Local Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) seems confusing enough without adding the “local” aspect into the mix, right? Honestly, SEO is fairly complex. There are significant differences between general SEO and local SEO. What works and what doesn’t work changes faster than we’d like at times, and it can take several months to see results from SEO efforts. With all of the complexities, it’s still well worth it.
What’s the deal with local search engine optimization (SEO)?
If you have a business with a physical location, local SEO is how you get found online. It’s easy to be found when someone searches online for your business name, but what if a potential customer is searching for your product or service in your area? Depending on the size of your area, there could be a ton of businesses that show up in the search results. If you’re at the back of the pack, you can forget about being seen online.
Get this – At the time of writing this post, according to Google, 20% of all searches on Google are related to location. That’s a lot of opportunity for small businesses with physical locations!
Think of local search engine optimization like spokes in a tire. The more reliable the spokes are, the more stable your tire will be and the better it will function. Every little bit helps though!
One quick tip for you: Make sure your contact information is uniform everywhere online. Your business name, address, and phone # should be exactly the same on your website, Facebook, Google +, etc. If it’s not the same right now, change it today!
