Local Search Engine Optimization is like SEO in the sense that it’s also a procedure affecting the visibility of either a site or a page in a search result collection frequently called “natural” or “free” results. What does Local Search Engine Optimization (also called SEM) have to do with the displayed results on a search result page? Quite a lot, actually. Let’s look at how it all works.
In most cases, when a user types in a search term or phrase in a popular search engine like Google or Yahoo, the resulting website that pops up is the result of a Local Search Engine Optimization effort. A Local Search Engine Optimization campaign focuses on optimizing websites for targeted local customers. This means optimizing a site for the specific type of audience who would most likely be interested in the particular business and/or products being offered. For example, if a person were searching for a carpet cleaner in their town, they’d likely type in some words describing what they are looking for into a search engine like Google. If the results presented online did not include a listing for the best carpet cleaners in the area, the person might not be looking for a carpet cleaner at all – they might just be looking for a good home cleaning service.
In other words, local search engine optimization efforts are designed to help companies and businesses get the right results in the online “free” or paid searches that are conducted by a majority of people using a given search term or phrase. This is known as the Search Engine Results Position, or SERP. For example, if someone were searching for the best carpet cleaners in your city, if you had a low ranking in the organic results – say at the bottom of the first page of the search results for the relevant search term “carpet cleaners”, you would want to work on increasing your visibility in order to show up toward the top of the results list. This is exactly where the local search marketing or digital marketing comes in. It is here that businesses can promote themselves to a specific target audience and even be able to increase their traffic and sales in the process.
The concept of Local SEO is often broken down into two parts: location-based and content-based Local SEO. The premise behind the content-based Local SEO is that a business owner needs to maximize the potentials of their existing websites rather than investing in high-priced and high-risk pay-per-click campaigns. In other words, instead of going after search terms like “Carpet Cleaners in Los Angeles”, a business owner may opt to focus on a more narrow search phrase like “Carpet Cleaning Los Angeles”. However, regardless of whether one chooses to focus on location-based Local SEO or content-based Local SEO, the ultimate goal is to get your website in front of as many potential customers as possible within the limits of the given market.
A good example of an effective local search engine optimization technique would be to determine your target market and then research the various aspects of that market. For example, you may want to target only carpet cleaning in Los Angeles because that is where most of your customers live. After you have determined which service areas are more popular among your competition, you then need to analyze the various factors that affect people’s decision when it comes to selecting from among your competitors. For instance, if you notice that most people make their choice based on the color of the carpet cleaner, then your website should emphasize its blue color or, at the very least, have pictures and videos that illustrate the best qualities of the cleaner, as well as its distinct color.
Another way to boost Local SEO is to create a blog or, better yet, a website devoted solely to your service area. You can then optimize this web site for the search terms most relevant to the area. For example, if you clean carpets in Los Angeles, then you might want to write articles with a focus on carpet cleaning or, at the very least, include links to your web pages that focus on specific aspects of carpet cleaning. You may also choose to create a YouTube channel that features a variety of services offered by your business. Include links to each of these web pages, as well as to your online presence, so that people will be able to quickly find you when they conduct a local search engine optimization search.
Another way to boost Local SEO is to hire an online marketing firm to help you increase your organic traffic and boost your local search engine optimization. By utilizing a number of tools such as pay per click advertising and online ads, you can attract more targeted organic traffic to your website. The increased online visibility of your website will give you an edge over your competition, which will in turn increase your online profits. To achieve the greatest benefit from using an online marketing firm, however, you need to work with a firm that has experience in dealing with all of your local competitors as well as with highly competitive niches.
Digital marketing firms have the experience necessary to handle all of your business needs, including digital marketing, local SEO, social media marketing, and organic search engine optimization. These experts know how to leverage the full power of modern technology, such as social media, blogs, and social networking, to give your digital marketing agency an edge over your competitors. A good digital marketing firm will work closely with you to develop an online presence that is not only highly localized, but that incorporates proven methods of increasing your online visibility and increasing your organic traffic.