Did you know that 46% of all search is for local products or services?
That means that your business could have far more potential than it is tapping into to reach those that it would be a perfect fit for.
Put simply if you are a bricks and mortar store or service a particular area then you need to focus on those in your local area. The best way to do that is to incorporate local SEO into your digital strategy.
But what is local SEO?
Keep on reading for our breakdown.
What Is Local SEO?
The world wide web is an unforgiving place if you wish to use it for your own means. The best thing to do is to work with it for it to work for you.
The best way for SMEs to take advantage is search engine optimization or SEO. Now, while keywords, backlinks, and killer content is the backbone of traditional SEO, local SEO works differently.
Why?
Because once Google identifies that a search is local, it works its magic to give the person what they want. For example, if you type in dentist and live in New York, then no matter how much great content may be on the Mr. White Smiles Clinic on Colorado’s site, Google knows that you probably want to know where the closest one is to you.
However, just because you have your info online, it doesn’t mean that you will come up in search. The pillars of a local SEO don’t only include relevance and proximity, but also prominence. This means that there is still some work to do to be viewed as the big cheese in your field.
Why Do I Need Local SEO?
If you are an SME that has a physical location or services a particular area, then using local SEO is vital.
Businesses need a steady stream of leads to thrive, and depending on your location, countless amounts of people are actively looking for things related to your services in your area every day!
Just having a presence online is like being a mere spectator to a race. Local SEO enables you to be a real competitor in the race for their attention.
Local SEO 101
It’s clear that you need local SEO, but what do you need to do? First, you should set up a Google My Business account. If you don’t have one yet, stop what you are doing right now, and get one!
While it is important to have a presence on all search platforms, Google’s 92% market share means that being visible there should be a priority.
Setting one up is fairly easy, and the info can be auto-populated into other business search service providers like Bing. Google My Business also allows for you to manage your presence on Google Maps, which is essential to your chances of appearing in the first three options in a search (known as the snack pack).
Next, you should ensure that the basic information of your business is consistent on all possible online locations, including directories. Having a differently formatted business name, address and phone number is surprisingly common, but the algorithm will take off brownie points for this simple error.
Once your online presence is strong, you can begin to consider content. Local SEO keywords should be included, but producing good content is the key to bumping up that prominence factor.
A Helping Hand for Local SEO
If you’ve ever asked “what is local SEO?” we hope our guide has made it clear.
However, to make the most of it takes a lot of work. That is where we come in.
If you are interested in taking advantage of this powerful source of potential revenue, look no further than All My Web Needs. Since 2009, we’ve helped numerous businesses like yours and would be more than happy to see where we can assist you.
Click here to arrange a conversation today.
