Local SEO, or Local Search Engine Optimization, is a branch of SEO that focuses on optimizing a website to be found in local search results. Essentially, it’s the practice of optimizing your online presence to attract more business from relevant local searches, which could be on Google or other search engines. These include searches with certain geolocations such as “shoe stores near me” or “bookstores in Manhattan.”
According to the digital marketing specialist Neil Patel, local SEO is critical for smaller businesses that operate on a regional level, as opposed to larger brands that might operate on a nationwide level. While traditional SEO focuses on ranking higher on searches across the country, local SEO prioritizes appearing on SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) in a specific location.
Moz, a software services company known for its products in SEO, defines local SEO as making sure your business is consistently visible for geographically-related searches specifically, so that you reach local consumers when it’s most relevant.
Why is Local SEO important? As per GoGulf, 46% of Google Search is seeking local information and 72% of consumers who did a local search visited a store within five miles. This means failure to optimize for local search may result in loss of potential customers and sales.
There are several strategies for achieving higher local SEO rankings. One example is optimizing for Google My Business. Google My Business is a free tool from Google that allows business owners to manage their online presence across the search engine and its growing portfolio of utilities, as suggested by Search Engine Watch. This service offers the greatest impact for brands seeking local exposure as it helps Google understand more about the business: who they are, what services they provide and where they are located.
Another strategy is to earn regular reviews from happy customers. According to a Local Consumer Review Survey by BrightLocal, 57% of consumers will only use a business if it has four or more stars. Thus, by encouraging online reviews, businesses can potentially improve their local SEO ranking.
In a nutshell, local SEO helps your business become more visible in local search results on Google and other search engines. It is beneficial for smaller local businesses to tap into their immediate market, especially in the age of mobile search where people can look for businesses on-the-go. For most of these searches, Google tries to provide the most locally relevant results, making local SEO an important aspect of your digital marketing strategy.
Sources:
1. Neil Patel. (n.d.). What Is SEO? – Search Engine Optimization.
2. Moz. (n.d.). Local SEO: The Definitive Guide.
3. GoGulf. (2019). SEO Statistics 2020.
4. Search Engine Watch. (2020). Local SEO: The Complete Guide.
5. BrightLocal. (2018). Local Consumer Review Survey.
