Local Search Optimization – What is it and Why it is important

Local Search Optimization – What is it and Why it is important

Industry watchers are saying that 2013 is going to be the year of Local Search and Social Search. So I decided to write this article on Local Search.
 
Local search is any search aimed at finding something within a specific geographic area like “hotel in Los Angles”. Most of the time Google delivers local search results through Google map.
 

What is Local  SEO
 
Search Engine Optimization is the process of helping a website to rank above its competitors on search engines. Local SEO is a specific branch of Internet Marketing that seeks to optimize geographically specific Search Terms like “car repair in New York” so that it appears on the search result page when any one search for the specific keywords related to specific geographic location.
 
Local SEO simply is a technique to aim to get your business name, website, address, contact numbers and business location in front of the people that are most likely to use it; those who are physically located near it.
 
For example, if a restaurant is located near Manhattan, New York; potential customers will find the restaurant by searching the keyword (term) with location. When people use local search, they are usually looking for local businesses; it does not matter whether the business have a website or not – the address and phone number of the business are enough for them (and probably some reviews).
 

Why you should not ignore Local SEO
 
Yellow-pages and classifieds of the yester years have become obsolete now. Today, consumers by and large turn to the internet, particularly search engines, to find everything from nearby restaurants to local attorneys.
 
With Local Search features like Google Maps and Yahoo! Local, the trend toward local search is growing every day. At TechShu, we receive pretty high volume of requests of Local SEO every week which shows how profitable this channel is. If your business isn’t optimized for local search , you’re missing out on thousands of potential leads, clients and sales.
 

Some Facts about Local Search

  • 61% of local searches lead to successful transaction – TMP/comScore
  • 82% of local searchers follow-up their online search by visiting the nearby store or by phone call – TMP/comScore
  • 76% of Internet users first look at Local Search or map area of the 1st page, then Organic and last Paid – Neilson,2009
  • 54% of Americans have substituted yellow page phone books with the Internet and local search – comScore Networks
  • 57% of Internet users research online, purchase offline – NPD Group
  • It gives your local business a huge potential and an ever increasing local customer base .
  • It can drive your business to a new height.

 
Since mobile internet is becoming popular day by day, local SEO will become more important down the line. It’s time to we take the steps; know how it works and win the local battle.

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