Benefits of Local SEO: How it Drive Customers to Your Business

Whether you own a pastry shop in Minnesota, a dental clinic in Wisconsin, or a gym in North Dakota, local search engine optimization (SEO) can help bring customers to your business.

One of the benefits of local SEO is that it evens the playing field between local companies and established competitors when building an online presence.

Aside from improved search engine rankings, local SEO can also help build consumer trust and loyalty. According to the 2023 Local Consumer Review Survey, the percentage of internet users looking for local business information online remained at 21% in 2022.

Most of them (81%) use Google for research, while reviews that describe a positive experience make 75% of consumers feel positive about a business.

This post will explore the importance and benefits of using local SEO to promote your business.

Why Do Businesses Need Local SEO?

Example of Google Local Pack

The primary benefit of local SEO is increased online visibility. It can boost your website’s search engine ranking, and your local business information can appear on the local pack.

Aside from that, local SEO can help you achieve the following:

• Increased local website traffic: Local SEO allows you to target internet users within your area, compelling them to visit your website and increasing the chances of turning them into customers.

• Brand trust and credibility: Appearing in local market search results is one of the benefits of local SEO. This tactic can help your business gain credibility and trust from your target customers.

• Increased local brand awareness: Optimizing your business’s online presence for local search intent can expand your visibility and attract targeted customers.

• Cost-effective marketing strategy: Local SEO is cost-effective because it allows you to leverage geo-specific keywords and target local customers.

• Improved conversion rates: Local SEO allows you to attract people who are more likely to buy your products or hire your services.

6 Key Benefits of Local SEO

Maps Marketing for Local Business

Local SEO can significantly impact your business’s local online visibility, credibility, customer loyalty, and conversion rates. Moreover, implementing this local marketing strategy can give you the following results:

1. Increased Online Visibility

Attracting new customers can be challenging for small and local businesses. Thankfully, implementing local SEO lets people know that your company exists.

This means you must incorporate location-specific keywords on your website and optimize your Google My Business (GMB) profile. Doing so makes your business discoverable online while appearing for relevant keywords.

2. Get Direct Calls, Leads, and Sales

Implementing local SEO includes having an optimized GMB profile. It is a free online platform where you can publish your business information and publish customer reviews.

Moreover, a GMB profile can help you get direct leads and calls that can result in sales. That is because it can include a link to your website and prompt internet users to check the direction from their location to your business. It also has other business information like business hours and your phone number that smartphone users can tap if they need to call you immediately.

3. Drive Traffic From Local Search

Another one of the benefits of local SEO is improved search engine ranking or appearance on the Google local pack, which can increase traffic to your physical store. That is because 76% of people who do a local search on their smartphone visit a business within 24 hours.

What happens is that search engines leverage the intent behind a keyword in addition to other factors, such as the user’s location. Hence, people typing “vegan restaurants in Minnesota” could mean they intend to dine in a vegan restaurant within the state.

4. Attract Targeted and Better Leads

Another way to leverage local SEO is to include localized terms and keywords on your website. That is because they have more transactional or commercial intent. This means that people who use local keywords are looking for business nearby or have the intention to transact.

For instance, people typing “vegan restaurants in Minnesota” on Google means they are looking for vegan restaurants in the state. They can be people looking for places nearby where they can eat. Suppose your restaurant appears on the search results, and your restaurant happens to be in Minnesota. In that case, it increases the chances of attracting them to dine in.

5. Increased Website Authority and Rankings

One of the many benefits of local SEO is citation building, such as attracting high-quality links from relevant websites to yours. If you are a vegan restaurant owner, these could be links from food bloggers.

Think of these links as a vote of confidence from companies within your industry. The more high-quality and relevant links you acquire, the more it can help improve your website’s search engine rankings.

6. Reduced Advertising Costs

Local businesses thrive by attracting local customers. This explains why they invest in promotional channels like local TV advertisements, banners, and pamphlets. However, this can cost a considerable amount. Local SEO can help you reduce your advertising costs.

Between 2015 and 2017, “near me” searches increased by 500% among mobile users. This means that more and more people are searching for local businesses on their smartphones. When you implement local SEO, you cater to the many smartphone users looking for nearby companies.

Maximize the Benefits of Local SEO for Your Business

If you want to reap the benefits of local SEO, now is the best time to start implementing this digital marketing tactic. You can start by optimizing your local business website and Google My Business (GMB) profile. You can also hire the best local SEO company to leverage the power of local seo for your business.

Doing so will enable you to enjoy the following:

1. Increased online visibility
2. Direct traffic from local search
3. Increased website authority and ranking
4. Reduced advertising costs
5. Targeted and better leads
6. Direct calls, leads, and sales

However, this could take time and effort to implement. Leading SEO can help build your business’s online presence using local SEO to boost brand awareness and foster consumer trust.

Establishing your brand’s online visibility can lead to acquiring traffic and increasing sales from local searches.