Increase Local Awareness With Search Engine Optimization

November 2, 2021 / SEO
Website design sketch on notepad on table next to smart phone.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving your website’s search rankings in organic, unpaid results. The goal of SEO is to improve the volume and quality of traffic to a website by increasing its visibility in search engines via “natural” or unpaid (“organic”) search results.

You can improve your local rankings by writing compelling content, doing keyword research and using them throughout your text, ensuring that your site loads quickly on any browser and device, and making sure it has an easy-to-navigate layout with clear navigation menus. These steps will help you rank higher for relevant searches so more people can find your business online.

Here are some recent statistics related to location searches:

30% of all mobile searches are related to location – Think With Google

76% of people who search on their smartphones for something nearby visit a business within a day – Think With Google

28% of searches for something nearby result in a purchase – Think With Google

Yelp appears in the top five search results for 92% of Google web queries that include a city and business category – FreshChalk

Mobile is the present and the future

Most (if not all) cellphones are considered “smart” and equipped with GPS tracking software. Does this mean that your phone knows where you are all the time? Well, probably. This helps by telling search engines your physical location and showing results based on your current location.

By having the correct contact information displayed on your website and getting listed in local directories, you can make it easier for your local customers to find your business from their phones when searching in your service area.

Another important aspect of this is being mobile responsive. Have you ever been to a website on a mobile device such as a phone or tablet and it just looks bad? Or maybe you have a hard time navigating because everything is out of order or too small? Optimizing your website for a mobile device makes it so that users can easily navigate your site and get the information that is important like your products and services or contact information.

Managing your local business listings

Most search engines provide a way for business owners to list their businesses online. A great example of this is the Google Business Profile. This gives your customers information such as an address, telephone number, hours of operation, website, and more. These local business listings are extremely valuable for reaching new and existing customers. Many of these business listings also provide an avenue for customers to review your products and services.

You can’t access the best of both worlds without doing some legwork. But luckily, there are plenty of websites out on this landmass that do all they need to so you don’t have trouble getting your business seen by consumers in their local search engine results pages (SERPs). If someone is looking for a local service or product but doesn’t know where it’s located – just make sure it’s listed!

Customer reviews matter

Reviews are one way to show customers that you care and can also help build trust between your company and clients. This leads them back for more products in the future and encourages positive interactions on social media. Reviews have been seen as an opportunity for businesses looking to improve their standing among consumers.

So what can you do?

Provide the best possible experience for your customers and show them that they are appreciated. After all, they are the lifeblood of your business. Treat negative reviews delicately. Respond to negative reviews in a way that leaves the customer feeling heard and wanted and do your best to alleviate any issues that they may have.

Local search engine optimization is a critical part of any small business marketing strategy. In order to grow your customer base and continue attracting new customers, you need to make sure potential buyers can find you online when they search for the products or services you offer. It’s not enough just to rank well on national searches anymore—you also need a strong presence in local ones too. It won’t happen overnight but optimizing your search results will make a huge impact.

We can help!

If you’re not sure where to start with your small business’s digital marketing strategy or if you want help understanding how best to implement these practices for your company contact us today! We will be happy to work with you one-on-one in order to create a comprehensive plan that helps your small business grow its online presence no matter what industry it operates in.

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