People seek out local information in 46% of Google searches. Considering there are 8.5 billion Google searches daily, many people want services “near me.”
So how can your business appear in local searches? That’s where local SEO comes in.
Forge Apollo’s team are experts on local SEO in Philadelphia or any city. Today, we’ll cover what exactly local SEO is and why you can’t afford to ignore it for your business.
What is Local SEO?
You’ve seen marketing companies toss around the idea of local SEO, but what is it?
Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a series of strategic technical and content optimizations on and off your website that help search engines recognize your business as offering services in a geographical area.
Local optimizations make your business appear in local searches, i.e., when someone searches for your product or service in your service area.
For example, a Philadelphia-based dental practice with strong local SEO would appear in a search for “dentist office Philadelphia.” They would also appear when someone in Philadelphia searches for “dentist office near me.”
In short, the importance of local SEO is showing up for these highly motivated searches.
4 Benefits of Local SEO
Why is local SEO important? Focusing on local optimization can bring your business the following advantages.
1. Improved Visibility & Targeted Traffic
Visibility is the amount that your website appears online when users search for terms related to your business.
If you want more brand awareness in your service area, increasing visibility with local SEO is the perfect way to get it.
This type of visibility can offer more ROI than avenues like outbound advertising because it’s targeted. By optimizing for services directly related to your products or services within the area you serve, you’re getting in front of potential customers who are both interested and in your area.
2. Staying Competitive
At least one of your competitors, if not more, appears in local searches for your services. Local SEO keeps you competitive by keeping your business top of mind in those searches.
Following our dental practice example from earlier, if that practice isn’t optimized for a search like “emergency dentists near me,” they’re losing motivated potential patients to their competitors.
3. Improved Trust
People want to find your business online to know they can trust you. 97% of consumers look online for local companies. When a business has no online presence, people distrust it.
It seems more credible when a business has consistent information across multiple directories and its own website.
87% of consumers want to read reviews about a business before making a purchase. If those local listings feature reviews, the business’s credibility only increases.
4. Better Leads & Increased Sales
28% of local searches lead to purchases. That’s a lot of potential business for your competitors if your business ignores local SEO.
Typically, when someone does a local search, they’re ready to take action.
For example, someone searching “dental office near me” is likely looking to make an appointment at a practice.
By positioning your brand to be visible in these searches, you’re more likely to earn conversions from motivated searchers.
How to Achieve Local Search Benefits
How can your business get the local SEO benefits we just covered?
- Audit your existing local search presence
- Keep a consistent business Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) across the internet
- Manage local listings to keep the information up to date on all platforms
- Use local keywords strategically across website elements like headings, titles, meta descriptions, alt text, and body copy
- If you have multiple brick-and-mortar locations, make a landing page for each with the relevant address, hours, etc. (and keep current local listings for each separate site)
- Encourage customers to leave reviews on local listings and respond to reviews
Forge Apollo’s local search optimization services will properly optimize your business. With our team, you can enjoy the benefits of local SEO with no extra workload on your part.
Fill out the form below to request a free local listing audit.
Experts in Local SEO in Philadelphia and Other Cities
If your business needs a local search expert to guide you through local optimization, Forge Apollo is here to help. Contact the local search experts at Forge Apollo today to help your business reach your local target audience.
