Why You Need Localized SEO for Your Business Website

Search engine optimization is essential for any business that wants to remain competitive. Many people believe that SEO is simply for large, global companies that operate online. However, if you run a small business you need to use local SEO.

This type of SEO can push you to the forefront of business in your local area and beyond. Read on as we count the must-know benefits of localized SEO.

Increasing Web Traffic

The goal of your business is to increase web traffic. Web traffic gives you more opportunities to convert leads into customers. This is done through search engine optimization, a set of goals, and tactics to put you at the top of search engine pages when people type in keywords.

The problem with general SEO is that you may end up competing with others across the country or even the world. If these companies are bigger than you or have a more established web presence, then you are very unlikely to be able to compete.

Localizing your SEO allows you to compete with businesses in your geographic area. This cuts out larger, global competition, meaning you are more likely to appear in searches to the people that matter.

Building Local Links

Increasing your online business visibility in the area not only opens you up to customers but other businesses. This can benefit you in a number of ways.

Firstly, they may be looking to hire your services. This could be anything from hiring your restaurant for catering, to discussing manufacturing with your factory or plant.

Secondly, local businesses may want to cross-promote with other local enterprises. This can help as you are essentially sharing marketing costs, as well as finding new audiences at the same time. By forging these links, you can also recommend each other’s services.

For example, if you are an accountant, you may be able to form partnerships with local lawyers. When customers either ask for a legal or financial representative, you can direct them to each other’s website.

Google Three Pack

The Google three-pack is an extremely coveted slot in the world of SEO. It is the term given to the top three slots when a search term is typed into Google. For example, if you ask for restaurant recommendations in the local area, the top three Google provides are the three-pack.

These listings were formally the seven-pack. However, Google adapted this to accommodate browsing on smartphone devices. This of course made the slots much more competitive.

Getting these slots is important because inevitably, people will choose to use one of these top three businesses. Local SEO can push you into this slot, meaning you get more foot traffic on your website.

Staying Competitive

Location-specific SEO lets you stay in the game with competitors. If other similar businesses in your local area are doing even a little SEO, they are more likely to rank higher than you in searches. It does not matter if you have better prices, products, or a reputation.

This will cost you customers. If you instill local SEO practices into everything you do, soon you will find that you are actually taking the lion’s share of the business. This will have a snowball effect as search engines will see that you are the preferred choice with the most traffic.

In fact, local SEO done by an expert SEO company can even help you lock local competition out of certain aspects. For example, you may be able to check their website to see what keywords they are ranking or not ranking for. By addressing these, you can take online custom from them, soon making it your own.

Recurring Customers

When people find you online, they can browse your products and see what services you offer from afar. This can help you attract customers from further afield, such as the people on the peripherals of your search area. Once you have them in your store, you need to make sure they come back.

Do this by providing an exemplary customer experience. By following this practice of local SEO followed by great service, you will build a recurring customer base from a large area. All of this will result in an increase in footfall and eventually, profits.

Build a Reputation

You should encourage people to leave online reviews. These can be done on Google business, local trade website, or social media. All of this increases your reputation as a local firm in good standing.

If a customer does this on Google, it can actually go towards increasing your search engine optimization score. This will push you higher up the search engine pages.

Reduce Advertising Costs

SEO is so popular because apart from the time spent doing it, it is free. No other form of advertising can compete with this return on investment.

As many people like to turn on the near me search function, if you do local SEO well, more people will see your products and services. This saves you money on other forms of advertising, such as local print media ads. In fact, combined with a great pay-per-click campaign, you can totally transform your methods of advertising and increase your return on investment drastically.

Starting Localized SEO

Now you know the benefits of localized SEO, you need to get started. If you do not have a background in technology, then consider getting assistance. there are a number of local and national companies who can take the burden from you at extremely reasonable prices.

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