When it comes to local business marketing, there are a lot of options companies can explore to advertise their business.
There’s signage, vehicle wraps, targeted Facebook ads, and more – but perhaps there is none more powerful a strategy than that of implementing a local SEO strategy for your business.
What Is A Local SEO Strategy?
“Local SEO” simply describes the process of ensuring your website shows up in Search when an interested user within your area types in a specific keyword query that is relevant to your business.
For example: if you’re a dentist in Las Vegas, then whenever a user in your city types in a term such as “Las Vegas dentist”, your website will show up in the search results.
Here are 5 benefits of being able to do this.
1) Generate Free Traffic To Your Local Business Website
As the top SEO company will tell you, one of the main benefits of a local SEO strategy is that you don’t pay for each click that goes to your website through your SEO efforts.
This traffic is free.
As opposed to Google Ads, where in return for showing your website at the top of the search engine results page (SERP) you pay each time a user clicks your results, instead, by ensuring your website shows up for this same term using an effective local SEO strategy, you will be able to show up at the top of the SERP and have every click that goes to your website be free for your business.
2) Shows Your Business In Local Search Results For Queries Related To Your Services
When using this type of strategy, you will be optimizing your website for searches that are relevant to your business.
Meaning, you can target key phrases that signal high purchase intent from searchers.
Using the above dentist for another example, say you optimized your website for “Las Vegas emergency dentist”.
This is an extremely high-intent query where the searcher is looking for a solution to their problem now.
And who do you think they’re going to choose to do business with in this snap decision?
Most likely, one of the results that showed up first when they typed in this query.
It could be you.
And keep in mind, this lead/sale will be free to your business.
3) Shows Your Business In Google Maps For Related Queries
As well as in the organic search results, implementing a local SEO strategy will also land you in Google Maps for related queries as well.
Depending on your type of business, this could be one of the most effective channels your business can have.
This is because when people search something directly into Google Maps, they are most likely looking for directions to a certain destination.
For example, if you’re a male looking to get a haircut, you would type in some sort of variation of the term “mens barber shop near me”.
If you’re looking to make a decision to get a haircut right this second – which you are since you’re looking for directions in Google Maps – then you would base your decision on the few results that show up in Maps when you search this term.
Out of these results, you will most likely choose the barber shop with the most reviews.
This is why if you indeed own a barber shop or a service in which people will search directions for, having a thorough local SEO strategy can put you in front of extremely high intent potential customers each and every day.
4) Great For Branding And Positioning Of Your Services
Showing up in Google Search for queries related to your local business will expand your online presence.
By doing so, customers will have more opportunities to engage with your brand and become familiar with who you are and what you do.
This works well with other marketing strategies, too, because if you show up in Google and are active on social media platforms or have strategic signage placed around your city, then potential customers will come to recognize your brand the more times they come in contact with it.
This will help position you as an expert in your field and be top-of-mind whenever potential customers become in the market for your product or service.
5) Dominate Your Niche And Become An Authority Figure In Your Local Area
Building off the last point, there will come a time where you will be able to dominate your niche and become and authority figure in your city.
Even if you don’t partake in the additional marketing activities listed above, you can still have this affect by showing up for as many relevant queries in Google as possible.
If your website shows up in organic search when someone types in “dentist Las Vegas”, “best dentist in Las Vegas”, “Las Vegas teeth whitening”, “Las Vegas family dentist”, etc., searchers will subconsciously understand that if you are the only website that is consistently showing up for all of these different yet related queries, that you must be an authority figure in the space.
And keep in mind, that’s only for organic search.
If you’re able to implement a local SEO strategy that puts you in both the organic search results and the Google Maps results, your business will show up twice for the same search term!
Doing this for a wide variety of searches will indeed allow you to dominate your niche in Google Search and frame your as an authority figure in your city – making it that much easier to land clients.
Conclusion
Implementing a local SEO strategy can be one of the most effective marketing channels you use for your local business.
With the ability to show up in both the organic search results and Google Maps for keywords related to your business, you will be able to position your brand effectively and become a local authority figure in your niche.
What’s more, you will be able to develop a lead generation strategy that sends your business potential customers for free.
Local SEO is definitely a strategy you want to research for your local business and ensure you are fully taking advantage of – your business will love you for it!
Author Bio
Jeremy Lawlor is a digital marketing specialist with a background in search engine optimization, website design, and pay-per-click campaigns. He is the co-founder of Active Business Growth, a boutique marketing agency that provides SEO for local businesses.
