Did you know that 46% of all Google searches are made with local intent? Or that 78% of people who search for local businesses on their phones visit the Business within a day?

That’s the power of local SEO!

If you want your brand to stand out in the ever-competitive business landscape, you’ll want to pay attention to local Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Without it, you’ll likely struggle to build a strong online presence, which can affect offline sales too.

But what exactly is local SEO?

This post will delve into the crux of local SEO and explain how it differs from regular SEO. We’ll also touch on the benefits of implementing a local SEO strategy. Let’s dive in!

What Is Local SEO?

To understand local SEO, you’ll first need to understand what local search means.

A local search is when someone searches for a business, product, or service in a specific location. Here are some common examples of local search queries.

• Realtors near me
• Best refrigerator technician in Beverly Hills, California
• Ice cream shop near me

The essence of local search is to find a nearby business, product, or service. And local SEO is the process of optimizing your online visibility to appear in those local search queries.

Simply put, local SEO is a search engine optimization strategy that seeks to help businesses show in local search results. Any business with a geographical location, especially those with Google My Business accounts, can benefit significantly from local SEO.

Businesses can improve local SEO through a variety of tasks, including:

• Creating a Google My Business page
• Building citations
• Local link building activities
• Optimizing their websites

The fastest way to improve your local SEO is to leverage the services of a reputable local SEO agency such as Online Marketing Gurus. Such companies use their expertise in the field to optimize your Google My Business listings, website, and business directory listings to improve your rankings in local search results.

How Does Local SEO Differ from Regular SEO?

Both local and regular (organic) SEO have one thing in common: they focus on improving your rankings in online search results.

However, there’s one critical difference that sets them apart.

While local SEO focuses on improving your site’s visibility in your local territory, regular SEO aims to reach national or global audiences. As such, local SEO is a subsection of organic search engine optimization.

Benefits of Local SEO

There are many benefits to implementing a local SEO strategy. These include reaching a wider audience, increasing conversions, and improving brand reputation.

Let us go over these benefits briefly.

Reaching a Wider Audience

Better visibility in the local search queries will result in more people discovering your business. From here, the searcher may visit your website, decide to buy online, or visit your store in person.

Drive More Conversions

Increased brand visibility will naturally lead to more traffic and more conversions. Depending on your business type, a conversion can be one of the following.

• A product/service sale
• Newsletter sign-ups
• Account sign-ups
• Form submissions
• Free trials

Build Brand Reputation

Brand reputation is paramount to the success of any business—whether online or offline.

Certain local SEO techniques can improve your brand reputation.

For instance, your Google My Business review will contain everything potential clients need to know about your business.

If your profile is full of positive vibes, with success stories from satisfied customers and multiple 5-star ratings, people will perceive your brand as trustworthy and credible. It may also give visitors insights into how you deal with unhappy customers.

Wrapping Up

Local SEO is a search engine optimization (SEO) technique that focuses on improving your rankings and visibility in local search results. Done right, local SEO can help your business reach a wider audience, drive more conversions, and enhance your brand reputation.

Also Read: How to Combine Your Instagram and SEO Efforts

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