Local SEO helps businesses increase their visibility online so potential customers can find businesses in their area. If you’re looking to dine out at a local restaurant and want to try a new location, then you might search for “restaurants near me” on a search engine. The Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) will then show different local restaurants in your area, which is referred to as local SEO.
Local SEO is very valuable for small businesses attributable to less competition, higher positioning on search engines, inclusion of business information, viewable reviews, and relevant traffic to your site. Optimizing your website for searches based on the location of your business will help bring local traffic to your site.
#1 Competition
Local SEO is a useful tool for small businesses since there’s less competition. When someone makes a local search query, you’re only competing with similar businesses in that particular area. Let’s say someone is searching for a “Chevrolet dealership near me.” A Chevrolet dealership located in that area is far more likely to appear on the first SERP compared to someone searching for a non-localized search query such as “Chevrolet,” which would result in you competing with dealerships across the country. A single search query can result in anywhere from a dozen to thousands of websites. Local SEO narrows down your competition significantly, and it can potentially result in your business only competing with a few businesses in the area.
#2 Position
Less competition means a better positioning on a SERP. The higher your position, the more likely that someone will click on your site. A position on the second page of a search engine or even on the bottom of the first page may mean potential customers won’t see your website. One way to increase your website’s visibility on a SERP is by optimizing your website for local searches and queries, which could lead to receiving a better ranking due to less competition.
#3 Business Info
The Internet has replaced or has been a substitute for many products and resources over the years, and one of them is how people find businesses. A search engine is a tool people can use to find local businesses and their respective business information. A SERP can provide valuable details of a business such as phone numbers, addresses, hours, and reviews. Even if consumers in a given area are aware of a particular business, local SEO makes it easier for them to find key business information. Due to this, it’s especially important that business information is updated and accurate. Let’s say an individual is searching for a Ford dealership in an area and the wrong telephone number is showing on a search engine. The individual would then be unable to reach the dealership and it could be a potential loss of a sale. Including and updating your business’ information on search engines is crucial for engaging potential customers.
#4 Reviews
Even if a customer is aware of your business, he may still use a search engine to read reviews. A search engine can be used as a tool to find out how prior or current customers think of a business and their experiences with it. If someone is looking to make a high-end purchase, there’s a greater possibility that he will look for online reviews. A local search query can display 3 businesses with their respective reviews at the very top of the first SERP, making it easier for potential customers to find reviews. For someone looking to schedule a service appointment for their vehicle, reviews can offer searchers valuable inside information on a company’s customer service, quality of service, available discounts, and more.
#5 Relevant Visits
Local SEO can drive more relevant traffic to a website. Someone residing in California would most likely not be visiting a car dealership in Illinois. Bringing local traffic to a website increases the likelihood that people visit or call a business out of convenience.
For these 5 reasons, local SEO is very valuable for businesses looking to get more traffic to their website or to get more recognition in the local area. To increase your website’s online visibility, contact the SEO team at Aronson Advertising in Schaumburg, IL.
