You might be surprised to learn that local SEO isn’t just a peripheral strategy for mom-and-pop shops.
When you hear the term local SEO, you might think of local restaurants, mom-and-pop shops, and other local businesses that operate exclusively within one neighborhood. However, almost any business can take advantage of local SEO for their own purposes—even if they don’t have a concrete physical location. Local SEO is becoming more and more important as national SEO gets more crowded, so just how important is it?
A Separate Algorithm
First, it’s important to understand that local SEO actually works off a separate algorithm from national SEO. When Google detects a local query (either through local keywords or geographic information provided by a device), it produces three local results relevant to that query (the local 3-pack). These three results stand above the fold, almost as if they were paid ads, and feature immediate calls-to-action, such as a button to call and directions to a physical location where applicable.
Less Competition
It’s no secret that national SEO has gotten crowded. It’s harder than ever before to break into the national ranks for any reasonably popular keyword or keyword phrase. Local SEO offers you a suitable alternative, with fewer competitors and a much better chance of ranking—plus, if you make it, you’ll automatically be in the top three.
Directory Status
A big part of local SEO is ensuring the accuracy and completeness of your business profile in various third-party directories, including Yelp and TripAdvisor. This is something you’d want to do anyway—otherwise your customers could be getting the wrong information. In effect, the local SEO perks are just an added bonus on a necessary campaign.
Local Reviews
Local ranks depend heavily on the quality and quantity of your local reviews. Optimizing and learning from these reviews is valuable not only to other customers who research your company, but also for your business in general—it’s an improvement opportunity.
Similarities to National SEO
In addition to third-party directory statuses and local reviews, local SEO does draw upon the strength of your onsite content, onsite optimization, and external links. If you’re developing these things anyway for national SEO, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t also be pursuing a local strategy.
Ultimately, local SEO is extremely important—and it isn’t that far out of your way. You can easily utilize the strategies you’re already developing, with a handful of extras that will help you out in multiple areas. The sooner you get involved with local SEO, the sooner you’ll be able to reap the results, so don’t delay it any longer.
