What is Local SEO and How Does It Work?

In order for a company to be recognisable online, it must stand out amongst its competition. One way to do this is Search Engine Optimisation, otherwise known as SEO.

And in this article, we’re going to talk about Local SEO and how it works. Local SEO is where the main focus is on improving the visibility of a business locally. It’s designed for businesses that have a physical location. Although if done properly, it can also be used for online businesses too.

Why is local SEO important?

Ranking well in local search results can drive more traffic to your business. Because that’s what we all want, right? People are more likely to choose a business that’s nearby, especially if they’re looking for a product or service that they need immediately.

For example, if you search for “best breakfast restaurants in Birmingham” on Google, it will display local businesses at the top of the organic listings, as well as in map listings. If you don’t show up, your customers will find your competitors instead. And yes, they will likely buy from them also. We’re guessing that this isn’t what you want.

The key difference between local and general searches is that local search results are hyper-local – they are based on the search term and the geographical location.

According to a study by BrightLocal, local search is growing at a rate of more than 20% every year. And according to a study by JBKnowledge, 80% of all local searches result in a purchase.

In other words, local SEO helps local businesses promote their products and services to local customers when they need them. This method is particularly efficient in local services businesses, such as home service, when using an enhanced website design. A professional website design for a home service business will give people confidence in your brand, business, and service.

The most important ranking factors in local search are:

How many citations you have online
Quality and relevance of the citations you have online
The number and quality of reviews you have

Local SEO is a powerful strategy that can be used to help people find your business in their area. In order to improve your local SEO ranking, the first is to make sure that you have all of your business information set up correctly on your website, including your business name, address, phone number, and hours of operation. You can use this information in your Google My Business listing, and for any citations you have.

The next step is to make sure you’re listed on Google Maps with a clear photo of your location.

Another important part of a local SEO is to maintain your Google My Business profile. You need to respond quickly to customer inquiries and reviews. Yes, even the negative ones! If you don’t have many reviews, you can ask your old customers to leave you a positive rating to improve your rankings in search results.

To conclude, there are many benefits of local SEO, including: