Why local SEO could be a gamechanger for your small business

What is local SEO?
As the name suggests local SEO is the process of optimising your website for local searches on Google and other search engines.   These are the type of searches we all do when we are looking for a local business, such as a dentist, lawyer, plumber, physio, coffee shop or restaurant.

An example local search on Google could be ‘dentists near me’.

By its very nature local SEO is a highly effective way to market your business online.  And it’s something that all small businesses that rely on local trade should be looking to benefit from and take advantage of.   Here are some of the benefits of local SEO and why you should include it in your online digital marketing strategy.

Be where your potential customers are
Over 90% of people looking for local products or services start on search engines, often on their mobiles,  so you can’t afford not to be there.  Ranking for local SEO can be quicker and easier than ranking on a regional or national level, so it’s a good place to start.

Local SEO focuses on searches for local businesses and services
If your business is mainly reliant on local trade within a specific catchment area it makes sense to focus your effort on local SEO. Get it right and it could have a major impact on your website traffic and footfall.

Local searchers are great prospects for your business
Individuals conducting local searches for businesses have a higher than average purchase intent.  As many as 50% go on to visit the physical premises within 24 hours or make a booking.  So you need to get a piece of this action.

Get ahead of the competition
A lot of your competitors won’t have cottoned on to SEO yet or simply don’t know how to do it.  So you can steal a march on them and increase your market share by ensuring your website is visible on Google to benefit from that demand.

Google wants to list your business
Google wants to ensure the most relevant search results are served to users.  So if you’re searching for ‘dentist near me’ then it’s in Google’s interest to serve the most relevant, local results.  If you put yourself in the mix then your business will display for those searches.

Local search can drive a steady stream of relevant, high quality traffic
If you’re reading this then you will appreciate the importance and impact that SEO can have on your website traffic.  Focusing on local SEO can accelerate your traffic growth even further and ensure that traffic is more relevant.

Local search can reduce your reliance on paid advertising
If you’re currently spending money on paid advertising then you can reduce your reliance on ads through improving your local search rankings.  Over time your reliance on paid advertising to drive traffic to your site can be replaced by organic traffic.

Get found on Google maps
Making sure you have set up your Google for Business account and optimising this will help ensure you are found on Google maps too.   This is important, particularly on mobile as it means potential customers can find you and contact you without even clicking through to your website.

Long terms benefits
Unlike paid advertising the investment you make in local SEO can benefit you long term.  Yes you need to continue with your SEO efforts but once you are ranking a lot of the hard work is done and with some minor ongoing efforts you are likely to maintain your position.

For many bricks and mortar stores digital marketing and search engine optimisation may not seem relevant.  But done right local SEO can be a game changer for your business.  It can make you visible and accessible to a large local pool of potential customers in your catchment area and drive highly relevant traffic to your website that will translate into footfall to your business.