Local SEO: What Can It Do For Your Business?

In today’s economy, finding your customers means ensuring you are at the top of the list when they open their favorite search engine. Getting to the top for community-based businesses includes increasing your local online presence. With that in mind, let’s focus on ways that local SEO efforts can positively influence your target audience and assist in generating sales.

What is Local SEO?

SEO is a technique meant to help your website or other content rank higher in search results on Google or other search engines, thus allowing you to reach a larger audience. The truth is that most people never scroll past the first page, so if you are not on that first page, your business is unlikely to be seen by your target audience.

Local SEO is a strategy focused on building your company’s visibility locally, which is helpful for those who have an actual physical storefront. Several components combine to increase its effectiveness, including employing keywords, creating relevant content, and optimizing your Google Business Profile and other directories.

Increased Visibility for Your Business

When your business is based in a specific geographic location, providing services to local customers and having an online presence is essential. Today, people use their phones to find out how late a business is open, their address, and even their contact information.

Utilizing a local SEO marketing plan makes your business more visible to potential customers searching for specific local services. If you are not focusing on local SEO, you could lose potential customers and profit.

Higher Conversion Rates at Your Physical Locations

No business owner says, “I wish I had fewer customers.” In fact, your marketing plan is based around growing your customer base and converting individuals from browsers to buyers. Your local SEO efforts can help make that a reality by ensuring you are where your customers are looking for information.

People use their phones and mobile devices to seek out businesses while traveling or in town. Those new to an area find searches for local services vital to knowing where specific businesses are located, helping them get the lay of the land. According to Google:

• 30% of all mobile searches are related to location.
• 78% of people who search for something nearby on their phones visit a business within a day.
• 28% of searches for something nearby result in a purchase.

You can increase your foot traffic and sales when you are online for them to find. Consumers are buying into the idea of shopping locally and supporting their hometown economy. Make it easier for them to support you by utilizing a marketing plan that includes local SEO.

Grow Your Competitive Edge

As a local business, you might not be the only option in your industry. To make yourself stand out, it helps to be at the top of those local searches. When you focus your marketing on local SEO and directories, you ensure that your business appears prominently in search engine results when people look for your products and services in a specific geographic area.

Know that your competitors are also working hard to market themselves online. If you are not, you give them the edge within your geographical marketplace. That can lead to a loss of sales and profitability for your business.

By focusing on your local SEO, you tap into a number of benefits and advantages that can significantly impact your company’s online visibility, traffic, and overall success.

Local SEO Tools for Your Business

To maximize the benefits of your local SEO, you can tap into a number of tools meant to improve your online presence. First, create and manage your local business listings on multiple platforms, such as Google and Facebook. The goal is to make sure that all your listings are accurate and up to date.

Another option is to focus on citation building, local search rankings, and review monitoring. Various tools are also available to provide data on backlinks, keywords, and traffic for local businesses. Other SEO tools help you to see where you rank on local search results in specific geographical areas. Remember, choosing the right tools depends on your particular needs and budget.

At eLocal, we can assist you with improving your local SEO, along with a host of other online marketing strategies. Contact us today to learn more about your options and how we can assist you in improving your local SEO.

eLocal Solutions specializes in marketing your business via the digital marketplace. We use search engine optimization, social and review promotion, and Email marketing for all types of businesses, from local to global. We utilize various digital marketing techniques to increase your internet presence, optimize your traffic, and generate new business.