Why Local SEO is Important for Your Business

Why Local SEO Is Important For Your Business

Many small business owners are often in a dilemma about what their digital marketing strategy should look like. Traditional marketing is long behind in today’s digital world. Of course, word of mouth is still a powerful business reputation builder but how do you manage your reputation online? That is one of the many things you can do with local SEO. In this article we will be going over why local SEO is important for your business. 

What is your strategy for the local community? When consumers search for services nearby, don’t you think your brand must be visible on top of the search pages? You can if you invest in local SEO. Not only will the local consumers know of your services, but local SEO will also help you stay ahead of your competition. 

What is Local SEO?

SEO (search engine optimization) improves a brand’s exposure across the internet when people are searching for relevant terms. Local SEO is a part of SEO that enhances your business’s visibility to local searchers. Online consumers search for services using “near me” or in “XYZ” locality of a city or town. The search engines read all the businesses registered with it near the geographical areas of the search. If you are not using local SEO, your neighbor will not find you if they do an internet search. 

Why local SEO is important

Local SEO diverts organic traffic to your website and creates online leads. The leads you will receive are from people who are genuinely searching for a product or service you offer which makes them more likely to convert. 

Statistics show that 46% of all searches on Google are for local businesses, and 97% find a local company when they search the internet[1]. 72% of the searchers did visit the store if it was within five miles. 88% of consumers who use their smartphone to search visit or call the store within a day. 

Numbers might change tomorrow at another survey, but you must not undermine the importance of local SEO. Continue reading to learn some facts about why you must take local SEO seriously. 

1. You will remain competitive

Even if you have not invested, chances that other businesses in your industry have invested are high. They are one step ahead of you and appear in the local search engine results. It also means people searching for services you provide are all going to them. 

If customers cannot find you, it does not matter if you are the best in your niche and offer quality products. Consumers will only find you if they go through pages and pages of search results, which nobody does.  

When you invest in local SEO, you are on par with your competitors and can compete to retain your market share as the best in your industry. 

2. Attract new visitors and online users

When your local business is available on the first page, new people will easily find you in your locality. Newcomers will not know what services and companies exist in their area. Word of mouth will not help as they know nobody to ask. When they find your business in the search results, it creates a trust factor. If everything goes well, you have a new loyal customer. 

You may also win over customers of other businesses who are not using local SEO. These customers might think they no longer exist and will come to the next available business. 

3. People want to support local 

Large businesses can survive easily in any city or town without any issues. They have different types of clientele, yet it does not mean people do not want to buy from small local businesses. More and more consumers are giving preference to the local markets, and only turn to online giants when they are unable to find their requirements.

You may have to urge customers to write reviews initially, but it triggers interest when you respond to a customer’s online review. It does not matter whether the feedback was negative or positive. When you respond, they feel you are giving personalized service and care. It will encourage others to express their ideas. It is one way of building and strengthening relationships with your local clients. 

 4. Reaches customers who want to buy

HubSpot Marketing statistics says 88% of consumers who search for a local business visit a store within 24 hours if it is within 5 miles. It means when they pick up their phone to explore, they have already decided to buy. Another stat confirms 78% of local searches result in offline sales, which means consumers visit a brick and mortar store to make a purchase. Local SEO helps sell even businesses without an online store. 

For example, while driving back home, you suddenly crave something or may want to pick up something to surprise your family. You pull out your phone and search for the nearest business selling the product you want. You call them up and find out its availability and then go to the store to pick the item up. Until you searched, you were not aware of this business or the product they offered. The store has earned business without any paid advertising just because you could find them during your search. That is the power of local SEO.

5. It is not expensive

When you compare the digital marketing costs, local SEO is not all that expensive. You are reaching people in close vicinity and who have nearly decided to make a purchase. 

With paid advertising the results might be faster but it operates like a faucet, it only works when you turn it on. SEO has the ability to continually give you results without having to pay for every single lead. 

The Key Local SEO Ranking Factors

Nearly 50 % of all Google searches are for local businesses. Phrases like “buy now” or “near me” mobile searches to find the local companies grew by more than 136% last year. In addition, when someone does a regular daily search, the local businesses will also show up.   

Google provides geographically related searches to meet the needs of its searchers 

1. Proximity: the distance from where the person searches and the location of each business. If the customer doesn’t specify a location, Google will calculate from what it knows about the place. 

2. Relevance: How easily could Google match with a local listing. Businesses must provide detailed information about their location to help Google understand and connect the listing to searches. 

3. Prominence: How well known the business is across the internet, local and business directories, etc., and how much information Google has about the business, customers reviews, and ratings will help local ranking. 

How Can Your Small Business Use Local SEO?

Create an accurate, consistent, local business listing

Wherever you share your local citations, make sure the details are correct and consistent. The information you must provide usually includes: your business name, postal address, phone numbers, email address, timings, nature of business, photos, videos, a short description, etc. 

You must be prompt in updating any changes or additions to any of the columns and do it across all the listings. Search engines will trust your data if it is consistent. Updating it in all the directories will also avoid confusion if you change addresses or phone numbers. 

List in all local online directories

Create and optimize your local business listings in major search engines and online business directories. Most small businesses use Google My Business, Yelp, Bing Places, Facebook, Trip Advisor, and similar. By listing similar information, you make it easier for search engines to confirm that your business is authentic and that your data is correct. Do not miss any directory when you are making an update. 

Maintain a Google My Business Profile

Google My Business is among the best things that could have happened to small businesses. Create and verify your Google My Business page. You can also load your business information directly into Google Search and Google Maps. Encourage your customers to share reviews online. Respond to them specifying their location. Monitor and update your data consistently. 

Ensure your website is mobile-friendly

Mobile use for local search is increasing steadily. More and more consumers use their mobile phones to search for information related to the location and business hours of local businesses[2]. Having a mobile friendly website could be a game changer in how users interact with your business.

Where Do Local Search Results Show?

Local search results (Snack Pack or Local Pack) show three businesses at the top of the search page with a map and dropped pins. They are the top three businesses with maximum clicks and get more customers than any other links on the page.

Who Needs Local SEO?

If your business offers products and services that are location-centric, you require local search engine optimization. 

  • Hospitality industry- Hotels, restaurants, catering services, bars, bakeries, 
  • Professionals – Doctors, dentists, clinics, attorneys, accountants,
  • Local services – plumbers, carpenters, electricians, drivers, cab services, florists, 
  • Local shops- Salons, parlors, opticians, gyms, fitness centers, real estate, pets, etc. 

Conclusion

The list can go on and on. Every business that involves local customers requires local SEO. The nature and size of your business do not matter. It is a strategy to put your business one step ahead in your industry. 

If you want to learn more about why local SEO is important for your business call us at (516) 259-1813. 

Resources:

[1] https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/local-seo-stats

[2] https://thriveagency.com/news/local-seo-statistics-you-should-know-in-2021/