April 12, 2024 | Last Updated on: April 12, 2024
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Local businesses often face the challenge of standing out in a crowded marketplace and finding new customers to grow their business–especially when advertising budgets are limited and there may not be a full-time marketing person to manage the company’s online presence.
If you own a local business that relies heavily on foot traffic and word-of-mouth referrals to drive sales, you may want to start incorporating local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) into your online marketing strategy.
Nearly 5 million businesses are established every year, but 58% still don’t prioritize local SEO, according to research by marketing platform Brand Muscle. This means there’s a huge opportunity for you to take advantage of your local market.
In this guide, we’ll explore how small businesses can invest in Local SEO to enhance visibility and drive growth.
Local SEO is a powerful tool for small businesses to increase their visibility in local search results. When potential customers search for products or services online, search engines like Google and Bing prioritize local results based on relevance, proximity, and prominence.
Businesses that optimize their online presence for local searches can improve their chances of being in the coveted “Local Pack” or “Map Pack,” which appears prominently at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs).
So, how do you invest in Local SEO? Here’s the process to follow.
The foundation of any successful Local SEO strategy is claiming and optimizing your appearance on Google. Ensure that your listing is accurate, complete, and up to date with essential information such as business name, address, phone number, website URL, business hours, and categories. Using high-quality photos, customer reviews, and relevant keywords will also go a long way in enhancing your GBP listing.
To improve visibility in local search results, businesses should optimize their website content for local keywords and long-tail search phrases relevant to their products or services.
Local keywords are search terms that include specific geographic locations. They are used by individuals seeking products, services, or information within a particular area, and can include phrases like “restaurants near me,” “dentist in Los Angeles,” or “plumber in New York City.”
While long-tail keywords are highly specific search phrases containing three or more words, such as “family-owned Italian restaurant with outdoor seating,” or “handmade custom wedding invitations.”
For example, a bakery in New York City might target keywords like “best bakery in NYC” or “fresh pastries in Manhattan.”
With an increasing number of people using smartphones to search for local businesses, it’s essential to optimize your website for mobile devices.
Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly on all devices to improve your user experience.
57% of local search queries are submitted using a mobile device or tablet, according to research by Review Trackers. If your website loads quickly on mobile phones, you can increase your click-through rate, thereby enabling you to rank higher in mobile search results.
Citations are mentions of a business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites, directories, and online platforms.
Building consistent citations across reputable local directories and platforms helps search engines validate a business’s legitimacy and authority, thereby improving its local search rankings.
While building citations, ensure that their NAP information is consistent across all citations and listings.
Backlinks from local websites and authoritative local sources can significantly impact a business’s local search rankings.
Thankfully, small businesses can earn local backlinks by participating in community events, sponsoring local organizations or charities, collaborating with other local businesses, and offering expertise or resources to local publications or blogs.
You can also take it a step further by leveraging local partnerships and collaborations to earn backlinks from relevant local websites.
Content marketing plays an important role in Local SEO, as it allows businesses to target local audiences with relevant and engaging content.
Your small business can create blog posts, articles, videos, and infographics that address local topics, events, trends, and interests.
If you provide valuable local content, your business can attract local audiences, increase website traffic, and improve search engine rankings.
Positive reviews play a significant role in influencing potential customers’ purchasing decisions.
Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on your GBP listing, as well as other review sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Facebook.
Respond to reviews promptly and professionally, whether they are positive or negative, to demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction.
Small businesses can use a variety of tools and metrics to measure and monitor their Local SEO performance, including:
As you implement these strategies, make sure you emphasize products, services, and features that reflect your local audience. Local SEO is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve online visibility, attract more customers, and drive growth.
And if you find yourself in need of financing as your business grows, check out our options here. Or contact us directly to talk to a finance expert. Your business growth starts here.
