If a company is to be relevant today, and particularly brick and mortar companies, they must engage in local SEO (search engine optimization). A local SEO company can assist them with this, focusing on various techniques and strategies that will send the website to the first page of Google in local searches. This is vital for those businesses who rely on local clientele.
We are told again and again that the world is becoming more global, and that marketing efforts should reflect this. While this is certainly true, there are many businesses that have only a very small interest in expanding their market. For instance, a dental office may want to be noticed far from where they operate if they are looking for a new dental professional, but their bread and butter comes from people in their locality.
Essential Elements of Local SEO
As such, for small businesses, local SEO is far more important. It is designed to increase a business’ popularity and credibility. Doing this properly, however, means fully optimizing a website for relevant keywords, which includes the locality. That locality should be in the website content, but also in its title and, preferably, its domain name. This is vital to increase online visibility.
The main keyword, however, needs to be something other than the locality and should focus on the purpose of the business. For instance, a jeweler in San Diego may look for a business name such as “San Diego Jeweler”. While this appears generic, it has fantastic effects on local SEO efforts.
Another thing that should be prominently included on a website is the NAP (name, address, phone number) detail. This should be on every page of the website, in a visible location. What also helps is to have a Google Maps listing on the website, something that will instantly help you score points with Google. Not just that, it is also more convenient for your prospective clientele.
The Psychology of Buying
Few people know that there is a psychology of buying, and even fewer know that buyers go through various phases before making a purchasing decision. It is important for a website to speak to people in the right phase of their shopping decision. After all, a business is not looking for window shoppers, they are looking for paying customers.
It takes a long time to get local SEO right, as well as an in-depth understanding of digital marketing strategies. This is why it is so important to work together with a professional local SEO company who have an excellent reputation of making a difference to their clients. Make sure that you check references, therefore, but also check the online standing of the company itself. After all, if they cannot get themselves to the first page of Google, they won’t be able to do it for you either. If at all possible, you should work with an agency that is in your geographical location, as this means they have a greater understanding not just of relevant keywords, but also of the demographics of your area.