Learn if your business really needs local SEO and start optimising your website for local search to grow results in your local area.
If your business has a physical location or a geographic area then you can benefit from optimising for local SEO. You can test if your business has great local SEO by using Google to search for a service or keyword related to your business and if a map (known as the local map) shows then local SEO can be applied to grow your business.
Highlights
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO is when you optimise for the local area search results, which in turns helps your business grow locally just like traditional word of mouth marketing which was much harder to do before the digital age. The Local Pack/Map Pack listings appear more often than you think, especially when using local terms such as towns, cities and relevant queries to the service you provide.
If you think back to when your boiler, window or needed a mechanic, you most likely searched Google for ‘Garage near me’ or ‘Mobile mechanic’ which both have local pack features.
Googles reasoning for the local SEO map pack is to give you something in your local area that you’re looking for because it only makes sense. For example if you lived in Blackpool and typed in ‘Garages near me’ and a listing in Newquay, Cornwall appeared on the search engine that would be an awful user experience and would push users away from Google.
As you can see above there is a lot of information from businesses available in local search results such as:
- Business name
- Address
- Phone number
- Website
- Photos
- Videos
- Reviews
- Ratings
- Location
- Type of business
Why is Local SEO Important
Local SEO can be the difference between your business having 20 enquiries or 1 enquiry, it helps your business stand out even if you don’t own a website and drive traffic through online visibility which is pretty much required as an industry standard.
Since the leads coming through are likely a local user searching they are down the sales funnel already and know what they want, so local SEO is a great channel to promote your products or services with a high conversion rate.
As of now, 80% of consumers use search engines to seek local information, and a significant 70% of them are directed to physical stores by the search result information.
Types of Local SEO
Local 3 Pack
Google shows a local search results section called the ‘Snack Pack’ or ‘Local Pack’ of the top three most relevant results which appear in a boxed section underneath maps although you can pay for these places with Google Ads.
The ‘Local Pack’ box displayed at the top of search results page highlights three businesses. Recent research shows that 33% of clicks in local searches go to Local Pack results, whereas 40% go to organic search results. This highlights the importance of both in boosting your online presence within the local community.
Google My Business
Now you’ve probably heard of Google My Business profile which is completely free and should be considered the heart of any local SEO strategy, if you’ve not set one up we highly recommend you do so here.
Having a Google My Business profile allows you to be seen as a registered business on the Google business directory alongside Google Maps. This is where you can list all the important information.
Its important to keep this information up to date alongside other directories because if you do not this could lead to negative reviews, for example if you have opening times and then you’re not open, not only will that potential customer be disappointed but will likely leave a bad review.
Organic Search Results
Now performing local SEO on your website is a different matter, you will need a key understanding of how traditional SEO works alongside all the vital techniques to get your business seen. Optimising pages for local search results will always help with increasing your online visibility and cover your back if Google then decide to not show the ‘Local Pack’ on the search results you want to focus on.
Local SEO Examples
Local SEO is crucial for businesses that rely on local customers. With the rise of mobile devices and voice search, more and more people are searching for businesses in their local area. By optimizing your online presence for local search, you can increase your visibility in search results and attract more local customers.
Here are some examples of local SEO:
Local SEO for Small Businesses
Local SEO isn’t only for large scale businesses because it actually suits smaller businesses just as well, with little costs involved you can get seen online without a website, increasing your online visibility and the likelihood that you will gain great enquiries from local people/businesses.
There has been a study completed on local SEO and businesses which 72% of consumers who search for a local business end up visiting a store within a five-mile radius.
There are a few tips and tricks we would love to give to small businesses who are just starting up or ready to move to the next stage in their online growth.
- Set Up & Maintain a Google My Business Profile
- Keep up to date with your local information, store opening times is key
- Stay up to date with your contact details so no leads are lost
- Respond Regularly to Reviews (Both Good & Bad) but don’t publicly respond negatively with bad reviews
Want to know more? get in touch with one of our local SEO specialist to drive sales and growth online.
