How Local Service Companies can benefit from local SEO? How can local SEO strategy drive new business opportunities? In this write-up, we answer all these questions.
Do you need to invest in Local SEO? As a local service company, this question will likely come to mind. Like other local service companies, you may already be investing in traditional marketing strategies which have paid you dividends. Do Local SEO strategies act as a force multiplier for your marketing campaign, and how do these strategies help you in the real world? Let’s find out.
What Is Local SEO?
Search Engine Optimization has come a long way since its early days when stuffing keywords was enough to get higher rankings. Over the last decade, marketers have adopted different strategies to improve rankings. Local SEO strategy is one of them. Small businesses have been the biggest beneficiary and leveraging it to attract traffic.
For the uninitiated Local SEO is a set of search engine optimization strategies that helps businesses and other institutions improve their visibility on local search. Traditional SEO strategies are suitable for businesses that wish to rank high on the national and global stage. On the other hand, local SEO strategies focus on local search results within a specific geography.
For example, multinational businesses, ecommerce brands, and news media organizations can benefit from high rankings on search engines as more visibility and traffic power their business growth. However, in the case of local service companies, rankings in local geographies matter. A New York-based plumbing company won’t gain business if they don’t rank high for plumbing company searches in New York and rather do so in Boston.
You Don’t Need A Website for Local SEO
In traditional Search Engine Optimization, businesses needed a website to build their online presence. With local SEO, you don’t need a website to rank on search engine results pages (SERPs). Creating a Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) complete with name, address, and phone number is enough to feature on the search results. Besides Google, several other business listing platforms offer you the same advantage.
How Local Service Companies Benefit from Local SEO?
You have much to gain from local search as a local service company. Implementing the right local SEO strategies can improve brand recognition and create a sales pipeline for the future. Let us walk you through some benefits of implementing a local SEO strategy –
Answering Queries
As you may have already noticed, web searches have become increasingly conversational. The popularity of voice searches and ‘near me’ searches have contributed to this. Search engines have turned their attention to answering queries. For example, a person searching for a cleaning company in Boston will likely ask Alexa or Siri, “Which is the best cleaning company in Boston?” or type cleaning company near me on the search engine. Local SEO optimization can improve your brand name’s visibility for such searches.
Driving Directions
How many times have you used Google Maps or similar applications for driving directions to a business? All of us do it frequently, and as a local service company, map searches can be your ticket to success. Adding your business location to the map and other relevant details can improve its visibility on search engines.
Trade Inquiries
Most people searching for local businesses are high-intention users with an immediate need for these services. Did you know almost 28% of local search results can translate into a sale within 24 hours? It explains the true potential of local searches. Making your contact information visible on the search results increases trade inquiries and the possibility of new business.
Competitive Edge
Local service companies face a new challenge in the tech-savvy economy. As more service aggregators enter the market, the old businesses struggle to operate in standalone mode. Local SEO strategies can be a leveler in such a market, allowing local service companies to take on their bigger rivals. Encourage your existing clients to write reviews and rate your business. These appear on local search results, improving your website’s visibility.
Proximity Searches
Google and other search engines are committed to improving the search experience for their users. We have seen them employ several strategies, one of which is proximity search. Here the search engine results consider the user’s location and IP address. For example, a person searching for a musical instrument repairer in Fulton Market, Chicago, would find results for the top-rated repairers in this district and nearby areas.
Lower Advertising Costs
Lastly, advertising is essential to growing your business. You may already be advertising your business on traditional platforms. Local SEO strategy, in comparison, is less expensive than those and offers more visibility.
Time To Go Local with SEO
To sum up, we have highlighted the benefits of local SEO and how local service companies are leveraging it. Paying attention to Local SEO can benefit your business immensely. However, implementing local SEO strategies is no easy task. It would help if you had an expert team to manage your campaign and deliver results. Please remember that search engine algorithms keep changing, and your strategies must also sync.
At Cyrusson, we help local service companies with their SEO strategies. Our result-driven team helps you leverage the opportunities with proven local SEO strategies. Call us at 415-228-9969 for a free consultation, and we shall take your online presence to the next level.