SEO is becoming an increasingly necessary element of any successful business model and this applies to smaller or local businesses, too. A Statista study found that only 2% of people did not search for local businesses online before using their services or purchasing their products. This underscores the significance of having an online presence to attract local customers to your business.
This article establishes what SEO and Local SEO mean, how they will benefit your business and how to implement them to attract more customers and encourage business growth.
What is Local SEO?
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) involves improving a website’s online visibility to achieve higher rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs). When someone searches for a product or service online, businesses with effective SEO strategies are more likely to be found, leading to increased traffic and potential sales.
Local SEO is a branch of SEO focused on improving visibility for searches within a specific area surrounding your company’s locations. For example, if someone searches with the phrase “near me,” Local SEO helps ensure your business appears in the local search results. As the number of searches (local/near me) has increased by 400% in recent years, your site being a high-ranking result could be very important for increased business.
Local SEO services can provide professional advice to help small businesses connect with nearby customers effectively and quickly. This is particularly beneficial for companies specialising in in-person customer service, as they can reach more people than just walk-in customers.
How will my business benefit from Local SEO?
A good-quality Local SEO strategy offers several key benefits.
- Better online visibility means higher rankings in search engine results and more people clicking on your website.
- Local SEO attracts visitors from your surrounding area who are more likely to engage with your business and, being nearby, more likely to visit in person. T
- Your competitors are likely already using SEO. If you don’t join in with this movement, there is a risk that your business could be left behind.
- Consistent and engaging content that is relevant to your clients or the local area fosters trust and connection with customers. Done well, this results in both repeat customers and referrals, which can lead to new customers.
How to implement Local SEO
Implementing Local SEO involves both technical and creative elements. While investing in professional support is the easiest approach, local businesses can start with a few relatively easy steps.
- Enacting an SEO audit to discover if the website has any existing issues and use technical SEO to resolve them.
- Use SEO tools to identify popular and frequently searched keywords relevant to your business and content.
- Incorporate these keywords into your website pages, titles, descriptions and longer-form content like brochures or blogs. Some of these keywords should relate to the local area.
- Include all your contact and location information to make it easy for website visitors to find and contact you.
- Create blogs or articles featuring local news and information relevant to both your brand and the local area. You can outsource this or partner with a company offering SEO services.
- Use backlinks from credible sources to enhance your credibility, trustworthiness and authority (in line with Google’s EEAT standards).
- Use analytics regularly to refine your strategy based on what works and what doesn’t. Professional SEO services or a qualified SEO expert can interpret this data and devise the most effective approach.
Start using Local SEO
SEO is not just for large corporations or companies; it is becoming increasingly essential for all businesses. Local SEO is the most effective way to enhance the online presence of smaller or local businesses. Whether you manage your strategy independently or hire professional SEO services, effective SEO will help your business grow and stand out.
