Local SEO

LOCAL SEO

What is SEO and Local SEO?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It refers to increasing the unpaid visibility results of an organization’s website on search engines. It has become mandatory for every business to have an online presence and with the help of SEO, they get a wider outreach to their customers.

Local SEO refers to increasing the search results of a company or organization based on the customer’s current location.  For example, a search for “Restaurants near me” will give the list of restaurants according to the location of the customer.

Why is Local SEO gaining popularity?

According to a major search engine, 46% of PC users and about 50% of mobile users search locally.  Out of that, 78% of searches lead to offline purchases. In today’s day, it is the highest form of advertisement. Also, the number of mobile users is growing exponentially. Thus, searching for a specific business on the go has become prevalent. To keep up with the demands of the users, it has become one of the best ways to expand in one’s business. Moreover, most of the local SEO opportunities are now free and only 44% of businesses have claimed them. Thus, becoming a part of this now is a sure-shot way to success.

How to achieve success in Local SEO?

Local searches are ranked primarily on three main factors-

  • Proximity- How nearby is the business to the searcher.
  • Importance- How relevant is the business based on the search. (keywords of the query are of primary importance.)
  • Popularity- What did earlier users say regarding the business.

The following are the methods to optimize search results locally

  • Localization of website– The concerned website should contain the name, city and country of the business. In case it is spread across different locations, it must contain a page with the list of all locations.
  • Citations- A citation is any place in which the business’ details appear, for example, an online listing site. This is of utmost relevance and improves search results and rankings extensively. The business should have several citations so that a user can find more about the business.
  • Reviews and Ratings– More the reviews and ratings on the page, higher is the ranking. Genuine and honest reviews tend to draw more users towards the particular business.