In the current digital landscape, where customers continuously rely on mobile searches to find local products and services near their area, local SEO (search engine optimization) continues to be a worthwhile answer and strategy to consider.
Local SEO can play a role to provide growth and success for many small and medium enterprises (SMEs). By optimizing your online presence for local searches, you can improve your visibility and attract high-targeted traffic that drives more customers through your doors.
We will explore more about understanding local SEO in the Philippines, its benefits, and the best steps to implement for your local SEO campaign strategy.
What is Local SEO?
Local SEO is a specialized approach to SEO that focuses on enhancing your search engine ranking for location-specific queries. Unlike traditional SEO, which aims to increase your visibility on a global or national scale, local SEO targets a specific locality, such as a city. The primary goal of local SEO is to help your business connect with local customers actively searching for what you offer. In fact, according to BrightLocal, 99% of users searched online to find local businesses.
Local SEO encompasses various elements, which include optimizing a website’s content by using local keywords, obtaining customer reviews, managing online business listings, and establishing local citations. When combined and done right (which we will discuss the steps later on), these efforts will help increase your chances to appear in Google’s local search results.
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The Benefits of Local SEO
Now that we know what local SEO is, let us delve deeper and explore why you should consider it as your marketing tool to leverage your online presence.
Increased online visibility
Local businesses often thrive when customers know about them. Almost every big name in the industry starts from small. They cater and appeal to their local target market before going national and expanding overseas.
Implementing local SEO strategies improve your business’s online visibility in the local search result, thus increasing your conversion rate. Gaining a foothold on your online visibility through local search results can be an excellent start for your business, no matter how small it may be.
Targeted traffic and higher conversion
According to a 2023 statistical report from On The Map, local and organic searches together make up 69% of overall digital traffic. Local SEO enables you to attract highly targeted traffic to your websites, which is why many local enterprises invest in local SEO services or local SEO vendors. By focusing on specific geographic areas, you can reach more potential customers that are on the lookout for local solutions, ensuring your website earns visitors that might be genuinely interested in what you have to offer. This results in a higher conversion rate and a stronger return on investment (ROI).
Competitive advantage over local competitors
Other perks of implementing local SEO strategies give you a competitive edge over other businesses in the local market. By improving your search rankings, and online presence and effectively managing online reviews and ratings, you can set yourself apart from the competition and stand out in the local market. Local SEO gives you an opportunity to showcase your brand value proposition and establish yourself as a local go-to business for products or services.
4 Steps to Implement Local SEO
Here are vital steps for you to know to implement local SEO successfully:
Claim and optimize Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile is a must-use platform when implementing local SEO strategies since it helps Google know what your business does and its location. Google Business Profile also helps users learn more about your business, building social proof for potential clients.
Claiming your Business Profile is the first step of the process. If a Business Profile does not appear, then you can create one. You can refer to this link for complete info. If a Business Profile exists, you can claim it and ensure the details are correct and accurate. Use this guide for claiming.
Now, how do we optimize our Google Business Profile? The answer is simple: Keeping your Google Business Profile updated is vital to the process. Provide as much information as possible, including your business’s contact details, description, products, services, category, and attributes. You can also encourage your customers to share reviews. Also, do not forget to use high-quality photos for your business.
Conduct local keyword research
Local keyword research is another critical process for finding keywords people use when searching for local products and services. Performing local keyword research lets you identify the best terms and phrases that potential customers use in finding businesses like yours in your area. You can utilize keyword research tools, like Ahrefs and SEMrush, to uncover local search queries or opt for the best SEO agency in the Philippines to help you with the process.
Optimize the website for local search
Optimizing your website for local search lets you reap the benefit of reaching and attracting more people in your local area, thus, increasing foot traffic and conversions. One way to ensure your website is ready and optimized for local search is through NAP (Name, Address, and Phone Number) information since it can influence your local ranking.
Your NAP should be 100% correct and consistent on your website, business directories, local directories, Google Business Profile, and any places online mentioning your business. Otherwise, it will lead to missed opportunities for potential customers to discover your business and will be more of a burden for them to spend their time verifying your business details.
Additionally, you may want your website to be mobile-friendly. According to Think With Google report, 76% of people who conduct local searches on their smartphone visit a physical place within 24 hours, and 28% of those searches result in a purchase.Understand that many users use their phones to perform local searches, which is why your website should be mobile-friendly in the first place to reach more users and reduce the bounce rate. Outsourcing a local SEO service in the Philippines can provide solutions for mobile optimization needs.
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Create localized content
Content is indeed king, and in running a local SEO campaign, creating localized quality content can help improve local search engine rankings.
When you create quality content for your target local market, do not just focus on reaching a broader audience. What you need is to consider your niche and understand what type of local customers you are trying to win. Know their interests and common issues. You want your content to offer an answer or solution to them or grant useful and helpful insights they can relate to.
When writing content for blog posts, remember to incorporate keywords you obtained from your keyword research that focuses on niche based on the keyword’s search volume. Remember that your content and keyword should be relevant to each other and relatable to local users.
Conclusion:
Local SEO is a powerful strategy that marketers can use to increase brand visibility and attract targeted local traffic to their websites. Local SEO is worth investing in for your company’s growth and success in the digital landscape, especially when you decide to engage with a reputable local SEO agency in the Philippines.
Propel your brand’s success in the digital landscape with the help of a local SEO agency that can provide you with top-notch and transparent SEO service! Contact us today at +639173262104 and discover the most suitable SEO approach to meet your business goals.
