Local SEO Marketing Strategies For Small Businesses
Local SEO marketing is one of the fastest growing trends in online marketing. Local SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, and since any company knows, bringing in local clients can be crucial to their success: They’re easier (and thus cheaper) to contact. They’re more loyal to companies they’ve worked with in the past, meaning more referrals. And they make customers feel more comfortable knowing they’re being shown to businesses that have a connection to the area – even if that connection isn’t clear on first glance.
So what’s local SEO marketing all about? According to its most popular practitioners, Local SEO Marketing encompasses everything from press releases, social media marketing (such as Facebook and Twitter), blogs, and email campaigns to websites and search engine results pages. While many experts emphasize that Local SEO is all about the customer, others see it in terms of creating a more customized experience for clients. Some refer to it as “coffee shop SEO.” Others use a more sociological approach and call it the “neighborhood SEO.” Still others use the term interchangeably with “commerce SEO.”
No matter how it’s applied, Local SEO marketing makes good business sense. It’s relatively inexpensive compared to the cost of maintaining a website for a major international corporation, even a small regional enterprise. And getting your business online has never been faster, with nearly every new method or platform being used by small businesses today. But how can a business optimize its presence online so that it attracts the most local customers?
One way is to focus on keywords and using them sparingly within your content. Doing keyword research ahead of time can give you some valuable insights into what people are searching for, while using those key words in as many places as possible throughout your site. For example, instead of focusing on the word “appliance,” you might want to include “home appliances” or “repair services.” Doing keyword research before you build your site or content can help you avoid the overuse of the words that search engines punish.
Another way to get more local SEO results is to make sure you have plenty of relevant content available to consumers. The challenge with many businesses these days is keeping their pages fresh and current, as consumers tune in to see what’s new. A site-map is an important tool for getting people to local listings and the content associated with that listing. Google has made several changes recently to improve site-maps and getting people there, so it’s important to follow their lead.
Yet another way that you can use your own Local SEO Marketing to attract more customers is by using targeted keyword phrases. Doing this upfront can give you a noticeable advantage when you’re negotiating with a buyer or salesperson. Keyword research can help you understand what terms your customers are entering to find you, which can help you tailor your campaigns to better suit their needs. Even though you have to be specific with the keywords, your audience will be able to tell what the site is about by the use of related phrases. And, as long as you provide relevant content within your site, the search engines will see you as a credible local business and give you higher rankings.
One last way that you can increase your chances for success with Local SEO Marketing is by looking at the trends that customers are entering when they perform searches. If you want to sell products online to a certain group of people, you need to be on top of the game when it comes to SEO rankings. In the world of SEO, however, there are many trends that change quickly and grow or shrink depending on how much attention a business can draw. This makes it difficult to be aware of all the changes on the internet, but it can be helpful to pay attention to where your competition is coming from when you’re trying to improve your standing in the listings for your target market. By paying close attention to what’s happening online, you will be more likely to be noticed by those looking for your niche and given the chance to compete with your competitors.
When it comes to Local SEO Marketing, remember that your business listings are only one tool in your toolbox of tools to promote your business effectively. You can use the business listings to attract new customers, improve your reputation with the search engines, and improve your standing with other local businesses in your particular area. But even with all these great benefits, if you aren’t getting the traffic you want, your business won’t be successful. So start getting the traffic you want today by getting involved with the many different Local SEO Marketing strategies available to small businesses online!