What is Local SEO and Why Is It So Important?
You’ve heard it here and you hear it everywhere: search engine optimization is one of the most important things you can do for your website. Google won’t skyrocket your site to the top of their search results pages just because your site looks cool or has some fun features. Search engines need distinctive pieces of data they can use to categorize websites. There are many complex pieces of the puzzle, so today we are going to discuss one of these: local SEO.
On top of your product or service, your location is another piece of information you need search engines to know. Our team at McCauley Marketing Services has been providing top-notch local search engine optimization to our clients for years. Here’s why it’s so important for your business.
What is Local Search Engine Optimization?
In a nutshell, local search engine optimization (or local SEO) is a collection of strategies that tell Google and other search engines where you’re located. This allows Google to show users the most relevant results nearest to them. For example, if a person in Atlanta searches for “dermatologists,” Google will prioritize the dermatologists in Atlanta.
It’s important to note that local SEO should be a single part of your overall SEO strategy. It shouldn’t be your only priority, but it should certainly be on your to-do list.
Why is Local SEO So Important?
Business owners so often say, “I’m investing in general SEO already. Will local SEO really make that much of a difference?” Yes, it will, and not only because a recent survey found that 97% of people use the web to search for local businesses. There are several reasons why local search engine optimization is an essential part of any company’s marketing strategy in 2019.
All Searches are Localized Searches
In the earlier days of search engines and location services, people had to specifically search for things in their area. For instance, they would need to search for “eye doctor in Atlanta.” While people still have the option of doing this type of search, they aren’t as necessary as they once were. Every time you do a search, Google detects your location and prioritizes the search results that are near you.
Google even does this for searches that aren’t focused on finding a specific business. For instance, you may search the question, “Why am I nearsighted?” Google will show you a variety of articles on this topic, but it will prioritize the articles that are written by eye doctors and other businesses in your area. Now that every search is a local search, it’s more important than ever for Google to be able to accurately see where you are.
You Receive the Right Kind of Traffic
As rewarding as it is to watch your traffic statistics climb on your website, and as helpful of a metric as this can be, it isn’t the end goal. Don’t forget the reason you want more traffic: because you want those users to convert to paying customers or patients.
By optimizing your SEO for local searches, you can expect to get more traffic from your local area. These are the people you want to target because they’re most likely to become customers. In other words, not only may local SEO bring you more traffic, but it will also bring you more profitable traffic.
It Gives You More Legitimacy
When it comes to marketing, you don’t just need to tell people who you are and what you do. You also need to convince them to trust you enough to give you their business. With the countless scams and low-quality businesses around the web, that trust is harder than ever to earn. Local SEO gives your business a stronger sense of legitimacy because it ties you to a physical, “real world” location. It’s easy for users to recognize that you truly are who you say you are and that you’re a member of their own community.
Local search engine optimization is one of those pieces in your marketing strategy that isn’t optional. With the amount of time customers spend online today researching businesses before they buy, your local online presence is even more important than ever. If you aren’t sure how to start, our team at McCauley Marketing Services can get you on the right track. Schedule a meeting with our SEO and marketing professionals today.