You’ve probably heard a lot about local SEO being one of the most important facets when it comes to online marketing.
What Is Local SEO?
Local search engine optimisation is a branch of SEO that focuses on optimising a website to be found in local search results.
Local search encompasses all those search terms that scream local, such as:
- electrician near me
- plumber near me
- hair salon near me
- hair salon in [city name]
- electrician in [city name]
- plumbers in [city name]
Basically, local SEO is a strategic process that focuses on emphasizing the optimisation efforts of local brick-and-mortar businesses.
Why Is It Important?
Local SEO is extremely important, especially if you have a business with a brick-and-mortar store, or one that provides a service in a certain locality.
According to a study completed by Forbes, 95% of smartphone users have used their device to perform local searches, out of which 61% called the business and 59% visited.
A study online found that 70% of mobile users click to call a business directly from Google search results using their mobile phones.
Now these numbers will tell you that leads from location-based searches are a major avenue for potential customers, and those numbers will only keep growing. Since these leads are from people who are specifically searching for products or services that your business offers, it is safe to assume that these are qualified leads that will definitely have a higher conversion rate as well.
The Basics Of Local SEO Services
Now that we’ve taken a look at what local SEO is, and why it’s important, let’s check out what you can do to improve your business’ local SEO.
The first thing to understand here is that this is SEO for location-based searches. This means a physical address or location is a prerequisite for a business to show up on local search results. If your business’ address is not updated in Google My Business and other online directories, it will not show up when a customer runs a “near me” or “in *locality name*” search.
The next thing you need to ensure is that your business’ NAP (Name, Address, and Phone number) is consistent across all the online directories you’ve enlisted in. If there are any inconsistencies, Google will most likely avoid listing your business.
How Does Local SEO Impact Your Business?
If you own a small business, optimising your business’s local SEO can be extremely worthwhile. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of local SEO:
- Local SEO helps potential customers discover your business. A lot of local searches originate from non-locals who are searching for a business like yours, and with local SEO done right, your business can capture that audience.
- Local SEO provides potential customers the information that they want when they want it. For example, if your restaurant has free WiFi or is pet-friendly, displaying that information as part of your local SEO will attract customers who are looking for just that.
- Even if your business does not have a website, local SEO helps your business stand out in local searches and helps drive more traffic through online leads.
- As mentioned earlier, 61% of people who performed a local search ended up calling the business. Local search optimisation provides potential customers the power to take this action, and this in turn provides your business with a qualified lead that you can convert.
- Local SEO helps drive people’s decisions in favour of your business. The more data they have about your business, the more trustworthy you are in their eyes. This lays a strong foundation upon which you can build a mutually beneficial customer relationship.
In conclusion, local SEO can help your business, you can better manage its online presence, and build up your client base. Getting SEO started on your website will not only boost your local SEO but also increase your organic search engine rankings for your website and over your competitors. See how our experts at Bemunchie Online can help your business grow through search engine optimisation, contact us today.
