Did you know that an estimated 60% of all U.S. businesses use some type of inbound marketing to drive their business leads? Inbound marketing strategies generate 54% more sales leads than outbound strategies. 14.6% of those leads are closed, according to Social Media Today; almost seven times more than those generated through traditional print advertising. One of the most important ways to generate new leads is with local SEO optimization.
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO is the method of optimizing your web content so that it pops up in relevant searches for local customers. As Search Engine Journal writes, any business that generates most of its business through local clients needs to focus on improving their local SEO if they want to continue to succeed in an increasingly competitive digital marketing environment. According to Microsoft, spending on local-focused advertising is expected to reach $18 billion by 2016.
How Can You Improve Your Local SEO?
- Get Your Important Info out There
- Give Your Customers a Personalized Touch
- Use Google Places Effectively
- Reach out on Social Media
As Search Engine Journal points out, for those asking “what is local SEO”, the answer remains the same as for general SEO; you need to get your important information out there. For generating more local clients, you need to try having your address and telephone number listed on every one of your site’s pages. This will increase your likelihood of being found in local Google searches.
Did you know that personalized content can generate 8% more interest in your website? According to Search Engine Land, customizing the way your site reacts to consumer information can greatly increase their satisfaction with your page, and in the end, increase their likelihood of using your services.
Using Google Places is one of the best ways to give your business legitimacy and get it noticed in local search results. According to Search Engine Land, 62% of local searches result in a purchase, making it more important than ever to make your business seem legitimate in local search results. Claim your Google Places page, optimize the content by providing your information and a high quality picture, and increase your chances of local SEO success.
Effectively using social media has just as big of an impact on local SEO as it does on general search engine optimization. As the State of Inbound Marketing 2012 shows, 80% of social media users prefer to interact with their favorite companies on Facebook. With nearly 1.5 billion people on the social networking giant, according to Statistic Brain, that means 1.2 billion chances to grow your customer base by effectively using Facebook. It’s no wonder why 53% of marketers were able to generate sales leads through Facebook in 2013.
Answering “what is local SEO” doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Just like general SEO, the answer to “what is local SEO” is smart, effective utilization of modern technologies, whether that’s search engine platforms, search engines, or other Google services. Try focusing on these four tips, and watch as your local SEO efforts yield results.
