Make Your Business More Searchable with Local SEO
You may have heard of local SEO, but what is it, and how can it make your “brick and mortar” business more searchable online for potential customers? First, let's look at what local SEO is, and how it benefits businesses who understand it, and make your business more searchable with local SEO.
Local SEO and Local Business Searchability
You've probably used Google to search for some kind of business or another, like an office supply store for example. And when you typed in “Office supply store,” a list of businesses local to your area appeared, listed out, along with Google Maps locations of each business.
Why is Local SEO so Important?
The reason local SEO is so important when using Google is because in the past, Google would show 7 local business results when users made a search… Until a recent change that meant users now only see 3 local business results. This means there's more competition for local businesses who want to be visible on Google searches when potential customers are looking for businesses of a certain type.
How Do Make My Business More Searchable with Local SEO?
Now that we've established the importance of having your business appear on the Google results list and Google Maps for businesses of your type, let's look at a few helpful tips from Simplilearn.com on how to make your business more searchable with local SEO:
- Have a Physical Address in the Area Where You Are Looking For Customers
If you know your potential customer base resides in a certain part of town or location, you're going to want to have the physical address of your business be as close to that area as possible.
- Fill out the “Google My Business” Form
Google My Business is an online form that Google utilizes to acquire local business information, which heavily affects search results. Ensure that all the information you enter is correct, and verify that the listing is by you, the owner of the business. You'll need to do this using Google's postcard system, which requires that Google sends you a postcard to your business's physical address. Google doesn't allow P.O. boxes for this process. It's important that Google authenticates you as the actual business owner, and that the actual address of the business is what you're putting in the form.
- Put Your Target City and Town
The landing page title of your Google My Business page should have the city and town that you are looking to boost your business in.
- Your GMB Primary Categories Match Your Business's Products
Try and find a primary category that fits with what your business offers, as well as a more extensive search category.
Following these steps is a great way to boost your business's searchability using local SEO practices.
Get Professional Help With Local SEO For Your Business
Getting your business into business directories across the web, including Yelp, the Yellow Pages, and Citysearch, can be a time consuming process for a business owner. You already have a multitude of tasks to see to, and the last thing you need to be worried about is taking the time to painstakingly enter your business's information into the dozens of online business directories that can help make your business more searchable with local SEO. Thankfully, Brandgy.com offers business owners local SEO solutions, working to get your business's location data into over 60 online directories, as well as working to ensure no location changes are made without your authorization.
Brandgy.com has a local marketing plan specifically tailored to “brick and mortar” businesses who are looking to boost their local customer base. You can contact their local SEO experts at hello@brandgy.com, and jumpstart the process of expanding your business's customer base.
