5 Reasons Your Online Business Needs Local SEO

If you’re not using local SEO for your business, many potential consumers in your area may not even know you exist. Many consumers use the Internet to search for businesses in their area that offer the services and products they need. It’s essential for your company that they find your business during these searches. On top of that, most of these consumers trust the reviews and ratings associated with each business they view.
Here are 5 reasons your online business needs local SEO:
Local SEO is More Focused- You need to focus your SEO marketing campaign on the consumers in your community and that’s what local SEO does. It makes it easier for local customers to find you when they need your particular products or services. It’s more focused than traditional marketing and you will see a better ROI. Your target market will appreciate as well that you are reaching them when and where they need it.
You Can Reach Mobile Users Effectively- Instead of doing a lot of research at home, many consumers use their Smartphone to find local businesses when they need to make a purchase because it’s faster and easier. In addition, many of them usually look at the top three ranked items and the star ratings to help them choose which business to use. If you don’t have local SEO working for your company, then these consumers won’t even know you exist.
It Offers a Variety of SEO Tactics- The more ways you have to advertise the better and there are several SEO tactics you can take advantage of when you use local SEO. These include promoting online-exclusive deals and encouraging consumers to leave reviews. You can also use guest post on reputable local sites in your area, build a strong presence on social media sites and provide useful information for your clients and potential clients through a company blog.
It’s Low Cost and Great Results – It’s a low cost way to advertise your company locally where it matters most and it’s very effective. Local SEO is affordable and there are many great things you can do yourself such as maintaining a weekly blog and posting about things that interest your target market. You can also do guest posts on local authority sites and build up a strong presence on Facebook and Twitter as well as other social networks. It will take some time and effort but it will pay off in the results.
Allows You to Build Authenticity – You know now that search engines give your site higher ranking when you build authenticity and show that you are an expert resource on a topic. Studies show that many viewers will place a local listing on Google or Facebook as higher than a traditional search result. You have the added benefit of maps, contact info, customer feedback and images to further build that authenticity.
Local SEO is an excellent marketing tool for small businesses. When you learn how to implement it and leverage the power that in contains, you will be a step ahead of competitors who are not using local SEO to their advantage. Have you already been using local SEO for your online or small business? Do you have any tips to add?
Author Bio: Lisa Mason is a content marketing specialist writing for Blue Soda Promo, a company that offers promotional products like coasters  with your company logo.