Digital Marketing

6 Incredible Benefits of Local SEO

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Benefits of Local SEO

Benefits of Local SEO

If you’re running a small local business, you need to know how to attract as many new customers as possible. About 20% of small businesses fail within the first year or so, so while the odds are still in your favor, you’re taking a huge risk.

Larger businesses have the ability to expend a lot of resources on hefty marketing strategies, but what can you do with your limited resources?

You have to focus on digital advertising and SEO (search engine optimization). It’s time to take advantage of the benefits of local SEO so you can grow your business and find a loyal local customer base.

We’re here to talk about why local SEO should be a part of every business owner’s SEO strategy. Read on to learn more.

1. Further Defining (and Targeting) Your Audience

When you focus on basic digital marketing and non-local SEO, you’re still doing something valuable for your overall marketing and SEO plan. That said, you’re casting a pretty wide net. You’re going to be competing with businesses that are looking for national (or even worldwide) customers.

When you shift your focus to local SEO, this isn’t a problem. You know that you’re only targeting people in your local area. These are the customers that you need.

If you only offer services to people in your area, it doesn’t help you to attract customers elsewhere. You’ll be wasting your efforts (and your money).

2. Lower Advertising Costs

So why bother with SEO at all? Is the return on investment really worthwhile when there are so many other digital and traditional marketing options?

You should always diversify your marketing plan, meaning that you should focus both on SEO and other strategies. That said, SEO (including local SEO) is an affordable and effective option.

Once you start an SEO strategy with an SEO company, such as Direction.com, you’re going to get long-term benefits. The upfront cost might seem high, but a good SEO strategy continues showing results for years as long as you’re willing to keep up with it.

Compare this to the cost of putting up billboards or only using pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. These are less effective strategies and they’re more expensive in the long run.

Local SEO is a cost-effective way to find more customers.

3. Great for Mobile SEO

If you’re not focusing on mobile SEO, you’re making a huge mistake. The majority of web browsers spend a lot of time using their phones to find products and services, and if you’re not showing up in their results, they can’t find you.

But why is this relevant when we’re discussing local SEO?

When you use local SEO, you’re going to be taking advantage of certain local keywords. You may use the “near me” keyword, your city, or local landmarks to put yourself on the map.

Local SEO will make your business pop up when a potential customer is nearby and searching for services.

For example, if you own a bakery and a nearby person gets a sudden craving for a slice of cake, they may look up “bakery.” Because you’ve invested time and money in your local SEO strategy, your bakery will show up in the first few results.

Because the searcher is already out and about, they’ll visit your business. As long as you’ve set up your “Google My Business” page, they can even use their phone for directions to your bakery so they waste no time between searching and getting your product.

4. Building Community

People love supporting local businesses when they’re able to do so. It’s no longer trendy to rely on mega corporations if there’s a reasonably-priced or better alternative. By using local SEO, you’re integrating your business into the local community.

Not only is this great for your customers, but it also helps you build relationships with other local businesses. If other businesses notice you because of your great SEO, you might be able to network with them.

It’s not uncommon for business owners to refer customers to other local businesses as long as they aren’t direct competitors. For example, a local party planner may direct their clients to your bakery for event desserts as long as you agree to do the same.

Your community is everything as a local business owner.

5. Attracting Visitors or New Residents

When you run a local business, your primary audience is going to be people who already live in the local area. That said, you also have another important audience to consider: people who live out of town and are moving or traveling to your city.

These people don’t yet know the lay of the land. They’re looking for businesses that they can visit when they arrive. As long as you’re using good local SEO techniques, they’ll see you near the top of the results of their search engine query.

Someone may arrive in your town already interested in your business!

6. Keep up With the Competition

Let’s face it: other businesses within your niche are already using SEO. Search for your niche on Google and see what businesses pop up. If yours isn’t one of them, your competition is beating you.

If you want to stay competitive, you need to use local SEO. There are dozens of businesses in each niche in almost every city.

Put yourself on the map and start crawling up local search engine results. You may not beat other businesses within your niche, but you’ll be able to compete.

Take Advantage of the Benefits of Local SEO

If you’re not already including local SEO in your overall digital marketing strategy, you’re missing out. You can’t underestimate the benefits of local SEO for small local businesses.

Reach out to an SEO company today so you can put yourself on the map.

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