Why Local SEO Marketing Is Essential For Your Business

Posted onAuthorMeghan Olson

Local SEO marketing optimizes a business’s web presence so its site appears in search results for geographically specific queries. Unlike broader Internet Marketing, the goal is to surface for searches like a particular service in a particular city, turning those searchers into actual customers. When a searcher is looking for something nearby, a more targeted approach than general SEO is required.

local seo

Search engines place website listings on the first page of search engine results pages (SERPs). When a searcher only intends to look for a product or service in a particular physical location, standard rankings are not enough. That is where Local SEO comes in.

How does Local SEO fit into search results?

The goal of Local SEO is to rank a website well in organic search results, while keeping the site from the top of the SERPs for highly competitive keywords or key phrases. Organic search is where a website appears in natural or unpaid search results, after an advertiser has paid for an ad. A business may also appear in an unpaid search result for a geographically-based query like “Winnipeg, Manitoba”; in that case, a site is optimizing for a specific query rather than for local search rankings.

To get a website to show up on the first page of a search result for a highly competitive keyword or phrase, it first has to rank on the second page. Local SEO experts use several techniques to move a site there: in some cases, paid placements are used; in others, the SEO company runs in-house strategies, or local SEO experts work in partnership with an Internet Marketing company.

Why does ranking locally build credibility?

When a business searches for products or information on Google or Yahoo, the listing they see is called a result. If a website appears on the first page of a search result, the site gains credibility with online consumers and other web marketers. Online marketers use this dynamic in a few different ways. Sometimes, a small business will pay an online marketing company to place their website in a local SEO campaign because they know the strategy will generate more traffic and potential clients.

What role do directories, listings, and paid options play?

There are several online directories that provide search results based on certain criteria. In some cases, business owners submit content to online directories and wait to see if their content is listed. If it is not, they send the listing to local search engines or local business directories. Many online business directories, like local dot com, also provide free content based on various categories, but those sites need revenue to stay in operation and ask for payment when you submit content.

Submitting to a directory is another way to land on a user’s first page. One of the most popular directories available today is Yellow Pages. The directory provides businesses with a way to market their website, gives free access to the listing, and usually places links within the website pointing back to the site. Yellow Pages also allow paid advertising: when someone clicks on one of the links contained within the website, the advertiser pays the owner of the site.

How does Local SEO help reach customers within driving distance?

The use of local search optimization is becoming increasingly popular among businesses because it allows them to reach people within a reasonable driving distance. Businesses can promote themselves through social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter, as well as organic methods such as articles written for websites and blogs. With the increased popularity of the internet, businesses that want to be successful now can do so through local SEO marketing strategies.

FAQ

What is Local SEO marketing?

Local SEO marketing is the practice of optimizing a business’s web presence so it shows up in search results for geographically specific queries, such as a product or service in a particular city. It targets searchers who are already within a reasonable driving distance of the business.

How is Local SEO different from regular SEO and Internet Marketing?

Standard Internet Marketing focuses broadly on search engine optimization as a main objective. Local SEO instead targets geographically based queries like “Winnipeg, Manitoba” and aims to rank well in organic search results for those specific, location-based searches.

What methods are used to rank a site locally?

Local SEO experts rely on a mix of techniques: paid placements, in-house strategies, partnerships with Internet Marketing companies, and submissions to online directories such as Yellow Pages, as well as free listings on directories like local dot com that request payment for submissions. Social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter and organic content such as articles for websites and blogs are also used to reach nearby customers.

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