How to Grow Your Small Business Using
Local SEO Best Practices
Research indicates that after someone searches for a nearby product or service online, 76% of those individuals will visit that business within 24 hours, and that 28% of those local searches result in a purchase? As a local small business, those are significant numbers that you cannot ignore.
If you are a local small business, it is important now more than ever to tap into the power of local search optimizations. However, before you can do that, you need to know how to implement effective local SEO so that you're not hurting your business in the long run.
According to researchers, upwards of 70% of small businesses do not have an SEO strategy. That is alarming. As a small business, if you can effectively combine your overall SEO strategy with a local SEO focus, you will gain a competitive advantage when it comes to gaining new customers and appearing in search engine results.
More website traffic equals more revenue.
Are you lacking a local SEO strategy or not sure on the tactical approach you should be taking? SEO is not hard to maintain once you know what you're doing, it's just a matter of being proactive with your existing website and new content.
Ready to take on local SEO? Follow these local SEO best practices to ensure your small business gets off on the right foot:
Optimize and utilize Google My Business - Google My Business is a free, easy-to-use tool for small businesses to manage their online presence across the Google environment, including Search and Maps. To help customers find your business, and to tell them your story, you can verify your business, edit your business information, create, list products and services, promote special pricing, and more.
Engage on social media platforms - Social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram, offers an easy and low-commitment way for prospective customers to express interest in your business, products, and services. Be sure to engage with your audience, don't just post sales-y content day after day.
Perform a local SEO audit on your website - A local SEO audit of your website reveals the condition of your webpages in the eyes of search engine, and ways you can further improve your site for a boost in traffic, conversions, and revenue.
Create local content - The local content on your website tells people and search engines what your business, products, or services is all about. Local content helps search engines better understand your business and promote your products and services to individuals who are more likely to convert to a paying customer.
But it doesn't stop with just these four items. Local SEO is an on-going tactic that needs regular attention. Not sure where to begin? Have questions about building a content calendar? Need an expert SEO audit with recommendations? Contact 3Eighty Marketing for all your local SEO marketing needs.