Own Your Local SEO By Optimizing Your Google My Business Profile
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updated on: August 9, 2023
If you own a small business, you need to focus on showing up in local searches, especially if your business relies on foot traffic or local customers. Dominating in the local search areas (Maps and certain geographic keywords) is not nice to have, it’s necessary to succeed in a busy marketplace if you want to stand out among your competitors.
So, what is Local SEO?
Local search engine optimization is a part of SEO that focuses on improving a local business’s visibility in local search engine results. The results that appear in local search results typically answer a “near me” intended question, meaning that a searcher is searching for something “in [CITY]”—or the search engine has understood that there were geographic constraints to the search.
By using local search optimization strategies, businesses can improve their visibility in these local search results for terms related to their business and their products or services.
Why is Local SEO important for small businesses?
Nearly half of all Google queries today are local searches. Even when someone performs a typical daily search, the chances that Google will show the closest result is quite high.
Small businesses cannot do without implementing local SEO because it is necessary for their survival and growth. To help small enterprises gain maximum exposure and visibility within the local market and with nearby buyers, only local SEO can help achieve the goal.
When you analyze Google searches, you will find that more than 50% of searches have local intent. Therefore, implementing local SEO will help your business return most of the time in the search results against the relevant search terms. A few years ago there was a tremendous surge in local searches (they increased by almost 900%) which compelled Google to provide more geographically related results based on relevance, proximity and prominence.
Optimized business listings within the geographical boundaries of your business increase the chances of potential customers easily find your business.
What are the benefits of Local SEO?
Cost-effective marketing – Listing your business in local directories using free tools like Facebook and Google My Business is a highly cost-effective way to market your business. However, you’ll need to devote time and effort to manage the listings and ensure consistency in providing all business information that is helpful in attracting customers.
Find customers with high buying intent – Local searchers usually have higher buying intent. This means that they search only after they’ve made up their mind to buy something, and it dramatically increases the chances of conversions.
More qualified search traffic – As local searchers have higher buying intent, the traffic you receive comprises only those interested in engaging with your business. This makes the interactions more meaningful with a higher chance of positive outcomes (conversion, sign up, sale).
One of the cornerstones of a successful local SEO strategy is your Google My Business profile. By properly optimizing it, you can boost your visibility and get a lot more qualified traffic to your website or location and increase the number of calls you get. Here are some tips for optimizing your Google My Business profile:
- Verify Your Business
- Fill Out Your Profile In It’s Entirety
- Make Sure Your Profile Information Is (and Remains) Accurate
- Ensure NAP (Name, Address, Phone) Consistency Across the Web
- Pick the Most Relevant Categories (That Align With Your Landing Pages)
- Include A Variety Of Pihotos (Professional & Self Shot)
- Get More Reviews
- Take Advantage of Posts on Google
- Encourage Your Customers To Post To Your Profile
These are just some of the tips for optimizing your GMB profile to get maximum results. You can also check out our previous blog on DIY SEO Tips for more ideas.
Local SEO is critical for small businesses, especially when you need to generate local traffic to your business. Use these tips consistently to see your business showing up in the Maps section and local searches more often.
If you could use more support implementing these tips or on a full SEO strategy for your website, call us today!
