Local SEO Marketing

September 26, 2021

Local SEO marketing is online marketing that promotes a local business to its nearby customers, used by everyone from independent shops to national chain retailers. The key is targeting people in your area by looking at their buying patterns, where they are, how they get there, what they like when shopping, and what they use to purchase. A menswear shop that sells to men in an area where menswear is popular, for example, sees repeat purchases and referrals follow.

Why does local SEO help small businesses?

One advantage of local SEO marketing is that you pay for advertising once and are then treated as an active member for life. The customers you reach remain your primary traffic source rather than random search engine traffic. Being visible to local customers can lift sales, because people appreciate being recognized and often make a point of remembering who gave them a good deal.

Build links and a social presence

To raise visibility and improve local SEO marketing, build links with other websites and blogs in your niche. The more links you have, the better search engines rank you, so a social media presence is essential. Social media gives local businesses a way to be recognized by the major search engines.

Getting found in the top ten results

Finding your way to the top ten search results pages is difficult, which is why local SEO matters. A website optimized for local searches is easier for customers to find online. The tips below cover keywords and keyword phrases worth optimizing for.

Use less competitive “white” keywords

Many small business owners lean on “white” keywords that are less competitive and need less research. These keywords are less specific than their competition, so they tend to rank lower. A solid local strategy can push rankings for these terms up and give the business more online visibility.

Submit to local directories

Another local SEO technique is submitting business information to local directories, especially the major ones: Yahoo Local, Google Places, Bing Local, and other local online directories. These directories let visitors find local listings in the area they are searching. For a local marketing niche, submitting to these directories helps optimize marketing efforts.

Use dedicated local business directories

A handful of online business directories have emerged as reliable sources for local SEO marketing. They are built specifically for local marketing and have developed ways to keep their rankings consistent with other major search engines. Their tools let you submit business information and articles about your niche to their directories. This approach tends to earn higher rankings from online search results, which makes it easier for local businesses to get found online. The tools are not free, but they are inexpensive compared with offline advertising.

How do location pages work?

To get the most from marketing efforts, it helps to understand how location pages work on search engines. That knowledge can be used to create content in those locations and rank better. Targeting keywords in these location pages is what gets the best terms in front of the right customers. The video below walks through the basics.

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FAQ

What is local SEO marketing?

Local SEO marketing is any internet marketing used to promote a local business that interacts directly with its local customers. It is used by both small independent operators and large national chain retailers, and it focuses on targeting customers in the business’s own area based on buying patterns, location, and shopping habits.

What are the main benefits of local SEO marketing?

Local SEO marketing lets a business pay for advertising once and remain an active member for life, keeps the focus on local customers as the primary traffic source, and increases sales because customers like being recognized and often refer others.

Which directories should a local business submit to?

Local businesses should submit their information to major directories including Yahoo Local, Google Places, Bing Local, and other local online directories, as well as dedicated local business directories built specifically for local marketing.