More and more businesses are choosing to use local SEO strategies alongside or even instead of traditional marketing strategies to help them reach more customers. Despite local SEO's increased popularity, many business owners are still unfamiliar with its benefits.

Here we explore the importance of local SEO and why it needs to be an essential part of your local business' marketing plans for 2022.

1. Purchasing decisions are being made locally

Consumers are more likely to purchase from businesses that are nearby. In fact, studies have shown that 84% of shoppers would rather buy from a local business than a non-local business (source: Accenture Retail). This can help a business generate new leads as well as increase revenue.

With SEO, local businesses can appear at the top of search results for customers looking for what that business offers - and where they offer it. And don’t forget, it’s not just your existing locals that you’re targeting - it’s newcomers and passing trade visiting your area too. 

2. The likelihood of purchase from local SEO is really high

If you needed to find a specific product or service while out in your local area, and you found somewhere that offers it nearby, you're likely to visit (or at least call) that business, aren't you? From there it's up to the provider of those services or products to convince you to buy - but the intent is high, so the ball is in your court.

The same goes for your customers. In fact 50% of people who conducted a local search on their phone visited a physical store within one day (source: Think With Google). If potential customers are looking for the products or services that you can provide, in the area that you provide them, you need to be on their radar!

3. Local customers are likely to come back to you again and again

Using SEO to drive new customers through your door (or website) is a great way to introduce them to your products or services for the first time. But the opportunity for your local business doesn't end there.

Assuming you have what your customers need, with the added convenience of being able to provide those services when and where they need it, and the value exchange works for them, they're likely to back for more when their need next arises. This increased lifetime value of customers goes straight to your bottom line. 

4. Local searches are easier to optimise for

Most top results for specific products and services are dominated by big brands. Lesser-known local businesses will have a harder time appearing at the top of search results, and can have trouble getting noticed. 

Local search optimisation is a great strategy for any local business because it enables you to appear at the top of search results for relevant local searches for the products and services that you offer.

5. Companies that perform well for local SEO can spend less on advertising

One of the reasons that so many companies are choosing to invest in SEO these days is that they aren’t seeing a great ROI from their  advertising spend. By using SEO it’s possible for businesses to reach new customers who are searching for products and services that they offer. 

The fact that the benefits of local SEO will long outlast advertising expenditure means that it can save  your business a lot of money in the long run.

6. Local SEO can help build credibility

Google uses online reviews to determine your local ranking, so one of the focuses when investing in improving your business' local SEO should be on building the number (and quality) of reviews. 

The additional benefit of positive reviews is that your business is more likely to be seen as credible by prospective customers. And, by responding to reviews - both positive and negative - you will show these same customers how much you care.

7. Local SEO can be a great foundation for all your marketing activities

As Local SEO is very much focused on your target customer and the products and services that they may be looking for, it’s a really good starting point for any/all website and digital marketing activities - and even for traditional offline marketing.

Getting your local SEO right also helps ensure that your website is ‘fit for purpose’ for any visitors coming to your website - regardless of how they get there. A well-optimised website should have relevant content in the form of landing pages and blog posts, perfect for driving new (and existing) customers to via all your other marketing activities.

8. Local SEO can be cost-effective, but there are risks

In the past, SEO was a luxury that most small businesses couldn't afford. By focusing on local search engine optimisation, local businesses can get the same benefits that larger companies enjoyed in the past. And local SEO done well can drive great results in terms of new customers, increased sales and additional revenues.

But SEO is one of those things where you get what you pay for. Be cautious of anyone offering cheap SEO services as the risks go beyond just poor ROI. Local SEO done badly can lead to Google penalties that could wipe out your website’s visibility on the web.

Now that we’ve established the importance of local SEO for your business, where should you start?

Local SEO is a powerful marketing tool for any business where they are reliant on nearby customers. Local SEO helps to improve how a business is found on the web, and can also help to provide customer leads and support customer loyalty. 

LocalMark is a Local SEO agency based in Croydon. We provide a comprehensive range of local SEO services to support local businesses just like yours. If you’re serious about improving your business’ local SEO performance and ranking higher for searches by potential customers in your area, you need a clear understanding of what is and isn’t working for you right now. To get started please get in touch or request a free local SEO audit.