You might have done all that is necessary to drive traffic to your website, but still, there is something the competitors are doing right; this missing piece to the puzzle is called local SEO. Small and medium-sized businesses are the most benefited by local SEO.
But, is local SEO a new concept altogether? Or knowingly or unknowingly you have been doing it all along?
Here is a small story of how local SEO is a subset of your SEO strategy.
Mr X is planning on buying a mobile. While browsing through Google for which model to buy, he finds your website’s well researched, optimized article comparing the best mobile brands of 2018, ranking among the Google search results. He also discovers that the website has an outlet.
But what is the nearest outlet that has this brand available?
He again turns to the internet and starts searching for mobile brands and outlets near me, once again finds your outlet’s well maintained Google My Business (GMB) profile that has the latitudes and longitudes mapped, positive customer reviews, address and working hours.
Now, that your outlet has made its impression, he thinks about it for a couple of days and starts searching again. He then comes across your AdWord, advertising 30% off sale on mobiles at the outlet.
Over the weekend, Mr X decides to visit your outlet that has impressed him so far. Thanks to your well maintained GMB page, he could easily locate your outlet address. Your customer reviews are also positive as they keep mentioning how well trained your staff is at the location near him.
As Mr X enters the store he is greeted by your sales executive who then explains all the features of the desired mobile and even drops free mobile servicing for 6 months. Turns out all the reviews were indeed true. He ends up buying the mobile on the spot.
At the cash counter your cashier checks with him if their service were satisfactory and requests to write a review on their GMB page and Facebook. Also, offers him a special deal for signing up for their newsletters.
As Mr X was highly satisfied, he rewards you with a five-star review, over the period of time his precious GMB review has influenced 20 more local customers to choose your store over the others in the locality. As Mr X continues using his phone, he feels the need to buy some high-quality wireless headset, of the same brand, just then your newsletter hits his mailbox announcing a discount sale on mobile accessories. Thus, making Mr X a repeated customer to your store.
Your marketing strategy must be such that, your website pops up at every place your customers go searching. Aiding this is local SEO which helps to drive online traffic to your brick and mortar store.
Here are some important points you need to implement to increase your store’s visibility within the locality.
Placing your physical address on your GMB page improves the search results and also helps the customers find your store easily through google maps.
GMB is a free tool, the information added here is reflected across Google Search, Google Maps, and Google+, fulfilling your primary motto- Be present everywhere your customers search.
Update accurate details regarding your business on the GMB page; upload some good quality images of your store/ product.
Make sure you maintain consistency while listing your business name, phone number, and Address. It should match with your actual details and where ever it comes up on the internet such as the website, GMB, and directories.
Add the Google Map location of your store to the contact page of your website.
Also, update the opening, closing hours, directions to your store from the local famous landmarks, phone numbers, and social media options.
Encourage your customers to write reviews on your page as well as your GMB page, as they help to increase the credibility of your store.
If your business has different outlets at different locations, then have different web pages optimized for those specific locations.
Local SEO brings your business close to the local community. People will be curious to check out a store that has earned a positive review from their neighbour and is just two streets away from them. How did they come to know about this? Of course, through Local SEO.
