What Local SEO Marketing Is – and What it Is Not

Local SEO marketing is the practice of optimizing your online presence so customers in your area can find your business when they search on Google or other search engines. It matters because most people now start their search for any nearby service or company on the web, and the share of those searches done on cell phones and smart phones keeps climbing. If your business has a physical location or serves a defined region, showing up in those local results is where the customers are.

What Local SEO Marketing Is

Local SEO is a focused form of search engine optimization aimed at customers in your reach. A few practical pieces make up the work:

• Use local keyword phrases that include your community so nearby customers can find you.
• Make sure Google understands where your company is located so you can appear in local search.
• Register your company with Google Places so your business shows up on the first page of results.
• List one consistent name, address, telephone number, and email across small business listings. Different contact details on different sites make it harder for search engines to read your information, which affects rankings.
• Add local business schema to your site so search engines can match your business to local queries.

SEO keyword research is one of the most fundamental services in this work, since the right local terms decide which searches your site can win. Good local SEO services also cover mobile site optimization, site design, and a broader internet advertising strategy from start to finish.

What Local SEO Marketing Is Not

Local SEO is not a replacement for advertising or email marketing. Marketing on its own can only address an awareness issue, and email marketing works alongside SEO to reach prior clients and push them to trade with you again. PPC advertising through Google Adwords is also separate from SEO, though it is often used as a supplement when people search online to find a business like yours.

Local SEO is also not a one-time fix. It has to be continually nurtured. If you are not engaging in local SEO, you are not on that first page of results in your region, and your competitors are. Hiring an SEO specialist can lift a local small business site to the cover of the search engine rankings for searches in your region.

How to Start with Local SEO Marketing

If your business has not launched a site yet, you are missing out on many potential clients. Once a site is live, the right local SEO services can put it in front of the people who are already searching for what you offer. Affordable search engine optimization packages often include a free small business site audit report so you know what is needed and what you will end up paying for.

Small companies should target local customers first. The mix of services involved in local search engine optimization covers the technical side (schema, site speed, mobile), the content side (keywords, pages), and the listings side (Google Places, business directories). Picking professional search engine optimization services with a clear goal of acquiring seniority in the major online search engines is what ties those pieces together.

FAQ

What is local SEO marketing?

Local SEO marketing is optimizing your website, listings, and content so customers in your area find your business when they search online. It focuses on local keyword phrases, a verified Google Places listing, consistent business contact details across directories, and local business schema on your site.

Is local SEO the same as paid advertising?

No. Local SEO is organic work on your site and listings to rank in local search results. PPC advertising through Google Adwords is a separate, paid method. The two are often used together, since PPC reaches your ideal audience fast while SEO builds lasting rankings.

Why does local SEO matter for small businesses?

Most people start their search for any nearby service or company on the web, and the share of searches done on cell phones and smart phones keeps growing. If you are not engaging in local SEO, you are not on that first page of results in your region, and your competitors are.

Related coverage

• Local SEO Marketing Boosts Your Search Ranking
• Local SEO Marketing – How to Optimize Your Website for Local Search