Local search engine optimization (SEO) applies the same ranking techniques as traditional SEO but ties them to your business’s physical location, so nearby customers see your pages near the top of the search engine results pages (SERPs). Content that includes local search terms is the foundation, whether it lives on a pillar page, a blog post, or a social media post. An “About Us” page for a car dealership, for instance, can describe how the dealership serves its community, and a blog post might reference “Hassle Free Subaru Sales in Billings” to pick up local search traffic.
When a customer searches for a hotel in London, hotels located in London rank higher than those elsewhere, which is why local SEO is so important for businesses that serve a specific geographic area. Optimizing for local searches makes your business more visible on the SERPs and can attract more customers. Identifying the right local keywords and targeting them accordingly is the core of the work, and without an in-house SEO team it can be hard to do well on your own.
Why is local SEO more important now?
Local SEO is a valuable marketing strategy and is more effective than ever because consumers increasingly use search engines to find local businesses. That trend has been accelerated by mobile devices, and almost eighty percent of consumers use the internet to find a local business. Nearby businesses are the ones that pick up local searches and are more likely to make the sale. The trend has only grown more popular with the spread of coronavirus.
FAQ
What is local SEO?
Local SEO is the practice of applying traditional search engine optimization techniques to a business’s location so the business ranks higher when nearby customers search for related products or services, such as a hotel in London showing up for searches about London hotels.
Which businesses benefit from local SEO?
Businesses that operate within a limited geographic area benefit the most. By optimizing a website to rank for local searches, the business becomes more visible on the SERPs and can attract more customers from its surrounding area.
Why is local SEO important right now?
Almost eighty percent of consumers use the internet to find a local business, and that behavior is accelerating with mobile device use. Local searches convert into sales for nearby businesses, and the trend has grown more popular with the spread of coronavirus.
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