According to a recent survey report, over 46% of the searches on Google relate to a local business nearby. People are more interested in knowing which local business entity located close by can provide the products or services they want. Once they get the relevant details, they make a visit to the local business store within 24 hours. A good number of local searches also result in a purchase within 24 hours.
These statistics are a clear indication of the rise in local searches, and how people are relying on search engines to find local entities.
Is your website showing up on local searches?
If ‘no’, then it's time for you need to have a local SEO strategy in place, powered by local SEO. Else you risk losing local traffic flow to local competitors’ websites.
How Does Local SEO Exactly Help?
Local SEO helps -
- In targeting people searching for a local business like yours that can cater to their needs. A good local SEO strategy with the right mix of keyword research and local SEO tactics will work effectively to fuel more local traffic to your website and drive more customers to get in touch with your local business.
- In reaching out to more people who are searching for your kind of business. Apart from the locals, there could be thousands more across the local geographical boundaries who don’t get to see local TV commercials or local newspaper ads, and who use the Internet to connect with local businesses. An effective local SEO strategy will help your website to be easily identified by them. This way, potential customers can be targeted effectively.
- In protecting your reputation and preventing it from getting besmirched. This can be done by listing in popular online reviews like Google, Yelp, Olx, etc. Later, a local SEO strategy will help in cultivating such people who read online reviews. This will give an opportunity to set right any bad reviews that may have been published online, with an effective rebuttal online, and if possible, even offline through print media. This will greatly help minimize the effects of damage to your reputation.
- To attract more people who conduct searches on their mobile. People on the move are increasingly using mobile devices to search for local services and products they would like to have. A good local SEO strategy factoring in mobile searches will help your website earn a higher ranking position in SERPs. The higher your website is ranked in the SERPs, the more it will be able to catch mobile searcher’s attention and earn greater clicks.
- In supplementing the efforts of local search marketing. Local search marketing also covers local directory marketing which has a higher conversion rate than other traditional advertising options. By listing your complete business details in the local online directories, local search marketing will work effectively to cultivate influence among people who read such details, into positive leads.
While local SEO is crucial for optimizing your website and helping it rank higher on SERPs, it is also important the website has a local flavor to it.
How To Get Local SEO Work Even Better?
Local SEO will work even more effectively if your website -
- Has location page of local branches, if any. The location pages should have proper details of your business name, address, contact numbers, work and contact timings, routes to your business, testimonials from satisfied clients, and promotional offers if any. It would be even better if there is a separate ‘About Us’ page for the branch, with a Google Map on the location page. This will help garner more clicks and more traffic flow to your website.
- Has local content that tells about local industry news or any local topics of significance to the local audience. For instance, if your business is trying to attract other businesses for a tie-up or influential sources to become a franchisee, then your website can have a resource page with relevant details and a Google Map of the location that will get them familiar with the area, your business office is located in. The website can also have details of local events of interest on a separate page. Google will recognize this and reward your website with a higher ranking on SERPs. They will also attract more clicks and help achieve the purpose of your goals.
- Is mobile-friendly. Local searches are most common among mobile searches. More than 60% of the searches on mobile are related to local searches, ranging from the search for contact details to local reviews, etc. According to Google, among the most popular local searches is 'near me'.
- Earn credible inbound links with quality guest postings or scholarships that have relevance and authority. Inbound links possess tremendous power to influence local SEO because they have the ability to convince Google about the legitimacy of your local business. They also help in increasing the domain authority of your website.
For your website to consistently show up for relevant searches in your area, and get noticed, it is vital that you maintain business information in ‘Google My Business (GMB) that is accurate and precise. This will help your website earn a higher position on SERPs and better visibility.
Local search engine optimization is essential to your business’s growth and success. To achieve them in total, you can link up with iBrandox, a leading SEO Company in Delhi NCR, and get the best of local SEO solutions. You will not only stand to get the best of local SEO expertise but also stand to benefit from the skills of professionals who know how to make local SEO work to your business’s advantage.