As Bob Dylan said, the times they are a changin’. The days of checking the local phone book when searching for a local business are quickly coming to an end. Did you know that 97 percent of people use the internet when research local products or services? Americans have thrown the local phone book away and have moved to the web, using Google, Yelp, or social media to find the sellers that provide the products or services they’re looking for. If you plan on your local business thriving in this new environment, it’s important to start investing in local SEO.
Now Media Group put me on the map with the new website, and what’s more is that they’re always on the job to improve my internet marketing.
Dr. Andrew Ross
What is local SEO & Why do I need it?
People are impatient — they want to buy something, they want to know who is the best seller, and they want this information now. Search engines and other services, such as Yelp and Facebook, are ready to give consumers what they want and they have developed complex algorithms to determine which business’ deserve the most exposure on their platform. Local search engine optimization (SEO) is a set of strategies designed to make your local business competitive across these platforms, so that your customers or patients can find you.
The internet has become the source of information on local businesses — there are about 34 million searches a day for local businesses. Of all lead generation methods, being found on Google, Yelp, or similar platform carries with it one of the highest closing rates. That is, not only does local SEO help make you more visible and easier to be found, but it brings you the customers that are most likely to buy your products or services.
If you plan to compete in the modern business environment, local SEO has become a must. Consider the following facts:
- 89 percent of customers use search engines to make a purchase decision, according to FleishmanHillard.
- 77 percent of customers conducting a local search on a smart phone will contact a business after finding the want to buy from, according to Google and Ipsos OTX.
- All considered, SEO leads have a 14.6 percent close rate, whereas print and direct mail advertisements have a close rate of 1.7 percent.
Want to learn even more about local SEO? Take a look at our Local SEO Infographic.
THE ESSENTIAL LOCAL SEO PACKAGE
It’s hard to compare different businesses in the same industry and decide which is the better seller. That’s why services like Google and Yelp have developed complex formulas that take into account dozens, perhaps hundreds, of different factors and variables. At Now Media Group, our Local SEO package is designed to tackle these factors thoroughly and comprehensively.
The Essential Local SEO package starts at $350/mo., with a 6-month commitment, which provides you with:
- Technical audit
- Google My Business
- Business listing management
- Link building
- Social profile optimization
- Schema optimization
A LA CARTE SERVICES
Hyperlocal Optimization:
Does your website make it clear what areas you service? Having your city’s name in titles and making sure your address is on your home page is only a start. It’s also important to blog on your community and to write content that’s relevant to the neighborhoods your customers or patients are coming from.
Learn more about our blogging and content development services.
Reputation Management:
Survey data shows that 90 percent of consumers are influenced by online reviews when choosing a local business. Are you actively asking for reviews? If not, you are missing out on a huge opportunity to build relationships and to show prospective customers that you are genuinely interested in providing them with the best service possible.
Learn more about our reputation management services.
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