Why Local SEO is Important for Small Businesses

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More customers are turning to the internet to find local businesses of all kinds every day. As the name “Local SEO” implies, local search engine optimization (SEO), refers to the strategies that help local businesses appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) for search queries by local prospects. 

As a small business owner, it is imperative that you incorporate local SEO into your company website and marketing efforts so that users in your area who are looking for the specific services your business offers can easily find you online.

How does Local SEO work?

There are many strategies that go into creating effective local SEO. In order to gain more local visitors and bring in additional revenue, you need to optimize your business website for your specific location, so that prospects know where you are, nearby. Here are a few examples of how to optimize your online presence for local search:

Keyword research

Keywords are the words and phrases that your customers are using to search for businesses like yours to fulfill their needs. When it comes to local SEO, you should be choosing keywords that are location-based in order to attract the right audience. These keywords should not only be incorporated throughout your site’s content, but also included in page titles, URLs and meta descriptions to provide optimal visibility. 

Google My Business 

More and more search queries are becoming geographically specific. Google My Business is a free tool that allows you to list your business location on Google Maps and local search results. This is where you can display important information specific to your business including opening and closing times, contact details, a link to your website and your address. 

User intent is at the core of Google’s algorithms. If you search for “construction companies near me”, Google will show you a list of construction companies, based upon your current geographical location. The businesses that appear on that search engine result page are there because they all have a Google My Business page. Without a GMB page, your business will not appear in these types of ‘near me’ searches that are incredibly common. This is a quick, easy step that could position your business ahead of the competition, and one step closer to a new client. 

Customer Reviews

Customers trust good reviews. When you have multiple clients leaving positive reviews about their experience with your business or brand, people are going to take that into consideration when they are looking for a local product, service or company similar to yours. Reviews help make you a trustworthy source for new clients and Google prefers the companies that have more positive reviews. As a result, your listings will get higher quality scores, search rankings and increased visibility with the more positive reviews you receive. 

Consider it this way: 

Suppose you are a dentist located in Jacksonville, Florida. Where do you suspect your prospects are?

As a dentist, chances are that he majority of your patients are going to be from the same city or town that your office is located in. Therefore, the content you are putting out should attract these potential clients in your local area. 

Now, put yourself in their shoes. If you were an individual searching for a local dentist in Jacksonville, Florida, what would you expect that person to type into their search bar?

  • Dentist near me
  • Dentist in Jacksonville, Florida
  • Best dentist in Jacksonville, Florida 

There are plenty of variations that can be made from these keywords that have the potential to get you on that first search page. It’s also important to go a little more in-depth keyword planning and include any specialties that your business might offer to show up for more detailed searches.

The benefits of local SEO for small businesses include:

  • Grows your online visibility 
  • Improves your online ranking
  • Develops a good reputation for your business
  • Gives you an advantage over local competitors

The SEO Gurus are trusted SEO experts and digital marketing professionals that have been providing data-backed, value-driven SEO services for years. Our team specializes in local SEO, and offers a variety of SEO plans for businesses looking for simple, affordable monthly contracts. Contact us to start building your search presence, today.

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