Top Benefits of Local SEO: Boost Your Business Visibility and Growth

As often as not, startups begin their journey to business by dealing locally and gradually expanding their reach and customer base. That is why, when they launch their digital footprint (a mobile app or a site) and think of its discoverability, it is crucial to implement not only general SEO measures but also leverage the advantages of local SEO.

This article explains why local SEO is important for your business and offers a list of 9 benefits of local SEO for a small business or large enterprise, such as greater online visibility, higher website traffic, including the targeted one, better conversion rates, more calls from map users, increased sales, a sharper competitive edge, etc.

Let’s have a detailed look at the new business opportunities local SEO ushers in.

Why is Local SEO Important for Your Business?

People use Google or other search engines to look for information of a diverse nature. However, when it comes to ordering food, finding service providers, enjoying entertainment or healthcare options, or satisfying other routine needs, the huge odds are that they will seek something in their vicinity. As surveys show, 46% of Google searches have local intent, with 80% of Americans looking for a local business online once a week and almost a third – once a day at least.

The “near me” search statistics are no less impressive. The number of such local search results has increased by 500% recently, reaching the astounding figure of 1.5 billion per month. 82% of such queries come from smartphone users, and 28% of them end up making a purchase, three-quarters of which are offline transactions.

Given such mind-blowing numbers, there is no point in asking why local SEO is important for big businesses or smaller brands. Instead, your commercial organization should look for tips to boost your local SEO and discover the practical perks of reinforcing your local SEO strategy.

Compelling Benefits of SEO for Local Businesses

As a vetted vendor with in-depth expertise in local SEO marketing for B2B companies and other players in the business arena, we see the following upsides of implementing a complex set of local SEO measures.

Augmented visibility

Local SEO is not only about being more noticeable to people around you, although this is a natural goal to pursue. When you improve your visibility in local search results, you automatically boost your overall online visibility and brand awareness. For instance, by focusing on your company’s mentions on social media, review platforms, and directory listings, you spread your brand name, the organization’s physical address (preferably with a zip code), and phone number to wider audiences. As a result, more businesses and individuals discover your enterprise to contact you when they need something you are good at.

Greater traffic

This boon concerns both online traffic, which is vital for e-commerce stores, and foot traffic, which is what brick-and-mortar businesses thrive on. People will start to learn about you, not only from word of mouth or after seeing your storefront. You will be able to create an online buzz about your company, attracting visitors who are likely to buy something from you after stopping by.

Besides, local SEO efforts screen off irrelevant web traffic from people who are just browsing but let you prioritize potential customers performing targeted searches who are consequently more likely to engage with your brand.

Improved conversion rates

By maximizing page load speed, overhauling landing page text, increasing the number of keywords, including impactful external links, and more, you drive overall conversions. However, by utilizing valuable tips to build your local SEO content strategy, such as establishing liaisons with local websites, creating locally relevant content with local keywords, linking sites with geolocation from the area, leveraging local listings, placing local ads, etc., you will attract more leads from people living nearby ready to move through the conversion funnel.

Sharing in the local shopping surge

“Buy locally” is one of the latest shopping trends gaining considerable traction. Consumers increasingly prefer products and services from local businesses when making purchasing decisions. You can pitch in and reap profits aplenty only if people in your locality know where to find you.

More attention from map users

According to studies, the second most frequent source of getting information online after Google search is Google Maps search.

Ignoring this fact is a felony for any enterprise poised for big-time success. By optimizing your Google Business Profile, you obtain greater visibility on Google Maps, which derives information from it and is specifically designed to assist users in discovering local services. As a result, the number of calls and in-person visits to your physical storefront soars exponentially.

Sales increase

This is one of the weightiest benefits of SEO for a small business geared toward local consumer audiences. As surveys claim, 75% of consumers regularly read reviews while researching local enterprises. After reading authentic recommendations from their peers placed on your site, people will flock to your physical outlet or online shop, bringing additional revenue streams into your company’s coffers. Just make sure the feedback section is constantly replenished with fresh reviews.

Enhanced trust

Reviews people can discover on your site usher in one more perk – consumer trust. Being the cornerstone of an enterprise’s business reputation, they display your commitment to openness towards criticism and advice. And by giving feedback on consumers’ opinions and comments, you show that you are not afraid to discuss possible shortcomings of your products and services with your clientele and introduce improvements or eliminate flaws.

Another powerful trust builder aimed at search engines is the local backlink pool. If lots of other sites refer people to your online platform, search engines consider it as a sign of trustworthiness, moving your rank higher in search results.

Reputation as an expert

Prominence and relevance are two staples of a high position in local SEO rankings, and both can be achieved via content localization. Information about events or trends concerning your hometown or community, as well as evergreen local content, will earn you a reputation as a thought leader and an expert voice, helping you establish stronger ties and higher engagement with the local population.

Moreover, by placing such content on your site, you will receive links from other local sources – businesses, industry-specific organizations (for instance, the chamber of commerce), town media, you name it – which will add to your credibility dramatically, turning you into an authority in your domain.

Sharper competitive edge

Outselling their rivals in the niche is one of the top priorities for any brand, and local businesses are no exception. And a mission-critical component of reaching this goal is the appearance in the Local Pack – the top three Google search results for location-based queries. Why is your presence there essential? As statistics suggest, 93% of local business searches include the Local Pack, and 44% of such results get a subsequent click. A well-thought-out local SEO strategy will help your brand appear there, attracting more site visits than your competitors, whose non-optimized sites stay largely invisible to local consumers.

As you see, investing in local SEO is totally worth it. However, you can get positive outcomes from your efforts only by delegating the job to seasoned experts in the field. Livepage is your number-one choice for an experienced and reliable partner in such projects. We can develop and implement a comprehensive digital promotion strategy with a local focus that will make your brand visible to the local consumer pool and let you stand out among competitors. Contact us to get local recognition for your company and boost your business growth.

Key Takeaways

The importance of local SEO for small businesses can’t be denied since the vast majority of consumers often look for products and services relying on “near me” Google search. A thorough SEO localization strategy includes filling the site with local content and keywords, placing local ads and links to sites with geolocation in your area, and implementing other steps.

Investing in the complex of such measures helps companies increase their online visibility, attract more internet and foot traffic, boost conversion rates and sales, engage map users, foster trust and brand reputation, and hone their competitive edge. However, the success of such projects is conditioned by the expertise of the agency responsible for devising and implementing an SEO localization plan.