When properly implemented, local SEO can generate tons of new leads and search-driven traffic simply because it exists. Keep reading to learn what local SEO is and how to develop a successful local SEO strategy in a few simple steps. Local SEO is the process of optimizing your website, web content, and third-party listings so that your business ranks well in local search engine results. For example, a chiropractor located in Nashville, Tennessee, may use a local SEO strategy to appear in search engine results related to phrases such as “the best chiropractor in Nashville” or “the best chiropractor in my area.”.
And it also works. Since local SEO searches typically have high purchase intent, approximately 80% of local searches on mobile devices result in a conversion, according to WebFX. In addition, it's estimated that 50% of users visit a store one day after doing a local search. This element depends on Javascript to execute. Please enable Javascript in your browser for the best viewing experience.
In past decades, people found local businesses through the Yellow Pages. Do you remember those? Nowadays, 86% of people trust the Internet to find local businesses and the only time you'll see a directory of yellow pages is in a classic movie from the 80s or 90s. But the thing is, your company will only appear in search engine results and will win new customers if you have a solid local SEO strategy. Otherwise, your competitors will show up first and take your business.
That said, you should develop a more localized SEO approach to target local search engines. A local SEO strategy can help you boost this type of traffic by making your business visible to potential customers who are already searching online for the things you offer. Finally, it's much easier to position yourself in local searches than in global searches, which means that your local company has the opportunity to compete with the big brands and win. Just because there's a Walmart or Best Buy in your city doesn't mean you can't compete with them. Choose the model that best suits your business and discover how we help teams like yours to close more deals.
Local SEO often seems far-fetched and mysterious. Is it really possible to tame Google's great beast? Dominate is a strong word (in this context), but there are definitely proven ways to make the powerful search engine work as you please and outperform your competitors. Here's a quick guide to local SEO that we'll explore next. Google Business Profile is a free tool that allows you to include local businesses in Google Maps, show photos of their storefronts and products, and easily connect with a wide range of potential buyers within a specific geographical location.
To dive deeper into GMB, read Whitespark's fantastic guide to optimizing Google's business profile. There are many ways to discover relevant keywords. First, brainstorm all the words and phrases your customers could use to describe your company. If you sell pet supplies, keywords such as “dog food”, “pet store” and “desert iguana” may apply.
These solutions will reveal important keywords that you might not have thought about, as well as provide you with data on volume and competition in relation to your list of phrases. The last part of this step is to choose the actual keywords that you're going to optimize for. We suggest that you choose keywords that get a decent amount of traffic (more than 70 searches per month), but that aren't so competitive as to require a miracle to rank them. Now that you have your keywords blocked, it's time to protect citations and links to your site. When protecting appointments, make sure that your NAP is identical in all directories.
You get a link every time an external website links to yours. Links can be purchased through online directories, blog posts, websites, etc. When expanding your site's link profile, contact other companies in your area, your suppliers and your business partners to try to create legitimate link exchanges. Then, use a tool like Moz Link Explorer or Ahrefs to find out where your competitors are getting links from. Finally, contact these same websites with a compelling reason for them to also link to your site (or instead).
All the local SEO tricks in the world won't help you if your content sucks. Spend time creating great pieces and you'll be rewarded with a higher search engine ranking. Finally, which review platform is the best? It really depends on your goals, but if we had to choose, it would be Google. Why? It's simple, Google is the biggest search engine, by far, and represents 86.86% of the global search market. To truly get the value from your local SEO efforts, you should monitor performance and analyze the results.
This is true for any marketing strategy you implement, reporting and evaluation are crucial to improving your efforts. Several local SEO tools can help your company achieve and stay on top of the results that your target audience can see. Free options include reliable options, such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console, which provide invaluable information about your online performance. If you want a more comprehensive approach, consider investing in premium tools, such as Ahrefs and Semrush, for their advanced features and detailed analytical capabilities.
With these types of tools, you can monitor the status of your local SEO. You can see where your keywords rank among the best results, how much traffic you receive, and other metrics that are more important to your company. The last step to an effective local SEO strategy is to monitor and analyze your approach. Are your efforts moving the needle forward? If not, why? When you understand what's not working, you can make the necessary adjustments. Conversely, when you know what works, you can redouble your bet on winning tactics.
The only way to find out what works and what doesn't is to dig deep into the data. We also suggest that you keep an eye on your competitors so that you can learn from their mistakes and successes and learn to differentiate your brand in a positive way. Nutshell is easy to use, with enterprise-level features and no hidden fees. By appearing in search engine results for this query, a CPA can easily connect with potential customers who are willing to invest in their services, and local SEO generates this type of quality traffic for free.
Local SEO depends on in-person service, whether it's in a store, on the sidewalk, or at customer locations. If you follow these local SEO tips, you can improve your company's online profile, connect with more potential customers and grow your business. One of the cool things about local SEO is that there are a lot of small tactics that can make a big difference. This is why creating content, optimizing your pages, and creating backlinks are still VERY important for local SEO rankings. The only thing to keep in mind here is that local search has to be something that potential local customers are looking for.
In this short chapter, I'll cover some ways that local businesses can make the most of their SEO efforts on their sites. But I do want to briefly show you some fascinating statistics to highlight how important SEO is for local businesses. Because of this, a local SEO strategy will also give you an advantage over other SMEs in your area that serve a similar audience. Search Console is a free local SEO tool from Google that helps monitor, maintain and adjust your site's presence in search results. Because most local searches have an incredibly strong commercial intent, they're also worth ranking on local SERPs.
