What you must know about local SEO?

Anyone who understands digital marketing can overestimate the importance of search engine optimisation or SEO. You cannot expect your website to occupy a higher ranking on search engines without using the right SEO practices. Interestingly, about 68% of all online experience begins with search engines, while the top pages listed in Google have an average CTR (click-through rate) of about 32%.

If you want the maximum visibility of your website or business along with increased traffic and more leads, you must take the help of a local SEO guide to achieve the results you want. A local SEO refers to a strategy where your website ranks higher than others in the local search results on search engines. But how does it work, and what are its benefits? Continue reading to know.

What is local SEO?

Suppose you search for a sports equipment manufacturer and enter the term in the search engine the results show you a list of manufacturers in your area or those nearby. You will find it convenient and satisfying because that is what you wanted in the first place.

It will also show you similar results when you search for a product or service by adding the words “near me”. The process by which the local search algorithms show you those results is referred to as local SEO. It is an excellent strategy that provides numerous benefits because most people are interested in services close to their residence.

Why is it important?

As mentioned earlier, using this SEO strategy is crucial if you want your business to search high in the local searches. Data suggests that users make about 46% of searches keeping the local factor in mind, while 29% of all results pages have a heavy local presence. Statistics also reveal that approximately 76% of customers visit a local store to purchase a product or avail of an online service after coming across it on the results page.

It is also interesting that 78% of results users make using the phrase “near me” ends in an offline purchase. Data shows that 62% of buyers would discard a product if it is unavailable nearby. Those statistics show the local element’s importance in online searches and how it can benefit your business immensely in the long run.

How does it work?

Search engines such as Google have search algorithms that emphasise results close to the user’s location. When you enter a query in the search bar, it takes the help of artificial intelligence to index, crawl and rank the content and provides you only the results that matter to you. The focus here is on a specific target.

If you are a small business organisation, it saves you the hassle of competing with bigger businesses with plenty of resources to generate high traffic. By using location-specific terms in your keywords and backlinks connected to your location, you will easily stand out from general websites and enjoy a higher rank position every time the user searches for your services or product. 

Why should you use local SEO?

Attract quality traffic

Even though you might attract a lot of traffic to your website, you must ensure it is relevant. Once people visit your website, they should use your product or avail of your service. If you don’t include the local factor, you might generate a lot of traffic that won’t be of much help.

Enjoy higher visibility

The more visible you are, the higher are the chances of the user purchasing your product. Data shows that the first five results in a search engine accumulate about 68% of user clicks, and using local techniques will help you enter the top organic ranking. 

It is highly cost-effective

With local techniques, you will be paying money to attract customers in a limited area rather than across the country. You will also save the extra expenses of advertising for more visibility, as the higher ranking will give you all the publicity you need. 

You must take maximum advantage of a local SEO guide to enjoy higher ranking, optimum visibility, attract quality traffic and have a high conversion rate, among other benefits. It is the best SEO strategy you can incorporate, especially if you are into small businesses.