Search engine optimisation or SEO is something that every business is familiar with. Increasing the traffic to your website is key to success in the 21st century. But, how much do you know about local SEO?
Local SEO is just like it sounds. It is about allowing people to find you based on your location and what is close to them. But, what are the benefits of including local SEO in your marketing strategy? Let’s find out.
More Visibility to Locals
Every business wants to have a marketing strategy that gains visibility online. In particular, local SEO is going to be beneficial for targeting the right people. It will get your product or service out to people that are looking for it right then and there. This is beneficial for small businesses that are targeting customers in their area or nearby. General SEO cannot always get you to the top of the results page. But, with local SEO, you can move up and be high in the rankings for your area.
For example, think about someone looking for the best bakery in Edinburgh. When you use local SEO, you can be one of the first businesses that pop up for this result. You are going to have less competition and people are more likely to discover and purchase from you.
Become Trustworthy
The truth is, very few people move past the first page on Google. In fact, most will simply look at the top five websites provided from their search. This is exactly where you want your business to be. The good thing about local SEO is that you are more likely to get there as a small business. Indeed, once you get into one of the top spots, you are going to become more trustworthy. Customers are more likely to make a purchase from you and spread the word about your business.
Enjoy Local Reviews
It is no secret that locals like to support local businesses. This is a phenomenon that has taken off in recent years and people are more likely than ever to make purchases from local businesses over large chains. The same applies to writing reviews. Locals are more likely to write a review to help your business. It is their way of giving back and sharing their great experience with everyone else. Thus, investing in local SEO means they are customers that are more likely to find you, have a good experience, and review you later on.
Remember that a lot of customers trust reviews and check them before they make a purchase. Ensure that encourage customers to leave reviews and show them off proudly online.
Have More Sales
Most of the time, customers that are searching the web are using local SEO keywords to make instant purchases. They are searching for these keywords because they are looking for something specific that they want. If your business takes advantage of these keywords, you are going to ensure that your website is ranked for them to find. While general SEO is great for visibility, not everybody searching for these keywords is ready to make a purchase. For example, if someone is looking for the ‘best café in Bradford’, they are specifically pointing out what they are searching for. Indeed, they are planning on visiting a café and it has to be in Bradford.
Therefore, when you take advantage of local SEO, you can generate more sales for your business. Since people are more likely to make purchases when they can find you, you can generate revenue from the products and services that you offer online.
Have Return Customers
A lot of businesses will tell you that it is easier to make a one-one sale than secure turning customers. But, this is something you can start with local SEO. You can start to build a community. Again, customers like to help local businesses. So, if you are able to take advantage of local SEO and gain their attention once, you are much more likely to get their business again.
In addition, returning customers is not just about getting business from them. A returning and local customer is much more likely to pass on a good word about you and your brand. Again, this is associated with being local. So, you have the ability to benefit from word-of-mouth sales this way too. You can start to build a reputation in your area and your brand can speak for itself.
