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Local Businesses Growing Better with Local SEO

Nowadays, almost every internet user is aware of the term SEO. But, we often get confused about the expression ‘local SEO’.  

What is local SEO?

Local SEO refers to a strategy of search engine optimization. It helps a business to be visible to a greater extent in Google’s local search result. So, any business having a physical location can make the most of local SEO. If you search any keywords on Google related to your specific business along with a map having three listings or a map pack, the local SEO aids in growing your business.

Best Strategy of Local SEO:

Appear within the local map pack and organic search results simultaneously: Local SEO helps in making the local map pack appear within the listings of the standard Google organic search. At the same time, another set of algorithms command the main Google search results for local map pack and local rankings.

Local link popularity:

Local link popularity and localized content are prime factors considered by the traditional search algorithm of Google. You have to create local landing pages for each location if your business has multiple locations. Include business name, contact details, addresses, meta descriptions, title tags, etc. Plus, certain location-based characteristics are considered in the local SEO rankings. These include business listing in ‘Google My Business’, review signals, local citations from data accumulators, etc. Your local SEO strategy should take account of these factors. Particular SEO tools are available that solely target local search for developing SEO audits that are specifically local oriented. Furthermore, it includes development of keyword research, especially targeted to the local audience, building proper citations, management of Google My Business listing, Google posts, business profiles, etc., and keep sharp eyes on any addition in the local packs.

How this helps businesses?

Currently, Google considers multiple factors for determining the exact websites to display to the audience as search results. These factors having distinct value and weight are responsible in forming digital footprint. The search engine combines the value of the factors for returning accurate results. So, it is your business site’s digital footprint which considers whether your website can be the top result to a user’s Google inquiry.

Who needs the help of local SEO?

Local SEO is mandatory for small business owners. If you have a website, take help of the local SEO for increasing your revenue. Check if the below mentioned conditions match your business: - You are a small business holder. - You own a local company. - You are a franchise owner. - You own a firm with typical service areas. - You need to sustain your listings across various o line directories. - Your website needs more leads, traffic, sales, etc. within a designated market areas or DMAs. - Your firm has offices and your firm offers services in multiple places. - Your company should be on maps and navigation apps. - Your company should be on the local pack of Google. What types of businesses can be benefited from this strategy?

Medical business:

Medical business includes urgent care clinics, dental services, doctors’ chambers, etc. are ideal for local SEO. The medical business holders can do many things inclusive of creating a website for boosting their rankings. Moreover, the medical professionals can boost their SEO efforts through the verification and establishing their names, contact details, and information on the local business directories, health and medical-centric directories, and general directories.

Hospitality business:

Hospitality business experiences a huge turnover every year. It includes hotel, restaurants, bar, lounge, eateries, etc. The primary aim of any restaurant is to become a favorite for their customers. Plus, every restaurant wants customers to come and order food repeatedly. All bars and restaurants usually operate locally. Their market targets specific geographical areas. People generally search for restaurants in a nearby proximity. Hence, Google suggest ‘near me’ whenever someone types the term ‘restaurant’ o the search bar.  

Law firms:

People look for a lawyer when they are in troubles. So, they always want an expert professional who can solve their mess. Plus, lawyers have definite zonal demarcation where they can practice their job. Hence, it is vital for all law firms to appear in local searches.  

Pet services:

Pet services are in demand locally. People usually type terms like ‘pet shop near me’, ‘best vet in Mumbai/Kolkata/Chennai’, etc., on Google search bar. Again, people prefer local professionals offering pet sitting, training, grooming, supplies, and so on. Pet owners always want the best for their furry or feathered kids. They look for local services so that their pets can get everything at any time and get rid of travelling far. Therefore, local SEO is the ultimate strategy pet service holders use to leverage their services and gain customers.  

Plumbing services:

No one look for a plumber from another state or country. Everyone calls a local plumber to fix things. An immediate help is what people need. Google is the instant source of local plumbers. So, plumbers depend on local SEO to get maximum local customers.  

Real estate business:

Real estate services and local SEO work simultaneously. Real estate agents are in want of local strategy for gaining search exposure accurately. Their target is local markets, and hence; local SEO is the most crucial strategy they use to reach maximum clients. For all the businesses, customer reviews take part in a crucial role in case of local SEO. Customers prefer reading reviews to confirm which one to invest in. It is found that approximately 60% of respondents read online reviews and take decision of purchasing. The businesses can publish unique and informative content on their respective online platforms. You must know that Google always give preference to fresh materials that are relevant to the specific business. Hence, if you can provide great insight about your services through blog posts, listicles, etc., to the customers, your business site’s search ranking will definitely improve.   Mandatory signs indicating your company requires local SEO services: Your company’s locations (all of them) are listed on the website’s same page: If all the location details are displayed on a single webpage, then the local visibility can be affected. Optimization of each location requires a webpage that can help in targeting the primary keywords along with the location in both the HTML title and meta description.   You have no idea whether your site’s online reviews are positive or negative: Being the owner of a company, you must know what people are saying about your company. Reviews matter a lot. Almost 90% of the consumers go through online reviews before investing in a service or product. Positive reviews enforce trust in people and they likely to purchase service or products from a company with a good reputation.   You are unaware if the traffic of your site: Inability to track performances of your site’s local landing pages is not a good thing. You need an expert who can help you to receive local analytics with clear report. Organic local traffic and data are the two data sources that deliver valuable insight. So, it is mandatory to track both. The report must provide detailed insight on the present performance of every location.   You don’t have enough resources to accomplish all the tasks: Often, you can fall short of resources ad time to handle all the tasks. Besides, the startups or small companies want to save money by not hiring a local SEO expert. These firms try to solve all the complicated challenges by themselves and fail. However, you will get some fair local SEO service providers who understand the complexity of the small businesses.   You have no idea about our business citations: Management of citations is often avoided. The name, address, and phone number of your business including or excluding a link should appear on directories and local oriented websites throughout the web.   You don’t know about your site’s link building: Your website can rank well if links from other sites can take a viewer to your site. Backlinks to your site’s location pages can make your business authority strong. Also, it strengthens your business relevance for specific and vertical locations.   Various tactics are used to earn local backlinks. Identification of your brand’s unlinked mentions is possible through the advanced search commands. It is crucial link to the applicable location page. If you want to unwrap competitive local opportunities, hunting through the backlink profile of the competitors is worthy.   How can you improve your site’s local SEO? Google business account: If you want to rank higher on Google map, you have to optimize your business’s Google listing. It also helps in improving visibility in the Google Search Local Results. You have to get hold of a Google My Business Account linked to your business profile. After providing all the needed information in the account dashboard of Google My Business, the entire info will be automatically added to your particular business profile that appears in Google Maps, Google Search Local Results, and Google Search Knowledge Panel. Remember these points: >> You must create a Google My Business Account. >> Verify your business ownership. >> Provide up-to-date information. >> Add hours of operation payment methods, logo, images, products and services. >> Let your customers review your business, and respond to their reviews. >> Publish variety of posts like announcement of special offers, products, and events to your specific business profile through the dashboard. Make your website mobile optimized: Several studies have proved that people are shifting to mobile in a greater number and faster. As per a 2018 Stone Temple study, the percentage of mobile visits to websites has increased from 57% (2016) to 63% (2017). On the other hand, desktop visits to website have decreased from 43% (2016) to 37% (2017). So, you can understand the importance of optimizing your business site for smartphone to improve the local SEO. What should you do?

• Make sure that your business website loads within three seconds.
• Always use bigger fonts so that people can easily read.
• Convey authentic information and use images sparingly.
• Provide an intuitive UI for an excellent User Experience.

Get your customers to write reviews: Encourage your customers to write reviews for your services or products to optimize your presence on Google My Business. Local customers will love to buy from your company by reading good reviews. Around 85% of customers trust online reviews, and invest in companies having positive reviews. This percentage was revealed in 2017 Local Consumer Review Survey of BrightLocal.   How can you encourage customers to write reviews? If possible, ask for reviews in person after closing of a sale. Respond to the reviews professionally. Thank the reviewers. Also, address the complaints. Send post purchase emails or text messages requesting customers to write reviews. Brainstorm on local keywords: Keywords that are relevant to the local customers can bring you business. Google has its own keyword planner that helps you filter keyword searches depending on the location. You can get a clear idea of the needed key terms that can work for a specific region. So, it becomes possible for you to target customers through locally relevant keywords. After you find out the keywords, ensure that they appear in the meta content, URL, and copy of your website. Besides, you must mention hotspots and zone-specific landmarks in the content. For instance, if you have a restaurant in North Kolkata Shambazar area, include something like ‘Chinese and Tibetan lunch near Shambazar Five Points’, or you can write ‘special thali available only a few steps from Shambazar Five Points’. Optimize your website for voice search: Voice search is gaining popularity rapidly. It is important to include to optimize voice search for your site where customers can speak and get what they want. Usually, customers use long-tail keywords during voice searches. You have to adjust your content’s SEO so that the customers can reach the exact page. User intent is crucial for optimizing voice search. Whenever a customer asks something specific, he or she should get it. Online business directories improve local SEO: YellowPages, Yelp, MapQuest, Foursquare, etc. are popular online business directories that help in boosting your business’s visibility and local SEO. Mention these basics: The correct business name (accurate spelling is a must), phone number, address, business hours, etc. Detailed description of your business A backlink to your website   Create valuable content involving local events or new stories: Content that relates to local stories or news always attract customers. Follow these strategies: Create blog posts about local events, activities, and stories. You can create videos showing local charities or any cause supported by your business. Set up region-specific webpages and include local content. If your business serves multiple regions, create different pages for each region and include local content relevant to that location. Create separate webpage for each product or service: Putting everything into a single page is not good for local SEO. It lowers the ranking. Improvement of local SEO can be brought by creating a dedicated webpage for each product and service, or, each location. Location-specific ‘about us’ page is better: If your business has multiple locations, then location pages are important. Mention: Name, phone number, and address Hours of your store or business Promotions Testimonials Parking availability Google maps Customized descriptions If your business has one location, then create an ‘About US’ page with local information. Do not neglect link signals: As per a study of 2017 Local Search Rankings Factors by Moz, link signals are crucial for snack pack or local pack results as well as organic search results. Link signals refer to the backlinks pointing to your business site. Tips to get high-quality backlinks: If you create high-quality content on your business site, others will link to your content. Create guest blog on reputable websites having high domain authority. Contact local influencers via email or social media so that they link back to your site. Local SEO is gaining more importance than before. SEO is every changing. Google keeps on introducing new features for local searchers. You have to be updated to make your site rank well and be visible to all. Reach out to local SEO services providers who know in and out of SEO operations and Google’s algorithm. If you have no idea how to improve your local SEO, the experts are there to help you. The search engine updates the factors for local search ranking regularly. Atleast, know the factors to effectively compete. Let the professionals analyze the needs of your company, and assess your site its local online presence. They can design an excellent strategy that will definitely boost your site’s traffic in local areas. Conclusive statement: Now, it leaves no doubt that local SEO is indispensable for the marketers.