With so much competition, having a good product or service is simply no longer enough. You need to get the word out about your company so you can win new customers and keep the ones you already have. This is why marketing is important in running a business, whether a startup or the already established one.
There are various types of marketing strategies,including celebrity endorsements and product launches that you can use to promote your brand. One cost-efficient marketing strategy is by enhancing your website to catch attention and draw more customers. This is called search engine optimization (SEO). To know how it can benefit your business, you must first fully understand what it is.
SEO 101
SEO Explained Simply, an online resource for understanding SEO, defines it as the process of getting your site as one of the top options on search engine results page (SERP). Whenever anybody goes online to search for product or service you offer, an optimized site will help you be on top of the results. With better organic searches, you can get a lot more traffic to your site.
While this already sounds like promoting your brand, local SEO marketing takes it one-step further. Regular SEO makes your site visible to customers while local SEO makes it visible to people in your area. In order to get this outcome, you need to work on different elements of your site. These include but are not limited to the following:
1. Speed – Moz, an SEO and marketing consultant, says Google uses speed for search algorithms analysis when ranking sites; meaning, the faster your page loads, the better ranking you’ll get. Local SEO experts recommend different technique, such as optimizing images and running diagnostics to ensure your speed is up. In addition, a faster site can improve relationship with customers. Radware, an online IT blog, reported that 51% of online shoppers decide not to buy if the site loads slow. This figure translated to over $18 billion dollars lost every year.
2. Content – According to Impact Branding and Design, a content marketing firm based in Connecticut, 53% of marketers consider content as an integral part of SEO. In fact, Google has recently made changes in its algorithm to ensure sites with poor quality content do not get any ranking. This is to protect online users from being directed to sites that do not have the needed information. It also protects people from malicious sites taking advantage of SEO elements.
3. Keywords –Webconfs, an online resource for SEO, stated that keywords are the most important part of SEO marketing. This is why it is so important to choose the right keyword to The way keywords work is actually quite simple using terms that online consumers use.
However, there are few challenges in using keywords
- Choosing the Right Keyword – In choosing one to optimize, there are factors you need to consider. Tips from the best local SEO agencies will tell you that geo-targeted terms will work best to highlight your business for local consumers. Other techniques, such as long and short tail keywords, are also invaluable local SEO tips that you can use. In additions, you can use online keyword research tools to help you find the commonly used by consumers.
- Density– When working with keywords, it is important to remember that density plays a key role in getting better ranking. Search engines do not consider keyword stuffing. So black hat or dodgy practices, although produce quick results, have a negative long term effect on your ranking.
- Location– Strategic positioning of your keywords is an effective way to enhance your site for local business SEO. By putting the terms you will be using on your title and headings, web crawlers and spiders sent out by search engines can efficiently analyze your site and report it back as a relevant result.
4. Business Citations – According to Business 2 Community, 46% of searches made in Google are local. Eighty-six percent of these use the search engine to confirm the address and location of the business. With such high numbers, it is easy to see the importance of having accurate and consistent name, address and phone number (NAP) on your site. Search engines use this information to validate your site, so you need to ensure that your details are always updated.
5. Links or Back Links – In any type of business, getting good words from reputable sources can certainly give you a leg up. Links function the same way. When other sites link to yours, search engines recognize it as a form of recommendation to improve your rating. However, malicious link building techniques resulted in stricter policies on this element. If you work with local SEO agency that use black hat techniques, then you may not be using quality links. These types of practices result in penalties and fines. Worst case scenarios include getting permanently banned from search engines.Make sure to check online reviews of local SEO agencies to ensure you are hiring one that uses techniques and practices that you are comfortable and happy with.
7 Reasons Why You Should Spend on SEO
Optimizing your site to get better organic results can bring a host of benefits for your business. With so much at stake, here are 7 great reasons why you should trust an expert for your local search SEO needs.
- Reach the Customers You Need– With local SEO, you are not just visible, but you also catch attention of the folks who matter. If you offer carpentry services in Miami, then any traffic to your site coming from across the state won’t bring in the business you need. What your company needs is to be noticed and then hired from people within the area you service. Local SEO gives you that boost.
- Become Easier to Find –By using optimized images and posting your business information online, customers can find you on local listings and search engines. This increases the chances of you getting sales. According to Business 2 Community, 78% of local mobile searches end up with store purchases.
- Get ROI on your Website Investment – Developing and maintaining a website costs a lot. Turning it into a revenue-generating tool makes it a worthy investment. By optimizing your site for local SEO, converts traffic into profit. People who view your site get access to it regardless of the platform used. From consumers at home researching for the best fit vendor to ones on the go and searching for immediate needs, your site will be accessible and ready to generate more business for you.
- Stand Out From Your Competitors – With so many other businesses competing for customers, getting noticed can be a challenge. Local SEO acts like a spotlight that calls attention to your product or service. Every time a prospect goes online to launch a search, your site will get more shares of the clicks if it is ranked high on the SERP. In addition, with more visitors to your site, you increase the chances of getting customers to your location to make a purchase.
- Attract New Customers –You can take advantage of positive reviews from existing customers to win new business. By optimizing your site, you can make the most out of the 88% of consumers who get influenced in making a purchase with positive reviews. While repeat and loyal customers are great for business, new ones can certainly help you grow and become more profitable.
- Increase Profitability – When you use local SEO, you turn your website into a revenue-generating tool without draining your marketing budget. And in business, increased revenue without an increase in cost means an increase in profit. This will help your business grow because you will be able to make other necessary investments, such as improving your product or enhancing your services.
- Virtually Extend Your Business Hours – An optimized site makes your business available 24/7. Imagine providing customers with information even when your physical store location is closed. With a huge number of customers doing online research before purchasing a product or hiring a service, this is one benefit that you cannot and should not do without.
Whether you’re running an SMB or launching, a start up Local SEO can help you become successful. Check out the list of local SEO experts on Crowdreviews.com so you can start searching for a provider you can comfortably work with.
Trevor Price
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