conscious of the reviews received by a business. 85 percent of local users treat online feedback as a personal recommendation. A business has to have a few four or five star reviews in order to build trust. These reviews will also help you stay on top of your business. This kind of feedback is very important for business because it gives you an idea of the strengths and weaknesses of your business.
Reduced Marketing Cost
A study shows that over 80 percent of mobile internet users opt for the ‘near me’ searches when they look up a specific service or business. If you have worked enough on the local SEO, your business will be among the top results for the relevant searches. Your business might take some time in reaching there but once you have reached the top position, you can reap the benefits for a long time.
This means you can save up the cost of targeted advertising through newspaper ads, flyers, and social media campaigns. Local SEO is not just more effective but also an economical strategy. The returns on investment (ROI) are higher than conventional advertising.
Better Relevance and Prominence
Link building for local SEO improves your business’s prominence, i.e., how many people know about your business. It also promotes relevance, i.e., how well your listing is adaptable to the searcher’s needs. When combined with content marketing, link building can do wonders in terms of relevance and prominence.
Content marketing revolves around topics related to your locality and business. It should address your local community, as that will increase engagement and attract more customers in your area. Moreover, if you are putting up evergreen, area-focused content, you will be receiving backlinks from other local establishments too. These links increase your site’s prominence and relevance while rendering your business credible in the community.
Gives an Edge Over Competitors
The competition in digital marketing and SEO has grown immensely but local SEO is not that competitive since you are not only competing against a few other businesses.
A big majority of small businesses are not fully utilizing the platforms like Google Business, Yelp, Google Maps, and voice search. You will get an instant edge over competitors if you can start working on Local SEO now.
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