“Go Local”… This new mantra to shop local, buy local and go local, etc. has become a game-changer for the businesses. Eight out of ten consumers use search to find local information that means if your business is not optimized for the local search, your business is missing 80% customers. The local search engine is critical if you want your business to grow and expand.
What Makes Local Search Important?
With every search on Google, local search is happening. When someone is searching for any product and services, they search with the “near me” keyword. For e.g. “coffee shop near me” “Thai restaurant near me”.
The below-mentioned statistics suggest how Local Search has become imperative in providing business.
- 50% of consumers who performed searches through their smartphones have visited the local stores in 24 hours.
- 35% of people searched through their computer visited the local stores in a day.
- 73% of the local businesses witnessed a boost in their sales and got unique consumers based on who searched them locally.
- 68% of people suggested that they prefer searching online for local businesses before visiting them.
- 92% of users looked online for local businesses in the year 2017 and that number is growing every day.
- 86% of the people look up the location of the business in the Google Maps
To give you better clarity, let’s pretend my tap broke. I do not want to search whichever websites that Google lines up for me. Rather, I will search for writing “plumber near me” “Plumbing services near me”
The SERPS will get me a bunch of local plumbing services including ratings and testimonials as well as price packages. – Get it? This is how the local search engine works.
How Local B2B Search Can Be A Game Changer?
We understood the power of local search SEO, but if you think who cares? Well, as a matter of fact, your customer cares. Because local consumers will always rely on the local search engine results to find the information. So, how can you make your local search engine better for your business?
The crucial parts of local Search SEO involve:
When it comes to local SEO, it is different from organic practices. When optimizing your business for local search below are the immediate areas you need to focus:
- Optimize “Google My Business”
- Improve your internal link structure
- Create local content
- Make sure your website is mobile responsive
- Make sure that your business contact details are updated
- Engage more on social media platforms by adding daily posts
- Optimize online directories
- Add location to your web pages
- Optimize your meta description, content, title tags, images, and URL
Local search engine results are based on geographical factors. It is impossible to rank based on organic SEO unless you are a huge brand. Especially B2B businesses where competition is stiff, your business can enjoy benefits like:
- Increased web traffic
- Increased visibility
- Build a loyal customer base
- Enhanced brand awareness
- Increased business inquiries/leads
- Your business earns more trust through high page rankings
- Repeat customers
- Reduces advertising expenses
- Get exposure in local business community directories
- Gets more positive reviews
To Get Rank On Google – You Need Local SEO
You might be wondering what it takes to get first-page ranking on Google? Well, to say least there are literally hundreds of things that go in from best SEO practices to ratings and reviews, optimizing the mobile experience, focusing on user experience, regularly updating and maintaining Google listing, and so on.
Google algorithms are constantly changing to deliver relevant search for the users. Google’s “Venice Update” was one of the first changes that influenced the local search for businesses. The update made it imperative to have landing pages for the businesses for every location they provide service and optimize it with the right keywords.
Another significant rollout was “Google Pigeon Update” which had several makeovers with the recent one including “Local 3 pack” as opposed to how earlier they used to display 8-10 businesses in a pack.
Recently, Google announced another change suggesting that the search results are local and even more relevant.
The top half search result page is covered with the “Paid Ads” and the “local pack listings”. About 86% of the customers use this listing when they are looking for local businesses.
With the right local SEO strategies and practices, your business can come in the top 3 local pack searches.
Algorithms are adapting local “near me” search hence to get your business listing higher on Google page ranking you can’t overlook Local Search SEO.
It’s a step by step process that you need to perform to get on the first page of Google.
Local Search Vs General Search Engine
Search engine giants like Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. use hundreds of factors to rank and index in the searches that include SEO keywords, inbound and outbound links, content, to name a few.
Local businesses having a physical office in a specific location will want to rank high in the local search. The user is likely to search for the products/services in a specific location they want to find it nearby and easy to commute to visit. Therefore, it is important for local businesses to show up in local searches.
Can Local Businesses Rank High On Search Engines Like Google?
It is not impossible but tough. Also with every search engine, the algorithm varies, Google competitors like Bing, Yahoo adopt different strategies to place the businesses.
Ideally, multi-location brands have better chances to rank locally as well as organically since they have a website to help boost their ranking when searched.
That is where organic SEO comes into play. Search engine optimization is the process of trying to make sure search engines know which searches your business or website is relevant for. However, there are marketers who manipulate the results using SEO techniques.
Google considers search engine manipulation to be extremely serious and expends substantial resources to try to identify and eliminate it. Hence, Google is now emphasizing more on “local searches”. The local search algorithm update, “Pigeon” is giving importance to the local search results hence benefitting the local business.
Closing Thoughts
Currently, if you have not performed local SEO, we recommend that you devote your time to getting those things done. It is important that your customers find you.
When it comes to Local SEO we are pro at it. If your website is not showing in local searches your business is missing a huge opportunity.
