As the digital landscape scales rapidly, various digital marketing strategies have been coming out as well. One of the most popular and effective solutions is SEO.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, wherein it practices increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results. Many businesses have been using this strategy to create success online, and most of them are likely to get a high conversion rate.
However, local SEO comes with a different level of importance because it can increase your visibility to people in your local area, making the leads more concise and convertible to sales! Reaching the locality is not something that should be overlooked especially if you want that edge against other more prominent businesses in your area.
To ensure that you are utilizing local SEO effectively, we have listed the things you need to know about it so you can stay on top of the online competition.
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online presence to increase visibility and traffic in local search results. The process utilizes various techniques and tactics to improve your business’s position on local search rankings. Local search rankings happen when a user includes a local keyword phrase in their search, such as “near me” intended questions or when search engines pinpoint a location from the user’s device.
What are the Advantages of Local SEO?
Since local SEO targets the market in your area, it can bring opportunities to your promotional plan. Given the upward trend that it gives, especially that 97% of people in a community turn to the internet to learn more about a local business, it is truly a game-changer in building a solid business profile, and its benefits are undeniable.
Here's a list of advantages that you can look forward to when you are using local SEO:
1. Cost-Effective
Local SEO reduces costs on your marketing budget since all ads are organic. Although cheap, SEO's are proven to drive quality leads to sites leading to more conversions and increased revenue. You can also have an opportunity to build your rank with Google's free advertisement, wherein it gains more valuable clicks than a paid ad.
2. Local Return Customers
As a business owner, you should keep in mind that most people who search for local businesses are already ready to buy. So focusing on local SEO does not just promote your shop but also increases actual sales and customers!
3. Improve Online Visibility
If your business does not appear on the first five results that Google collects, it is time for you to venture and maximize the use of local SEO to improve your visibility. Why? Because 67.6% of users are likely to only click on the first five results of Google. Local SEO will help your business compete with other brands on fair terms only within the vicinity!
How Can You Improve Your Local SEO?
Local SEO will not be effective if it does not support what your business offers. To have a successful SEO campaign, you might want to consider the following steps to gain optimal results:
1. Provide Mobile-Friendly Websites
Google values user experience—so if your website is not mobile-friendly, your ratings may drop, and you may lose your chance of being on the top search results!
Almost everyone in the community uses phones to search for what they need. As such, a mobile-friendly website also creates more engagement and retention from customers, so it is crucial to achieving a mobile-friendly setup.
2. List Accurate Online Directories
Listing your business in any relevant directories can enhance your business’s accessibility. It can help Google and other search engines trust you and rank in local SERPs.
3. Use Hyper-Local Keywords
The use of hyper-local keywords can help your business be included in Google's Snack Pack and top local search results. Whatever your business offers, make sure to include words connected to your business, such as the services you offer and the location.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that local SEO has now become one of the most powerful techniques in online marketing, especially now that everything seems to be migrating online. The greatest challenge now is how to be on top of the competitive landscape of digital promotions. Fortunately, your brand can stand a chance with the tips mentioned above and with the help of SEO experts like Lion Rank.
At LionRank , we understand that it's challenging to maintain the changing world of SEO; that is why we are here to help you focus on the core of your business. We offer affordable local SEO services to keep your SEO efforts on track. Get in touch with us to find out more about our services!