Local SEO

Search Engine Optimization That Last The Long Haul

Getting found online is harder than ever. There are companies that will tell you that it is easy and make wild promises. The fact is that their techniques are either paid advertising using Pay Per Click with Google or methods that will not last for the long haul. We have proven long-term strategies that have staying power.

What is Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization)?

Local search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of helping local businesses achieve rankings and increased visibility in specific geographical locations using geographically related keywords and keyword phrases. A large part of Local SEO involves ranking in the Local algorithms as well as in the organic results for local keywords.

Why is this so important to you and your business? In a WebVisable/Nielsen study, 82% of respondents said that they’ve used the Internet to find local businesses; 80% say they’ve researched a product or service online before buying it locally. Yet, only 44% of small businesses even have a website. That means more than half of local businesses are missing out on opportunities to acquire new customers and increase profits.

Who can you sell to?

You may think this is a dumb question but you would not believe how many people get it wrong. Most everybody says they can sell to “everyone.” The fact is, that is not true. You cannot sell to everyone. The answer is that you can only sell to those “who know about you.” If they don’t know about you, you cannot sell to them so your first objective is to gain exposure. Local SEO is the process you use to get that exposure.

Search Engine Optimization is not some kind of magic or manipulation but rather a strategic effort to bring you and your business to the top of the search results utilizing consistent work across several platforms. It is creating content that engages your potential customer and distributing that content in text, video, and audio on your website, on social media platforms, in directories, blogs, podcasts, and more.

What types of businesses can benefit from local SEO?

Any business that gets some or all of its customers or clients locally should consider local SEO. That could be a local restaurant, retail outlet, doctor, dentist, or lawyer, but it could just as easily be a local ad agency. If you have a physical address in a city and expect people to go there, you should be doing local SEO for that location.

The fact is your business can increase its reach and gain credibility in its community by becoming more visible online. Your online visibility can create trust in the minds of those who are looking for your services or products.

What does local SEO involve? 5 Things You Need to Know Right now.

Well, first and foremost, you need a good website that is not only pleasing to the eye but also optimized correctly and takes in various conversion strategies. Many website owners only think of the visual aspect of their website but don’t pay any attention to usability, customer experience, calls to action and other conversion strategies that get people to take action. That is why one of our services is not just building a website but building sites that convert.

Secondly; you need to claim your listing with all the local directory services such as Google Local Plus, Yahoo Business, Bing Business, Best of the Web, and several others that will aid in you being found. There are many of these directories and some are more important than others, especially those that help get you quality reviews. Now, most of these can be set up for free, but many never get set up correctly and there are ways to make those listings fuel your online presence and get you found much easier.

Thirdly; you need to be utilizing the power of video. Video has a 53% better chance of ranking on the first page of Google than a website does. There are several video sharing sites but the giant on the block of course is YouTube. It is imperative these days that you have a highly optimized YouTube channel but you also need your videos optimized individually in order to appear in the most targeted search results. Our company consistently ranks videos for our clients on the first page of Google and the other search engines giving them maximum exposure.

Fourth; you need to get social. By this, I mean Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, Pinterest, Foursquare, and other social networks that may be related to your potential niche market. Some studies have shown that as high as 74% of people buy based on the recommendation of people they know. Social Media is the ultimate in referral-based marketing. There are several local businesses that have built a successful online presence that started out with social media before they even had a company website. When they established their websites, they already had a huge congregation of raving fans ready to descend on it. I don’t think this is the best strategy but works nevertheless.

Fifth; it’s to get a mobile. This includes iPhone, Android, and web-based apps that can be viewed on a phone or tablet. It also includes mobile-friendly versions of your website. A recent report came out showing that those who search the Internet from their phones or tablets have now surpassed those using a desktop computer or laptop.

The secret to success online is being found everywhere your customers are found. Being number one is great, but being found everywhere your customers are is much better.

Local SEO is a must.

If you are going to succeed as a small business owner and grow that business in this new economy, then you will have to be aggressive in your Internet marketing. If you don’t make the effort, you will be left behind as we move forward into the coming years.

RMG Web Marketing is not only a leader in Texas and Louisiana in Local SEO but in the United States and other parts of the world. We are sought out by attorneys, dentists, and others in the medical field to help them reach new patients and clients. We consult with businesses of all types in helping them improve and maintain their local online presence.

If you are ready to take your business to the next level utilizing top local internet marketing strategies, then give us a call today at 337-789-2150.