The idea of search engine optimization is a foreign one to a lot of business owners. If you’re not familiar with SEO and all it has to offer, it’s time to start exploring this area of digital marketing and putting its practices into place.
We’re going to explore a key idea within SEO in this article, local SEO. Hopefully, you can leave with a better understanding of the value of digital marketing, and how marketing to those within your community and your area can pay huge dividends.
Let’s get started.
What Can Local SEO Do for Your Business?
To start, let’s take a brief look at what search engine optimization is.
SEO is the process of designing and managing your site so that you can rank well in search engine searches. In most cases, that means tailoring your site to the specifications of Google’s search algorithm. Google uses something around 200 factors to determine which sites are relevant to particular searches.
Your goal in digital marketing should be to create content and upkeep your site in a way that appeals to the primary factors in that algorithm. Fortunately, Google’s algorithm is geared toward finding the most relevant and useful content in a particular niche. This is a good thing because it means that your primary focus can be providing a valuable resource to your customers.
All of the extra pieces of optimization are nothing if they’re not placed on top of quality content. So, as you start to think about search engine optimization, remember not to get too caught up in the small details and keep value in mind.
One of the tough parts of optimization is realizing that your small business might not be able to compete with industry titans for the top search spots in popular keyword searches. That’s alright, though, because there are thousands of less-popular search phrases that you do have a shot at ranking for.
You can find optimal keywords for your business through keyword research, which is aided by a number of tools that make it easy for almost anyone to do well.
How Local Optimization Factors In
A great way to think about local SEO is in terms of the “near me” search. Think of a time when you were driving through a town, realized you needed a little pick-me-up, and searched “coffee near me.” You can substitute almost any product or service for “coffee” in that case.
You make the search, peruse the first few options, and make the choice to visit one of those stores. You have the potential to be one of those high ranking results in your area with a little effort.
All you have to do is find the right keywords, create relevant content, and ensure that your business listing sites are well-managed and up-to-date. If you’re a little fuzzy on the particulars of how to do that, we’re here to help you with the next steps.
Need a Little Help Getting Started?
Understanding local SEO takes a little effort, research, and maybe a little help. We’ve got you covered on that front. There’s no reason that you should keep yourself from the overwhelming benefits of optimizing your site.
Explore our page to get started with a FREE Local SEO Audit.