Local Search Engine Optimization or Local SEO can be your most profitable segment of online marketing especially if you are a service company that is in a regional location. Every business competes in a local market and therefore is subjected to Local SEO rankings. Some of the best repeating customers come for your local area. If you are a services company Local SEO is vital to your success online.
Google is putting focus on local search and business must adapt to pull up on rankings. For example, if I am a restaurant that serves indian food (our personal favorite food) you want to rank anytime a customer searches for indian food. If a couple get in their car and they decide indian food is what they want, they will type it into google as possibly “indian food near me.” Google will rank all restaurants based on the reviews, proximity to the search location (meaning the car the couple is sitting in) and if the restaurants website tells them what they are an indian food place. Then the couple can search a few places and if the reviews look good and the location is acceptable they will then travel to your location. The local search is so important, many people will use the search to get a link to maps so they can navigate straight to the restaurant.
Your website needs to tell the search engine exactly what you sell and where you are. If the search engine can’t find you, there is no chance customers can find you. Imagine you spend money on a Radio Ad, a customer hears it but barely catches your name. They then pull over and search fro the name on their mobile device. If your website comes up and looks terrible and there are no reviews in Local SEO, they will not come to your business. The opposite is your place of business starts generating buzz and when a potential client comes to your site they like what they see. They then plan a trip to your location.
Reviews are very important, which means your website needs to optimize with Google My Business listing. Reviews help you rank but they also give instant feedback to your potential customers from your current customers. A restaurant with 100+ reviews and a 4.8 star rating is much better than a 1 review (probably you) 5 star rating. Reviews are a direct reflection of your business.
Local SEO cannot be done with informative and exciting content optimized with local signals. Get really good links to your website so that you are connecting with other local business. Links are an essential part of Local SEO. One of the newest changes to Local SEO is Pigeon which is a Google update. This update was a crackdown on bad Local SEO tactics. To avoid these penalties you will need to first clean up your backlinks. Markedemic audits our clients websites regularly to make sure there are not toxic links. Having a penalty is basically the worst thing that can happen to your website.
Social Media is an amazing way to connect with your local customers. Have them tag you in pictures, checkin to the business and share their experience with their contacts. When customers have a great experience and they share it you will see quickly the power of social media. Even though it is tempting you should go for quality connections and not quantity.
With Local SEO you have to execute a balanced attack. You cannot rely on just a few methods. A big picture mentality with a great plan is the best way to succeed to grow your local presence. Make sure your customers can reach you, find you on Google Maps and navigate your website. In our experience Local SEO is where most potential clients lack the most. Markedemic’s strategies cover Local SEO in depth with a focus on correcting and errors.