subject: How Local SEO Improves Visibility to Customers [print this page] How Local SEO Improves Visibility to Customers
Many businesses avoid using the internet to market themselves because they feel that it is meant for large businesses and e-commerce websites. In reality, the internet can be extraordinarily helpful for small, local businesses. In fact, the trend seems to currently be taking it in a more local direction. This is undoubtedly tied to the important role that smartphones are now playing in internet usage, which allow users to find local businesses using a device that fits in their hand.
Even among users who don't have a smartphone, it is already true that more people use the internet to find out about local businesses than the phone book. Using local search marketing or affordable search engine optimization (SEO) services to increase visibility is therefore not only less expensive, it is actually more effective.
SEO is the practice of using an understanding of the search engines in order to rank well for specific keywords. Local SEO, therefore, is the practice of using this knowledge to rank well in the local search results. Google, Yahoo, Bing and the other search engines are increasingly relying on a user's location in order to determine what results they see in the search engines. Local businesses who hire affordable SEO services or learn how to do it themselves can therefore benefit dramatically.
Businesses that hope to take advantage of local SEO can get started rather quickly. The first thing that they need to take into account is what their audience looks like. They can then choose keywords that their customers would search for, that have a high search volume, and that have relatively little competition.
The next step is to update page titles with the keywords, creating several pages to capture each keyword. Internal links can be used so that the search engine knows its location. The company profile should then be claimed through local maps and similar directories.
Adding video and images to a location-based account appears to help it's visibility. Adding this type of content to a site also engages users with the site. Setting up a blog and updating it periodically with important keyword phrases is very helpful.
One of the most important factors regarding success in local SEO is inbound links. In other words, a site tends to rank well in the search engines if it has a great deal of links pointing toward it from external websites. Small businesses can achieve this by submitting press releases, getting listed in directories, writing guest posts on other people's blogs, and so forth.
