It’s worth noting that almost 46% of the searches made on Google are intended for localized information. It means people are looking for information about their locality more than ever. If you have a small business and rely more on your neighborhood for business, ignoring Local SEO is like pushing the “Self Destruction” button. Your competitors will take advantage of this trend, grabbing the entire share of the local market.
In this article, learn what Local SEO is and how it impacts your small business. To learn about SEO in general, you can visit experts like https://www.firstpage.hk/zh/.
What is Local Search and What Makes It Significant?
The rapid adoption of smartphones, the internet, and technologies is fundamentally changing the way people shop for products. They’re researching about their options available nearby before taking out their credit cards or wallets.
Local searches are those types of searches that have a local intent keyword. Some local intent keywords are:
- Near Me
- Where to Buy
- In My locality
- In [City], [Pin Code], [Colony]
Therefore, local searches are any searches where the user wants to know about the options available near him/her. So if the search is “Pizza near me,” search engines will show the pizza stores near their location. The location comes from mobile location data. So even if you don’t specify your location, search engines are smart enough to show pizza shops near you with precision.
Local search is essential in multiple ways. In these subsequent sub-sections, you’ll learn how Local SEO impacts small businesses.
Increased Visibility on the Internet
Small businesses often don’t have the budget to advertise on billboards or buy ad time on TV. And the matter of fact is they don’t have to. Those channels are for large corporations with deep pockets that don’t mind paying millions to get the visibility.
Small businesses can take the help of local SEO to get relevant visibility on the internet. When people search in your neighborhood about the products you offer, you can get in front of them. Showcase your business name, address, storefront photos, products, and reviews about your business.
This visibility is important because if people don’t see you, they won’t necessarily know your products.
You can also increase visibility on social media by listing your business on search engines. This way, anyone looking for local services will come across your listing.
Drive More People to Your Local Store
With local SEO, you can not only let potential customers know about your business but drive them to your storefront.
These days, life is incomplete without services like Google Maps and Bing Maps. By listing your business on Google My Business or GMB, Google will give your store’s directions that the user can follow and land at your local store.
Listing your business on GMB is free and easy. You can get started with just a Gmail account. Provide your business details and specific address. Then let the GPS mark your location, which would serve as your business’s exact location on the map. Similarly, you can list on sites like Bing, Facebook, and Instagram.
As you drive more people into your local store, you can expect your business to improve and grow.
Build a Local Community
If there’s a common reason why big brands like Apple, Nike, and Starbucks are so successful, it is that they’ve developed a community of like-minded people. These people buy from the brands exclusively every time they shop for that category for the product. You must have seen Apple users regularly buying Apple gadgets, some people drinking coffee only at Starbucks. This is called a community.
With Local SEO, you can too build a local community. By creating this community, you can expect customers to return to procure goods and services from you. It is usually a long-term game and requires the help of a good branding and marketing agency.
Increased Revenue
All of the factors mentioned above contribute to one single thing: revenue. As you gain visibility on the internet, as you drive people to your store, you’ll see a rise in revenue as you build a local community.
If done consistently, it’s not uncommon to see a two-fold or three-fold increase in revenue. This is nothing compared to the fees you pay for local SEO. Once you start seeing an increase in revenue, you can reinvest that amount in further expansion.
Now is the right time to invest in local SEO when local “near me” search peak. It is here to stay and will become even more prevalent as the adoption continues to grow.
Interesting Related Article: “How to Maximize Your Business Revenue with Local SEO Service?“