If you’re a regular reader of the NPS blog, you probably already know that search engine optimization (or SEO) is the process of optimizing a website to increase its visibility in search engine results. And you probably already know that SEO is an important business marketing effort because the more visible a website is in search engine results such as Google or Bing, the more likely it is to attract organic website traffic and potential customers. But how is “local SEO” different?
Local SEO refers to the process of optimizing a website to rank higher in search engine results for local queries. In other words, the main goal of local SEO is to improve a business's visibility and online presence in the local search results.
Here’s an example: If someone in a particular city performs a search for a "pizza near me," they get results for local restaurants only. Google and other search engines understand that that search query is targeted to a specific geographic location. Results for pizza restaurants in cities on the other side of the country are not relevant and not helpful to the searcher in this example.
Local SEO is done by optimizing various factors, such as product and service keywords, city or area keywords, the business's address, phone number, website, hours of operation, customer reviews, and other factors that Google and the other search engines consider valuable information when ranking local businesses.
Local SEO is especially important for businesses that rely on local customers, such as small brick-and-mortar retail stores, bars and restaurants, healthcare providers, and other service-based businesses. By optimizing their online presence for local searches, they can attract more potential customers and drive more foot traffic to their physical locations.
Local SEO also helps to build brand credibility and trust. When a website for a local business ranks higher in search engine results, it is seen as more reputable and trustworthy. This, in turn, helps small businesses to connect with local customers, build their online presence, and grow their bottom line.
Are you interested in hiring a local SEO expert to help increase your organic search engine rankings, drive more qualified traffic to your website, and improve overall visibility online? Maybe we’re a good fit for each other! Let’s find out! Reach out to NPS Design Studio and setup an SEO Consultation Meeting. We’d love to hear from you!