Why Is Local SEO Important?

Local SEO is the optimisation process that takes place to maximise a brand’s visibility within local search results, including ‘near me’ searches. With over 84% of ‘near me’ searches being on mobile, local SEO is crucial for brands to help users find relevant businesses through their content based on their location and needs.

If you’re interested in improving your local SEO but unsure where to start - you can use the Zelst presence checker to understand where your local SEO strategy needs improvements. Zelst is a certified partner of Uberall. So, you can be assured that when you work with us, your brand is up-to-date, helping you dominate the search engine results page for relevant queries in the local area that match the services or goods you offer.

According to recent studies, over 46% of all Google Searches (1.5 billion searches) have a local intent. This has increased due to a growth in mobile devices being used for search and the way users interact with search engines. Research shows that despite Local SEO being pivotal in the users’ purchase journey, over 58% of businesses do not invest in their Local SEO. There is a huge opportunity to seize your converting audience and prevent you from missing out on huge opportunities.

The importance of local SEO for small businesses (and large!) should never be underestimated. Here are some reasons why local SEO is an important role in any Digital Marketing Strategy:

This is the most important benefit of local SEO. Being able to be found in the local area by someone who wants the type of service your business offers is a huge way of getting new customers. Proximity is a huge ranking factor in the local SERPS, and there are some quick fixes you can make to your profiles and listings to ensure you outrank competitors who may be closer to a user. This includes making sure you have updated social media profiles linked to your Google Business Profile. Not only does this help to boost traffic to your website, but it can also help monopolise the real estate of the search engine results page, especially if you use your profile to highlight and share your content.

One of the most common traits of local SEO is a number of local businesses helping one another out in ink-building and creating awareness of each other. Utilising your network can allow your business to thrive and lead the way for referrals and shared audiences. This can work regardless of your size, industry and visibility. No wasted exposure!

If you are paying for an ad in a newspaper, on the radio, on a billboard, or elsewhere, it is crucial you capitalise on this expensive investment. Local SEO helps this, as you are creating content relevant to what your potential customer may be looking for. This helps capture otherwise missed traffic from your investment.

By optimising your website, creating content and using social media, the exposure your website gets can be leveraged. Bringing in potential new traffic is something that can be achieved at very little financial cost by republishing and recycling your relevant content on your local platforms. Emphasising your USPs is crucial at the latter stage of the user purchasing journey.

As well as helping boost your online visibility and traffic, local SEO techniques can also help local customers spot your business online to travel in-store. 76% of users who search for a nearby service/product visit a business within the same say, and 28% of these searches result in a purchase. This is particularly useful if you’re in the hospitality sector – no one wants to sit in an empty restaurant!

Since the pandemic, online shopping has increased – particularly to support local businesses. A quick, effective way to get your products to stand out online is through review management. Having your star rating on products increases the likelihood of conversion considerably and adds trust to the brand at the time when it is most important. The importance of local SEO for small businesses is greater than ever, as customers are now likelier to convert online. Take advantage of these new business opportunities and go further with Google Shopping!

Customers who can quickly identify your phone number online are more likely to enquire, book a table, or offer feedback, each of which allows you to offer excellent customer service first-hand. This human reassurance can lead to increasing in-person visits to your brick-and-mortar shop. This can be increased massively by ensuring that frequently asked questions are answered on your profile and ensuring all information listed is correct and up-to-date.

Prospect customers often evaluate reviews before purchasing a product or service, seeing them as a sign of a strong or poor reputation. By clearly seeing your good reviews – and reading how you respond to bad reviews – on Google, a customer is likelier to trust your business and make a conversion. 88% of users value online reviews as highly as personal recommendations, and 95% say it will directly influence their online behaviour.

Learn how to use content to repair a damaged brand reputation for more information.

Brushing up on your company’s local SEO can help you stand a chance online, meaning you can even compete with big companies using SEO. You can stand out from businesses that have not taken the same strategic SEO steps and get found by your ideal target audience. Even if this is a small strategy being imposed, replying to just 32% of reviews can lead to an 80% conversion rate. Small, consistent changes can make you more appealing to your audience.

Local SEO is the gift that keeps on giving. Our team strives to help you enjoy continuous business growth by regularly monitoring your online profile. By enabling you to appear again and again in local search results, your business will likely enjoy a peak in traffic and sales, eventually leading to a long-term presence that can keep your business ahead in your local market.

Optimising your site with localised search terms means that you have the power to attract targeted traffic and, therefore, higher-quality leads. Even ensuring your local listings include imagery from your site can lead to 35% more clicks through to your website, with 60% of users giving more consideration to listings with imagery. This gives you a better chance of converting those who land on your site.

Interestingly, not all businesses have claimed their Google Business Profile. Therefore, this is a huge opportunity to make sure you claim your page and establish your online presence in the local area. This means your business shows up on Google Maps, so you can be easily found and connect with your local community!

Local SEO is hugely beneficial for your business, especially as search becomes more and more individualised and personalised. It is wise to put effort into being ahead of the curve, especially relative to your competitors, so that you develop into a trusted presence online and can be found by potential new customers.

At Zelst, we’re experts in SEO and well-experienced in bringing organic traffic to brand-new websites and existing ones. Learn how we grew location visibility with Google Business Profile by 84% for a legal client in our case studies section.

Contact us today and see how we can help you reap the benefits of a local SEO campaign in order to help you be found more easily and win new customers. Check out our local SEO services and throw us a question about the importance of local SEO if you have any!