As a small business, if you have already invested in digital marketing, you are likely familiar with the advantages of SEO. However, the online marketing space has become increasingly competitive due to the growing number of businesses investing their resources in this area.
Local SEO for small businesses has the potential to drive more business to your stores. Increasing awareness, customers, and sales from the local area can be crucial for businesses.
If you are not convinced and believe that sticking with your current approach is sufficient, continue reading to understand the advantages of local SEO.
Importance of SEO for small businesses
To begin with, it is essential to recall the significance of SEO for small businesses. The cost of traditional marketing can be extremely high and its effectiveness tends to diminish over time. The reason for this is the widespread adoption of digital marketing techniques.
By implementing SEO strategies, you can greatly increase your online visibility as individuals actively search for keywords and subjects associated with your enterprise. This heightened visibility consequently compels them to browse your website and potentially convert into customers, all while requiring only a minimal financial investment.
Optimizing a small business for local searches is crucial in order to remain competitive, particularly in their local area. The following local SEO statistics highlight the significance of this practice.
- 97% of all online searches are from people trying to find a local business
- 88% of people searching for a local business will call or visit the business within 24 hours
- 58% of American adults have used voice search to find a local business
SEO is an ever-evolving field, particularly for small, local businesses that focus on marketing within a specific local region. It is highly desirable to attract individuals who are in close proximity to your business and actively seeking the type of products or services you offer.
Benefits of local SEO for small businesses
Now, let’s examine the distinct advantages a small business can obtain by investing in local SEO, bearing in mind the aforementioned reminder.
1. Attract more potential customers for little cost
Local SEO is highly advantageous for small businesses primarily due to its ability to attract a specific audience comprising individuals who are in close proximity to their establishment and are actively seeking their particular type of business. This specific group of individuals possesses a significantly high likelihood of becoming customers for the small business.
Optimizing your website for local searches, similar to regular SEO, can be a time-consuming process; however, it doesn’t have to be expensive. By effectively executing this task and achieving a high ranking in local searches that are relevant to your business, you have the opportunity to directly target local audiences who are prepared to make a purchase.
Considering a systematic approach, the aforementioned text can be rephrased as follows, without altering the meaning: If one conducts a focused local SEO campaign, it can result in a significant return on investment. Therefore, it is worth pondering about the expenses and efforts involved in strategizing and executing a newspaper, direct mail, or radio campaign, and considering if it is the most optimal utilization of one’s time and resources.
2. Improve your online visibility
The primary objective is to convert customers, while it is equally significant to ensure that people in your local vicinity are aware of the existence of your business. Consider the numerous instances when you personally search for a restaurant, hardware store, or dental clinic in your area. Now, envision this multiplied by the population of your area.
If your business ranks at the top when someone searches for your type of business in the area, your business name and information will be seen by them. This exposure increases the chance that they will choose your business in the future, even if they don’t do so immediately.
The power of SEO for small businesses lies in the ability to outperform larger corporations, even without a large budget or company size. By following a step-by-step approach, you can surpass your competitors and secure a top position in the market.
3. Reach more people on other platforms
Local SEO offers various opportunities beyond Google, such as Yelp, Yellowpages, Waze, TripAdvisor, and Apple Maps. These platforms are evolving into advanced local marketing tools for businesses.
Even if there is a prominent retail chain in close proximity which outperforms you on Google, you can still rely on alternative platforms. Though these platforms may not have the same magnitude as Google individually, collectively they attract a significant number of people who search for local businesses.
You can also utilize Yelp, Waze, and other platforms to create ads and enhanced listings for attracting a greater number of customers and increasing brand awareness. They offer the option for direct messaging or setting up links that redirect users to an appointment booking form, menu, or online store.
4. Generate more leads and sales
By combining all of the above, you will begin to recognize the opportunity to attract customers to your small business. Due to the audience’s high interest and the immense number of customers you can reach, your potential for increasing your business is substantial.
According to a study conducted by HubSpot, 75% of users do not go beyond the first page of search results when searching. To determine the number of visits your website receives from organic and local search sources, as well as calculate the conversion rate, Google Analytics can be used.
By thinking sequentially, you can also determine the average value of a conversion to your business. The value will vary depending on the specific product or service that you offer. With this information, you can then begin to predict the increase in traffic, conversions, and sales that you will experience when your local search rankings improve.
5. Increase traffic
SEO focuses primarily on increasing the amount of traffic or virtual footfall to your online profile or website. Although not all visitors will make a purchase, it can be stated that the more visitors, the better. More individuals accessing your site heightens the likelihood of product sales. Moreover, increased traffic helps promote your business naturally.
6. Improve conversion rates
The main reason why local SEO is essential for small businesses is that it helps improve conversion rates. This is because SEO drives targeted traffic from people who are already interested in your product, leading to increased sales opportunities and ultimately a better conversion rate.
7. Bypass your competition
In a specific area, there are two companies that sell the same product. However, one of them has an enhanced local SEO presence, while the other solely relies on traditional marketing tactics. Considering the current age of digital connectivity, which company do you believe customers will prefer?
By implementing effective SEO strategies, your business can gain a sustainable competitive advantage, surpassing others in the field.
8. Create overall brand awareness
Your business is likely to be found at the top of search engines by people searching for specific products using keywords. As they repeatedly encounter your brand in the search results, it will enhance their awareness of your brand. Consequently, they are more inclined to click on your website or specifically seek you out in the future.
9. Create a user-friendly website
When it comes to most search engines, enhancing SEO means providing a superior experience for customers visiting your website. For instance, Google has specific criteria regarding the content that a website should have in order to obtain a higher ranking in its search results. As a result, this equates to a website that is easy to use and includes all the necessary information for SEO rankings.
In the end, a interface that is easy to use appeals to a larger number of customers and as a result, leads to increased profitability.
10. Reduce cost per acquisition
SEO has a significant benefit in terms of its cost, especially when compared to advertising and other marketing endeavors. If you possess the skills, it can essentially be done without any expenses. Nevertheless, if you lack confidence in your abilities regarding website coding and algorithms, it is recommended to employ a small business SEO company. This can be considered a valuable expenditure in order to establish and promote your brand.
11. Achieve long-lasting rankings
In contrast to traditional marketing, where advertisements have a limited impact, SEO results have long-lasting effects. While it is necessary to regularly update your local SEO to ensure optimization, achieving a high rank in the SERPs will likely result in maintaining that position for a significant period.
Achieving long-lasting search engine rankings is not always guaranteed, but as long as you continue to make efforts, it can be possible.
12. Continuous business growth
Concerted efforts in local SEO are focused on increasing website traffic and enhancing search engine rankings in order to generate better sales and marketing leads. Improved sales attract more potential customers and consequently foster a continuous cycle of business growth.
Investing your time and resources into local SEO measures is a key success metric if you are looking to grow your small business.
13. SEO results are measurable
Data is the most important factor in the present era of business and marketing. To elevate your business, it is crucial to possess accurate information and analyze it for valuable insights. Local SEO for small businesses gathers significant details on the performance of your website, allowing you to comprehend how you can enhance it effectively.
By thinking in a systematic manner, you can rephrase the given text as follows: SEO allows you to obtain quantifiable data that can be utilized to enhance your overall profitability.
