Sometimes new business owners might think the point of online content marketing is to appeal to a broader global audience, which can undoubtedly be the case. If you’re focusing only on your online presence for those purposes, though, you’re missing out on several advantages that you can gain by properly using local SEO.
According to a study by GoGulf reported by SocialMediaToday, almost half (46%) of all searches on Google are looking for local information, and 30% of Google searches done from a mobile device are related to that device’s location. As mobile online access becomes the norm, business owners can use it to help direct local customers to their brick-and-mortar location by ensuring they’re using the right online tools.
Show Up on The Map
The first step toward taking advantage of popular apps is to make sure your business is locally visible. In 2020, Google Maps, the most popular mapping app, was downloaded over 23 million times. With 78% of searches looking for local information resulting in offline purchases, your business’s presence in online directories like Facebook, Google Business, or Yelp is critical if you want to direct local traffic your way. Help your business appear in searches made within mapping apps and the standard search engines, and you’ll automatically broaden your reach.
In addition, since these kinds of searches often happen on the go, having a mobile-friendly website will help potential customers navigate while out and reach additional information about what you have to offer. The easier you are to find, the more likely you are to see traffic. 61% of mobile searchers are more likely to contact mobile-friendly business sites. Look to build local relationships and consider how to attract travelers and visitors who may not know the area or have recently moved. To do this, you’ll want to design specifically effective local SEO.
Make SEO Speak the Local Language
Users looking for local recommendations usually tag a nearby town or use the phrase “near me” to focus the results; you’ll want to ensure your website’s SEO correctly highlights your location. It’s essential to keep all of your online information up to date and in a consistent format, which helps search engines trust the relevancy of your site as a result. Include your location and nearby areas in your web page meta information. If you produce content, mention location identifiers to build a trail that search engines pick up on. 70% of searching consumers end up visiting a physical store based on information they’ve found online.
Reviews can make some businesses nervous, but usually, those businesses have something to hide. Local reviews can help differentiate your company and take it to the top of the search results. 87% of consumers read online reviews for their local businesses in 2020, and almost three-quarters (73%) only pay attention to reviews written recently.
Opening your local site for reviewing in directories like Yelp, Google Business, or Facebook helps in many ways. Collecting high reviews over time will help your rating, but the presence of continuous reviewers also helps to build search engine credibility, further bolstering your site in online searches.
Use the Local Community
Link networking helps build a site’s credibility, so use this by linking to ongoing events that might be nearby your site and encouraging similar events to link back to you. You can offer local coupons or partner with a nearby business to offer a deal or package. According to the writers at Wordstream, location-based coupons on mobile devices can lead to a substantial increase in mobile revenue.