Search engine optimization is a term that every local business owner should recognize. Why? Well, if you don’t know what it is, or are scratching your head trying to figure out the acronym, your website (if you have one that is) has likely only been found by typing in the URL directly. SEO is the means by which a website is optimized for search. When someone “Googles” something, they are considered a “searcher.” Everyday millions of searches are performed on millions of topics.
Websites that are optimized for these search phrases are going to rank higher on the resulting list that appears when the search is complete. This all may seem redundant, but trust that this little bit of knowledge can make or break your company’s chances of making a successful internet footprint. This cannot be stressed enough for local businesses.
Some reasons why SEO matters for local businesses:
- You are targeting the relevant searchers
- Highly targeted traffic that is ready to buy
- Easier to rank high for local keyword phrases
- Getting ahead of your competition
- Do it once, get results forever (residual income)
The number one reason why SEO is invaluable for local businesses is because it is aimed at targeting customers in your area. By making your website locally focused (which is likely where the majority of your business is coming from anyways), your chances of being found are much greater. Let’s say we have a plumbing contractor that lives in Des Moines, IA for example. This is a service that everyone is going to need from time to time, so the number of searches are going to be fairly high.
More importantly, it is the search phrase itself that matters. Most people will tend to type in the location with the phrase, such as “plumbing contractor in Des Moines.” Targeting and optimizing this keyword is going to be much easier than trying to do so for “plumbing contractor.” The idea is to think locally!
By optimizing your website for these local search phrases, you should not be surprised to see your rankings skyrocket, especially if you live in a smaller city or town where there is going to be less local competition. There may or may not be a few companies targeting these phrases, but that is not a problem. All you have to do is make sure your site is doing SEO better. Getting to the number one listing on Google is like hitting a goldmine, and it does not take an extreme amount of work to make this successful at the local level. By getting ahead of your competition, your website will start gaining a lasting reputation.
Is your business lost in Google’s pages? Do you want to reach that number one spot, but don’t know how to do it? No worries, BAM is here to help. We have helped many local businesses get SEO optimized, which have in turn increased their profit margins substantially. Contact us today; you can thank us later!