Local SEO is a very effective way of marketing your online business to local customers who are looking for the service or products you are offering by making you higher in the search rankings. By implementing a Local SEO strategy, you are optimising your site to let Google and your target audience know that your business is the best choice within your local area. So here is the headline stat: 46% of searches on Google have local intent. Nearly half all searches are for local results, so it is vital to optimise your site for nearby customers.
At Onefeed, we offer a local SEO service as part of our search engine marketing expertise. Curious to know just what benefits it can add to your business? We’ve created a blog summing up just how your business can thrive by successfully implementing Local SEO!
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO is a strategy where you optimise your website to rank higher for local searches. Essentially, local SEO targets customers looking for a product or service that are geographically close to you. For example, searching for an “PPC agency near me” from our HQ in Bournemouth shows a Google map pack at the very top of the search results, offering our services to nearby searchers. If you were to search from another location, it would show other local businesses.
Local SEO is perfect for companies looking to offer their services only to their local area. Some examples of businesses that can benefit from Local SEO are solicitors, builders, dentists, and estate agents. Local SEO is optimised by using on-site and off-site optimisation. Local SEO campaigns are all about ensuring that
How To Rank Locally
To rank your website well locally, the best practice is to utilise a range of off-site and on-site optimisation techniques. The difference between off-site and on-site is quite simply in the name. On-site is everything optimised on your website, such as website pages, content, and structure for keywords. On-site optimisation also includes:
- Meta Titles
- Meta Descriptions
- H Tags
- Content
- Website Structure
- Internal Links
- Image Optimisation
Off-site optimisation is all the techniques used to optimise items off your website to rank for your keywords. Off-site optimisation includes:
- Links
- Google My Business
- Social Media
- Reviews
There are also several local SEO tools that can help manage your local SEO citations.
What is Google My Business?
Google My Business is a tool that Google created in order to help local businesses boost their digital presence. The tool which was launched in 2014, is offered to most local businesses and helps to manage business information, Google Reviews, Google Plus, Adwords, and Analytics. Along with these features it also allows businesses to manage their local area by managing Google Maps and Google Search.
The main goal for Google My Business is to help customers get all the correct information about your business, exactly when they are searching for it. It will also help to create trust and authority.
The Benefits of Local SEO & Why You Need it
With 97% of people going online to find a service, having a highly ranked website for local searches is crucial. Local SEO has a range of benefits for businesses, our top four favourite advantages are:
1. Gain online visibility
Making people aware of your business is a great way to make your business stand out. Statistics show that 88% of people who search for a local business will visit or call within 24 hours. By having your business correctly optimised, you are putting your business along with your service right in front of potential customer’s eyes.
2. Attract local customers for little cost
One of the great advantages of local SEO is that even though it can be time-consuming, the cost can be kept low. By utlising an expert SEO agency like Onefeed to help locally optimise your website, you will be able to get your business high up in the search ranks for local relevant search results whilst putting your brand name out in front of customers ready to buy.
3. Generate more sales
By implementing Local SEO, your business will begin to be high up on local search results which will then help to convert those searches into sales due to the audience you are targeting, are highly active, and interested in local services.
4. Boost your trustworthiness
A core element to Local SEO is the ability it has to help your business gain local reviews. By building up local reviews, it will help not only Google boost your business up due to the trustworthiness and authority it has, but it will also help your business appeal more to your local audience. Having a good amount of reviews really does influence customers as Fan&Fuel reveal that 97% of reviews influence a customers purchase.
Are you looking for a SEO whizz to help boost your businesses online visibility? Contact Onefeed today on 0800 130 3140 or email hello@onefeed.co.uk to find out how we can help!
