As a small or local business, it can be difficult to compete with the big brands when it comes to being found in Google searches. As big companies (with big budgets) focus on the keywords you want to promote for, it can seem difficult to get to the top of the search engine results pages (SERPs) to drive traffic and clicks. . But, there is a way!
Local search engine optimization (SEO) can help your business appear in Google search results. For example, if you are a restaurant, hairdresser, or hotel, local SEO can be a way to get found online to increase bookings and sales. After all, consumers today go online to research, find reviews, and buy. A report from Accenture found that during the Covid-19 pandemic, 56% of consumers shop at local stores or buy local products. This should continue in the long term according to 79% and 84% of customers.
This means that businesses – especially small ones – need to be online to gain visibility and provide information that motivates people to take action such as making a reservation or requesting more information. In this blog, we’ll cover why local SEO is important and what it is exactly, how to create a local SEO strategy, and tips for improving your business’ online visibility. And of course, we will look at some examples of companies that have made the most of the SEO community.
What is Local SEO?
When using SEO, the goal is to improve your website so that it rises in search rankings and is seen by your target audience. With local SEO, it is about using local words or keywords to get people looking for services or products in your area or region.
Local SEO vs. SEO
The wonderful thing about SEO is that you can make it work for your business. For example, national SEO (also known as traditional SEO) focuses on promoting your site to rank for national or international keywords. So if you’re in the United States, the keywords you use will depend on the United States.
International SEO, on the other hand, focuses on geo-targeting and language protection. Therefore, the results are traditional SEO results shown to Google users, but they are in a different country or region than the business location or website.
In comparison, local SEO is highly targeted and location-specific. Local SEO results come in two forms:
Maps – This includes Google Maps or Google Business Profiles (GBP) which are displayed on SERPs as Area Packs or Map Packs also known as Feed Packs.
Traditional SEO results focus on local keywords