Local SEO enhances visibility in search results and will help you target potential customers near your brick-and-mortar store. These strategies can drive foot traffic and even improve online conversions, as your business will appear in “near me” searches and Google Maps listings.
Aside from discussing the importance of local SEO, we’ll provide several tips on how to best approach local SEO and the latest trends that will help your business remain visible to potential customers in your target geographic area.
Table of Contents
Why Is Local SEO Important?
Local SEO is becoming increasingly important for businesses as more and more people are using localized search terms to find services, products, and businesses in their local area — 93% of consumers, to be exact. 
By optimizing your website content and leveraging other SEO strategies, such as link building, you can ensure potential customers will find your business when they look up terms related to your local area.
Moreover, local SEO is important as it helps you: 
- Reach your audience: When you optimize your website content with local keywords and phrases, your site will be displayed more prominently in search engine results pages (SERPs). When someone looks up something related to your products or services, your website will be on the first page.
- Increase visibility: By optimizing your website with targeted local SEO strategies, it’s easier to increase visibility for potential customers who live nearby. As more users find and engage with your business online, your rankings on SERPs will improve, too. 
- Improve engagement with existing customers: You can build relationships with existing customers by providing personalized experiences based on their location. Relevant product recommendations or tailored discounts in a specific area encourage repeat visits and engagement.
- Generate more leads and conversions: Local SEO works wonders at generating leads and boosting conversions, as your business appears more prominently in localized searches.  
5 Major Benefits of Local SEO
By optimizing website and content strategy for local searches, small and medium-sized businesses can compete with larger brands. Here are the main advantages of local SEO:
- Increased local visibility
- Increased conversion rates
- Strengthened customer relationships
- Boosted user experience
- Improved SERP rankings
1. Increased Local Visibility
Geographically relevant keywords are words and phrases that include a geographic location, such as the name of a city or state. Considering that 46% of all Google searches include local intent, you should make these keywords a priority.
By targeting area-specific search terms, your business can:
- Attain higher search engine rankings
- Draw more local customers to your website
- Increases the chances of someone finding your business
- Generate higher conversion rates compared to broad SEO campaigns
- Boost overall visibility within the city or region you are operating in
- Outcompete larger competitors on a localized level
2. Increased Conversion Rates
One of the most important benefits of local SEO is that it allows businesses to reach potential customers who are physically nearby. When customers can easily find and access your business, it provides the incentive they need to purchase from you. 
People are more likely to patronize a business if they are within driving or walking distance, as opposed to taking a long trip. Having local customers helps build loyalty and trust with repeat visits, which could lead to even higher conversion rates over time.
3. Strengthened Customer Relationships
Another way local SEO strengthens relationships with customers is by providing them with personalized experiences. For instance, you can use location-based data to offer relevant discounts or special promotions tailored to the customer’s current geographical area. This helps show your customer that you care about what matters most in their vicinity, which builds trust and loyalty over time.
You can’t go overboard when it comes to local SEO. Use all relevant data — even weather forecasts or seasonal events nearby — to attract more attention from prospects in your vicinity. 
You can even go as far as offering cold drinks for free in your store when they come to pick up their order during the summer months. Run the promotion on your website and make it redeemable if they sign up for your newsletter. 
4. Boosted User Experience
Having a great user experience is a must, as 88% of visitors are unlikely to return to a site after bad UX. Moreover, a single bad experience can cause 32% of customers to stop doing business with you. 
Another reason why local SEO is important is that it presents website visitors with information relevant to their specific location, thus improving user experience. This includes geo-targeting content, promotions tailored for their area, and localized product search results. Shoppers can also find contact information for local businesses more quickly, increasing the likelihood of them becoming paying customers. 
Since these results are optimized for mobile devices, customers can easily access this information on the go, so they can use valuable time in between tasks or while out of the office.
Think about incorporating voice search capabilities into your local SEO strategies, too. It will help boost user experience due to its convenience. Natural language processing gives users more control over how they find information online and makes it easier and faster for them to access relevant data.
5. Improved SERP Rankings
Using local SEO to improve your ranking in SERPs is a great way for businesses to reach potential customers nearby and gain an edge over competitors. To achieve this, you need to optimize on-page and off-page elements by:
- Targeting keywords related to your business location
- Creating content relevant to local searchers
- Getting listed on local directories
- Asking for backlinks from other businesses in the area
- Optimizing page titles and descriptions
- Ensuring website structure is optimized for mobile devices
- Earning positive reviews from your community
- Making sure your NAP (name, address, phone number) information is consistent across all platforms
How To Outsource Local SEO to an Agency
Outsourcing local SEO can help you boost your visibility in local searches without stretching internal sources. Here’s how you can do this effectively:
1. Understand Your Local SEO Needs
Having a clear understanding of your local SEO objectives will help you communicate better with potential agencies and assess their suitability. Consider these questions:
- Do you want to improve your Google Business Profile (GBP)?
- Do you want to optimize your website for localized keywords?
- Are you seeking more local reviews or citations?
2. Evaluate Potential Agencies
Not all SEO agencies offer local SEO services. Do your due diligence and research the following as you create a shortlist of potential agencies to partner with:
- Agency expertise: On-page SEO, GBP optimization, directory listings, local link building, and review management are basic services offered by local SEO agencies. Ask specific questions about these offerings to gauge their expertise.
- Case studies: Ask for client feedback and case studies, where they’ve helped other businesses improve their local SEO performance. Look for tangible improvements in local rankings, foot traffic, online conversions, GBP visibility, and customer reviews.
- Tools and processes: Strong agencies use cutting-edge tools for keyword research, local SEO, and analytics. They also have clear workflows for regular reporting and updates on your campaign’s progress.
- Communication: As you go through the inquiry and proposal stages, assess the agency’s methods and frequency of communication and transparency regarding reporting, campaign timelines, milestones, and deliverables.
You can also request a local SEO audit for insights into potential issues and areas of improvement. This will help you gauge the agency’s ability to pinpoint problems and propose actionable solutions.
3. Discuss Contract Terms
Your contract should clearly outline the services that the agency will provide. Make sure all deliverables are clear, specific, and aligned with your business objectives. You should also have a breakdown of the agency's pricing model and costs incurred for all services.
Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and specify how frequently the agency will provide reports. You should also agree on the frequency of meetings, communication channels, and points of contact throughout the campaign.
The typical duration for SEO service contracts is 6 to 12 months. You should also discuss an option for early termination if you’re dissatisfied with the services.
4. Monitor Performance
Track local rankings, website traffic, GBP engagement, and conversions throughout your partnership with a local SEO agency. Review submitted reports and discuss performance to ensure they’re meeting your expectations. Additionally, pivot strategies when necessary to continuously improve your campaigns and stay ahead of competitors.
Key Takeaways on Local SEO Benefits
Investing in local SEO offers numerous benefits for businesses looking to strengthen their presence in their communities. By targeting location-specific keywords and building local citations, you can stay ahead of the competition, attract more qualified leads, and ultimately increase conversions.
The top local SEO agencies will help your business leverage expert knowledge to improve local search rankings and attract more targeted customers. By outsourcing to professionals, you can save time and avoid costly mistakes.
Why Is Local SEO Important FAQs
1. What are the major benefits of local SEO?
Local SEO delivers several key benefits to businesses:
- Increased visibility
- Targeted traffic
- Community engagement
- Competitive edge
- Cost-effectiveness
- Increased conversion rates
2. What is the impact of local SEO?
The impact of local SEO is significant, as it directly influences a business's visibility in local search results. By optimizing their online presence for local searches, businesses can experience increased online and offline traffic, higher conversion rates, improved community engagement, and a competitive edge in their local market.
