In this post, we’ve put together some of the top reasons why local SEO is important for you, your customers, and your money.
Learn How to Play the Google Game
Google is by far the most popular search engine among users today. For example, in 2017, people made more than one trillion searches on Google alone. Moreover, the search engine has a huge influence on what people see in their search results thanks to its strict algorithm.
In 2020, the average business has a marketing budget of around 45%. If you’re running a small business, it’s never been more important to play the game. Start now to put your money where it matters the most.
Rank Higher in Local Search Engine Results
More than 60% of local customers use Google and other search engines as the main way to find businesses near them. What’s more, half of local customers who make local searches end up visiting the store on the same day.
Therefore, if you run a local business that deals with customers in person, such as a law firm, not using local SEO or not using it properly could mean that you’re losing out on a massive number of views—and new customers.
RELATED ARTICLE: HOW CAN I GET MY BUSINESS TO RANK HIGHER IN THE SEARCH ENGINES?
Understand the Google 3 Pack for Better Local SEO
More than 90% of search results display the “Google 3 pack.” This consists of the top three results that Google has ranked as the most relevant and trustworthy for the search in question.
What’s more, almost 20% of these results are based on signals from Google My Business. This means that your proximity to the search area is one of the biggest factors when it comes to making it into these three results.
Your Customers Will Benefit
Like any good business owner, you care about your customers. Moreover, you want any experiences they have with you to be memorable for all the right reasons. These days, the customer experience doesn’t start when they visit your store. Instead, it begins when they search for it for the first time. And that search that usually starts with Google.
Your Information Is More Readily Available with Better Local SEO
So ensure that the whole process is both easy and convenient for your customers. Don’t make them look any harder than they need to for your business information. Otherwise, they are going to move on to another business that’s easier to deal with online.
More than 70% of people look up a business to confirm its location before they visit it for the first time. What’s more, over 30% of smartphone searches are made just before a store visit. Clearly, local SEO is a double-win for small businesses.
Since 2017, the number of “near me” searches on Google has more than doubled. So you need to make sure your information is both available and consistent.
It’s Free Advertising
Last but not least, for example if you’re from Toronto, with local SEO company Toronto you can promote your products and services to local people who are searching on Google for businesses like yours. Even if your address is listed on Google My Business, you can’t rely on your proximity alone to rank you higher. You will need to optimize your strategy to ensure that you are using the most relevant keywords to your offering. Do this by optimizing page titles, meta descriptions, and body text.
Better Local SEO Aids Customers Who Are Trying to Find You
Today, local SEO is more important than ever for small businesses. This is especially true since most customers conduct a local search before they visit.
