Local SEO statistics 2022

Firstly, what is local SEO?

Local SEO is the process of optimising a website for local search results. It is a subset of SEO, or 'Search Engine Optimisation', which is the process of optimising a website for organic (unpaid) search results.

Local SEO is an important part of any small business marketing strategy. In fact if your business relies on local customers, then you need to make sure you’re doing everything you can to optimise your site for local SEO.

The goal of Local SEO is to increase visibility in local search results within the geographic area that you are targeting. For example, if you run a law firm in Warwick, you want your website to appear in the top search results when someone searches Google for “warwick solicitors”.

By optimising your website for local search results, you can improve your visibility in organic search results and attract more customers from within your target location.

How does local SEO work?

There are many factors that contribute to ranking in local search results. These factors can be divided into two categories: on-page factors and off-page factors.

On-page factors are elements of your website that you have control over, such as the content, title tags, and meta descriptions. Off-page factors are external signals that tell Google your website is relevant and trustworthy, such as backlinks and reviews.

These factors include:

The physical location of your business
The keywords you use within your website’s content
The details you include in any local directory listings
The number and quality of online reviews for your business
The backlinks pointing to your website
Your Google Business Profile
Your social media presence

What are the benefits of local SEO?

As the world of SEO continues to evolve, so too do the benefits that local SEO can bring to local businesses. There are many benefits of optimising your website for local SEO. Perhaps the most obvious benefit is an increase in traffic from potential customers who are searching for businesses like yours in their area.

Here are just a few of the many advantages that a well executed local SEO campaign can provide for a local business.

There are many benefits of optimising your website for local SEO. Perhaps the most obvious benefit is an increase in traffic from potential customers who are searching for businesses like yours in their area. But there are other benefits as well, such as…

Increased Visibility in Local Search Results

One of the most obvious benefits of local SEO is increased visibility in local search results. By optimising your website and online presence for local search, you can ensure that your business is appearing as high up in the results as possible for relevant searches. This increased visibility can lead to more website visitors, and ultimately, more customers for your business.

Greater Engagement With Local Customers

Another benefit of local SEO is greater engagement with local customers. When people search for businesses or services in their area, they are generally looking for something nearby that they can take advantage of right away. If your business appears in their search results, it’s more likely that they will click through to your website or give you a call, since they know you’re close by and able to help them out.

Improved Mobile Search Rankings

More and more people are using mobile devices to access the internet these days, and this trend is only going to continue. As such, it’s becoming increasingly important for businesses to optimise their websites for mobile devices. Luckily, one of the benefits of local SEO is improved mobile search rankings. By making sure your website is mobile-friendly and easy to use on a smaller screen, you can ensure that you’re reaching all potential customers who might be searching for you on their phone or tablet.

Increased Traffic From Social Media Sites

Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are also great places to promote your business locally. By creating profiles for your business on these sites and sharing relevant content with your followers, you can increase traffic back to your website and improve your chances of being found by potential customers in your area. Additionally, social media can be a great way to connect with local customers and build relationships that will encourage them to do business with you in the future.

Better ROI Than Advertising

Finally, one of the biggest advantages of investing in local SEO is the fact that it typically provides a better return on investment than traditional advertising methods like print, TV and even online ads. With advertising you often end up paying for ads that reach a much wider audience, including people who may not be interested in what you have to offer. With local SEO you’re actively targeting people who are actually interested in what you have to offer, i.e. people searching for businesses or services like yours in their area, so your conversion rates tend to be way higher.