The numbers don’t lie. Google confirms that as much as 76% of people who perform local searches on their mobile phones visit the business within a day. And of course, a good number out of that percentage results in sales.
What does this tell you? That local SEO fetches ROI that you cannot afford to miss out on as a local business.
Why Does Local SEO Matter?
Having your business represented in search engines isn’t just a gimmicky online trend. It’s a real strategy that business owners must pay attention to if they want to enjoy successful results from their marketing efforts.
Insights provided by Gorilla Marketing, whose SEO office is in Manchester, show that over 80% of mobile users are streamlining their search to find your business.
Here are a few great reasons to begin optimizing for local search results:
1. Local SEO Increases Visibility
Being found is the very first step in the business of boosting conversion. Engaging in local SEO techniques to make your business show up in Google Maps and local results is how you get there.
It’s simply not enough to have a great product and impressive brand values if no one knows you exist.
So, you should optimize your business profile on search engine listings for discovery. Additional efforts like responding to reviews and updating your business’ contact information should lead people directly to you when they’re ready to buy.
2. Improves Business Strategies
Think about how much your business will benefit from having access to resources that express your customers’ sentiments about the brand. Optimizing for local search means you can access online reviews that show what people who have bought from you think about your business.
Monitoring customer feedback allows you to see both what is going right and the strategies you can incorporate to satisfy clients. And to think these reviews come for free! You’re not even dipping into your revenue to hear what customers have to say.
Capitalizing on actionable feedback can help you address complaints and improve customer experience.
3. Builds Trust and Authority
As a local business, very few marketing strategies beat having a high reputation in your neighbourhood. And local SEO techniques allow you to achieve this trust by providing a platform to show yourself as an authority.
Creating localized helpful content is one technique smart businesses use to display their unique attributes.
Attaining a good position in search results isn’t achieved overnight; it’s the result of consistent efforts and delivering value. But when you eventually get up there in local search rankings, your brand’s reputation will thank you for it. Customers will trust the business more over time, and your brand will be seen as an authority.
4. Fosters Relationships with Other Businesses
Endless possibilities come with having a good rapport with other local businesses nearby. Think of the collaborations and word-of-mouth marketing that can arise from such relationships.
This benefit is especially useful for B2B brands which intend to deliver their solutions to other businesses. It’s very common for similar businesses to show up when potential customers are researching local brands.
Optimizing your business for local search makes it easier to build links with other businesses in your area.
5. Builds a Loyal Customer Base
In truth, retaining your current customers is a lot easier than working to attract new buyers. By strengthening your online presence using local SEO techniques, you are more likely to sustain the attention of your current customers and make them brand advocates.
When they know they can trust you to deliver a remarkable experience, customers tend to come back. You can provide this experience by optimizing your site for voice search, mobile, and adding schema.
6. Reduced Advertising Cost
Small businesses struggling to cut costs can leverage their local audience. Social and search ads both have their place in marketing strategies, but sometimes, they require so much money and monitoring that businesses cannot keep up.
Local SEO, on the other hand, is affordable. Techniques like monitoring online reviews and improving local keyword targeting come at no cost. You have a better chance at business growth when your profits aren’t going to paid advertising.
Conclusion
You are missing out on sales and building a loyal customer base by not incorporating local SEO techniques. And businesses already reaping from their investment in local search must continue to track and update their strategies to remain relevant.