Local business SEO is important for any business with a bricks and mortar location in a given city or town. Yes, even the mom and pop shop that’s been around forever needs to work on local business SEO. You see, all businesses with a physical storefront need to have an online presence these days. Local business SEO is a series of tools used by digital marketers to help local businesses build their customer base and convert web visitors to customers (conversions).
Google uses local ranking factors for local business search results
Google understands the difference between large national corporations like Best Buy and a local small business with one or two locations. Google uses a list of local ranking factors to help them decide if your business is geographically relevant to a user performing a ‘near me’ search. This algorithm allows small businesses to compete against large corporations in local search results.
What is local business SEO?
Local business SEO is a set of actions and tactics used to improve a business’ search engine results rankings when people who are within the geographic area of your business search for the products or services you offer. This allows your business to show up within its service area; it is accomplished by improving visibility on Google Maps and in the local three-pack of SERPs: proximity, relevance and prominence.
Local business SEO tactics
Local business SEO tactics employed by SEO experts include:
- Creating and posting relevant content in a blog optimized with your city name or town.
- Creating local citations on business directories, websites and apps and social media platforms. (Citations are an online mention of the name, address, and phone number for a local business).
- Building back links to your website from authority websites.
- Building up your positive online reviews.
- Optimizing Google My Business.
Top 10 benefits of local business SEO
There are many benefits to small businesses when they invest in local business SEO:
- Build online visibility.
- Higher ranking in Google maps and organic search results.
- More online traffic, which means more conversions.
- More store foot traffic.
- More calls and emails.
- More potential customers.
- More online conversions.
- More positive customer reviews, which translates to increased trust and customers who will choose your business over one with less or negative reviews.
- Increased relevance with content marketing and link building (search engines will understand your areas of expertise and be able to rank you higher for relevant search terms).
- Growing brand loyalty as you communicate through social media and relevant content.
Seek the Help of a Local Business SEO Expert
Most small business owners do not know how to improve their search engine results rankings to drive traffic to their websites, let alone local traffic. The best thing to do is find an SEO expert who is knowledgeable about how to improve local business rankings who can help your business achieve its goals to increase sales, brand loyalty and online traffic.
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