Marketing practices evolve constantly. From billboards to social media, there are so many ways that you can market all kinds of services. One form of marketing that has grown increasingly important over the last few years though, is search engine optimisation (SEO).
SEO refers to improving where websites rank on search engine pages. The main goal is to be on page one of any Google search. When this is done, you have a better opportunity to consistently bring in customers to your website. One form of SEO is local. This is all about making your business more visible in local search results.
Read on to find out more about local SEO and how you can use it to propel your business to the top.
The ins and out of local SEO
Local SEO falls under the branch of digital marketing. Digital marketing is one of the most important features of any business. It ensures customers are driven to their websites which can then lead to more sales. With the importance of this being so high, companies fork out an average of £394.75 per day to digital marketing agencies.
Local SEO will be one of the areas that these agencies will work on. To improve this, agencies will look to optimise for Google’s local search algorithm which includes a proximity factor. This means that when a user searches on Google, the results will show businesses in their immediate area.
Who needs local SEO?
Whilst every business will benefit from local SEO, it is pivotal for the following:
- Local businesses
- Multi-location brands
- Service-area businesses
What are the benefits?
As with every marketing scheme, the overall goal is to increase visibility and get more customers to buy products. Local SEO can help do just that. When your website is optimised this way, you’ll have a chance to reach more people, increase conversions and vitally, build your reputation as the leading business in the local area.
Local SEO key practices
To achieve a great local SEO precense, digital marketing agencies may do the following to improve your visibility:
- Fully utilise Google My Business features and optimise your listings
- Optimise the content and meta data on “location” or “branch” pages of your site
- Build backlinks into these location pages pages
- Target locally focused press / publications with Digital PR campaigns
As you can see, local SEO can be vital to the success of your business. It ensures you increase your chances of being discovered when people search for the services you provide which can, in turn, improve your turnover.
