What is Local SEO

Local SEO is the process of ranking highly for “high-intent” searches like “car repair near me.” It’s more effective than a national SEO strategy because you don’t have to compete with firms with much larger advertising budgets. The term ‘local search engine optimization’ (LSEO) often describes an approach to rank well at Google maps, Yahoo Local, and other locations in the engines for locations near your company.

Local SEO is an important part of your online marketing strategy. It is highly recommended that you include this in your web marketing campaign because local search engine optimization can help increase the number of visitors to an existing website or even lead customers to a new site as well.

Local SEO is becoming increasingly important because of the switches in how people search. With more people using their phones to search for businesses or other information, local search engine optimization will help you show up higher on mobile searches. This is something you should think about and plan for as the industry moves forward.

When you’re creating a winning local SEO strategy, you’ll want to focus on keywords. Just because they are localized doesn’t mean that the keywords will be different than those that cover your entire business.

Why is Local SEO important?

• #1: 46% of all Google searches are looking for local information.
• #2: 78% of the people who do these searches purchase something offline
• #3: 72% of consumers that did a local search visited a store within five miles.
• #4: Google has stated that 53% of all web searches now come from mobile devices.

If you have a physical location or providing a location specific service , you need to have a local SEO strategy in place.

The goal of local SEO is to achieve top rankings in the search engine results pages (SERPS) for searches that can be answered with your business or service. Local SEO allows you to attract new customers based on their location and this have proven benefits for a wide range of businesses.

Local SEO increases customer loyalty, leads, conversion rates, and social media engagement. Whether your business is online or brick and mortar, local SEO will have a significant impact on your efforts to convert customers into loyal fans. 

This guide will teach you how to set up a local SEO strategy for any business in order to generate more traffic from local search.

Business That Can Benefit From Local SEO

Business that can immensely benefit from local seo are :

1. E-commerce businesses that want to rank at the top of search engine results for local shoppers.
2. Local service providers like plumbers, electricians and repair services.
3. Restaurants, bars & clubs Retail stores in areas where people would need directions or store hours
4. Hotels / Coffee Shops / Cafes
5. Chamber Of Commerce
6. Civic Organizations
7. Senior Centers Parks
8. Colleges and Universities
9. Local Schools
10. Medical & Healthcare Services
11. Legal services
12. Law Firms / Accounting firms etc.
13. Real Estate Agencies (realtors)   
14. Churches, Synagogues and other places of worship
15. Real estate agents
16. Attorneys
17. Dentists
18. Hair salons / Barbershops & spas  
19. Any business that has a local brick-and-mortar location.  
20. Accountants and financial planners   
21. Veterinarians   
22. Chiropractors, massage therapists and other health care professionals
23. Any business that needs to rank at the top of search engine results for local shoppers.

Top Benefits of Local SEO

• Local Search traffic is more likely to convert into customers because the businesses are able to create a tailor-made experience for those specific users.  
• Businesses can rank on search engines for terms that include their location which means you will be listed at the top when someone searches for “Pet Supplies San Francisco.”
•  Local SEO is easy to set up and does take time, but it’s not difficult.
• Local SEO helps you get more exposure in search results which means that you will be able to connect with customers who are looking for your products or services.  
• More local searches mean more opportunity to connect with potential customers.
• Local SEO has the power to help you rank organically which means that you will be able to reach people who are looking for your products or services at a fraction of the cost of Adwords.  
• Local SEO is proven to help businesses rank on the first page of Google which means that you will be able to attract customers who are ready and willing to spend money with you.  
• Valuable local search listings appear in a wide range of formats including maps, local business directory pages ( Yelp , UrbanSpoon , etc.), and search engine results pages .  
• Local SEO has the power to help you rank on more than one keyword which means that you will be able to get qualified traffic from different keywords.
• Top rankings in Google Maps for your local area may result in an increase in click-through rate (CTR) as well as a greater likelihood of conversion .
• Local SEO is one of the most cost-effective digital marketing strategies that you can use to attract new customers to your business.  
• Local SEO is relevant in nearly every local market which means that it makes sense for businesses and organizations regardless of where they are located.  

What You Need To Create A Winning Local SEO Strategy :

1) Keyword research  

Keyword Research can help you to discover the right keywords and phrases that you should be targeting with your local SEO campaign. Keyword research can also help you to find other new keyword and phrase which could potentially drive traffic to your Google My Business Page, Website. It can also help you to find new keyword and phrase which could potentially drive people to your website.

2) Conduct a competitive analysis

A good, effective SEO strategy is one that takes the needs of businesses into consideration in addition to those users who are looking for relevant products or services.  Conducting a competitive analysis will enable you to gain an in-depth understanding of what your competition is up to.  The competitive analysis will also help you to determine which keywords and other factors should be taken into consideration for your local SEO campaign.

3) Create a powerful Google My Business Page

If you want to succeed with Local SEO, it’s essential that you create an eye-catching Google My Business Page.  The page should include a variety of images, some useful text, and links to your website and other social media platforms including Yelp, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter etc.  Creating an eye-catching GMP will enable you to rank high in search engine results for local queries which means that you will be able to generate more leads for your business.

4) Get verified on Google My Business Page  

If you want to rank high in local search results, it’s essential that you get verified on your GMB as soon as possible .  Getting verified will give potential customers the confidence that they need when deciding whether or not your business is a good fit for them.  Getting verified will also enable you to have a greater chance of ranking on page one of Google for relevant local search queries.

5) Optimize your website  

Creating a winning local SEO strategy begins with optimizing your website and blog so that it performs well in Google search results . Text is essential when creating an effective SEO strategy, but URL’s are also relevant. When writing content, keep in mind that people often search for information about products and services on social media platforms so make sure your content is optimized for search engines while keeping in mind the needs of potential customers.

6) Local Citations and NAP Consistency

Local Citations help to increase your chances of ranking highly in Google search results .  If you want to rank high for local queries, it’s crucial that you create citations with a wide range of relevant sources.  You should also make sure that each of the citations contains consistent NAP information so that there is no confusion about which company you are. Having NAP Consistency forms the basis of a good local SEO campaign.

7) On-page optimization

After you have optimized your website, it’s essential that you optimize your website pages so that they are easy for search engines to crawl and index . Off page factors are also very important but on-page optimization is the first step when creating a winning local SEO strategy. On Page Optimization helps search engine spiders to crawl and index your website pages which means that you will have a better chance of ranking in local search results.

8) Create link building campaigns

One of the most effective ways to get a high Google My Business Page rank is by creating a strong link  building campaign . The easiest way to do this is by utilizing free tools such as Infographics and creating content that includes a link back to your website.  Writing articles which contain links can also be effective but it’s essential that you don’t overdo it.   Articles are only one factor when creating a winning local SEO campaign .

9) Get reviews on Google My Business Page

Getting reviews will help you to rank high in search engine results but it will also increase the chances of people  visiting your website or calling you . If you want to rank high in localized searches, then you need to focus on creating content that potential customers find attractive. Reviews and star ratings are important when creating a winning local SEO strategy for your business .

10) Create useful blog posts with a variety of keywords 

If you want to rank high in Google search results for local queries, you will need to create blog posts that optimize for relevant keywords and phrases. The posts don’t have to be long , but they should offer valuable information that is relevant to your target audience. If you are not a blogger, it’s essential that you hire someone who can write blog posts on a regular basis. 

11) Q & A’s on Google My Business Page

If you want to rank high for local queries, it’s important that you ask questions , answer them and add responses in the form of answers on your Google My Business Page. This is a great way to keep potential customers coming back again and again . It also helps increase customer engagement which is essential when creating a winning local SEO strategy.

12) Dealing With Negative Reviews on Google My Business Page

Negative reviews are one of the biggest challenges that businesses face when creating a winning local SEO strategy. It’s important to respond swiftly to negative feedback and make sure that it is resolved . The best way to do this is by offering freebies or discounts in exchange for a positive review but you should also monitor your Google My Business Page to ensure that there are no new negative reviews posted.

Continue on the journey to rank high in localized searches

Localized search is a highly competitive industry which means that you should never be satisfied with your position in search engine results.  Creating a winning local SEO strategy requires diligence, persistence and hard work . If you create a strong link building campaign and provide useful content for potential customers, then you will rank high in localized searches.