Local SEO is a type of search engine optimization or SEO strategy that helps companies perform better in local search engine results rankings.

It is like running a café or store and employing tactics to make your business visible to the community. The goal is to entice people in the area to come visit and see what you have to offer.

What is the importance of local SEO?

According to data, about 46% of Google searches have local intent, meaning the people who conduct the search want the search engine to return results containing local businesses. And among these searchers, about 75% visit at least one of the businesses that come up in their search that same day.

These days, if you look up a term on Google, the field autocompletes or suggests popular searches that contain that particular term in the format: “term + near me.” So, for example, if you look up “gas station,” one of Google’s first autocomplete suggestions is “gas station near me.” By choosing that, you can get a listing of gas stations in your area or city.  

So if you own a gas station and someone in your area or city searches for “gas station near me” and sees your company in the results, there is a good chance that they visit your business that very same day.

What are the elements involved in local SEO?

Local SEO has a unique set of criteria for ranking local search engine results. Below are the elements that determine local SEO rankings:

Location of the searcher

When you search for a particular business on Google, it thinks that you would like to be given options that you can access right at that moment. This is why the first autocomplete suggestion is almost always the “near me” one.

NAP

NAP is an important part of local SEO. It is influential in determining which businesses appear in Google and other search engine results. If someone searches for your company online, search engines scan the web for all mentions and instances of your business, such as its NAP or Name, Address, Phone number, and other details, and include you in the search results page if the information they find suit the conditions.

Google star rating

As you already know, consumers can rate businesses using a five-star rating scale on Google. They can give one star (for poor quality or service) to five stars (for excellent and satisfactory performance). Google then calculates an overall star rating by using a certain algorithm that takes into account all the feedback received. If your company has a high rating, you can expect to be placed at the top and stand out among those that are low-rated or have no star ratings at all. Reviews are always a useful way to improve your Google My Business (GMB) ranking.

Online Reviews

In addition to being able to give star ratings to businesses, consumers can also leave comments and reviews on Google. If your business has many happy and satisfied customers, it is easier to convince more people to pay for your products or services. According to a study, about 70% of consumers trust online reviews and consider them like personal recommendations from people whose judgment they trust.

Amount of location check-ins

The number of check-ins at a particular location is a great indicator of that location’s popularity. Because a lot of people have checked in at that location, this means that the business is likely to offer high-quality products or services. Popular check-in services, such as foursquare and Facebook’s check-in feature, can influence Google’s algorithm and companies with a high number of check-ins are more likely to appear at the top of search engine results.

Social media shares

One popular way to market your business is through social media. By creating content, such as blogs, photos, and videos, and posting them on various social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you can get your name out there and expand your customer base. You can also make your brand more visible so that search engines can find you more easily. If you can create content that contains the right keywords and quality information, you can capture a larger audience, go viral, get hundreds of shares, generate thousands of views, and climb up search rankings.

What is Google My Business?

To establish your company’s online presence, Google has the Google My Business feature. It is where you can manage information about your company, products, and services and make it easy for people to find and get to know what you are all about.

Google will place you higher in local search results if you use relevant keywords in your description and have the correct and consistent name, address, phone number, and other details. Regularly uploading photos and videos to show that you are active also helps in the rankings.

These tips can help catapult you to the top of local search results. If you feel like you need assistance with any of the aforementioned methods, you can always get in touch.