When it comes to content marketing, you won’t have to search long before you run into “Search Engine Optimization,” and that’s okay — we promise! SEO is here to stay, and just like anything that sticks around for long, things are bound to start evolving in exciting (and sometimes confusing!) ways.

Which is why you’ve probably encountered the phrase “local SEO” on your quest to perfect your business’ search engine optimization… and if you’re wondering what, exactly, that is, you’re not alone.

We love for our clients to be as informed and empowered as much as possible here at LP Creative Co., and want to give you a quick crash course in local SEO, and help you decide if it’s right for your business.

What is Local SEO?

Let’s start with the basics and move up. According to the experts at Moz, a very basic definition is that, “SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is the practice of increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results.”

When you boil that down to something a little more concrete, what you get is this:

  • Writing and using high-quality content that is relevant and useful to your audience
  • Performing keyword research for your industry and strategically placing those keywords within your copy
  • Implementing SEO best practices like using internal links and user-friendly site navigation

If you’re working with an SEO agency, these are things that will have already been put into action. If not, and you’re concerned about your website’s SEO ranking, it might be time to reach out to one!

So what, then, is local SEO?

Local SEO utilizes the same principles as traditional SEO, but it focuses those efforts on your business’ actual geographic location; i.e. your “local” area.

Putting Users First

Remember, Google’s ultimate goal is always to improve the audience experience, and for the past 10 years, the user experience has been moving toward immediate, convenient, and — most importantly — mobile.

When a potential customer asks Siri or Alexa to help them choose dinner, the restaurants that have focused their content marketing efforts on improving their local SEO are the most likely options to come up and, ultimately, the options most likely to get that potential customer’s business.

By engaging with an SEO agency that specializes in local SEO, you will be optimizing your site to pop up in searches that yield results local to your area. This also means that those large-scale, national search results will no longer be at the top of the page. That’s a huge advantage.

Local SEO also engages with the map features that Google offers, placing your business in the small cluster of local search results that show up on the map on the right-hand side of the page.

Determining local keywords and interacting with Google’s map and local features, while not impossible, can be difficult to navigate. Hiring an SEO agency to help get you set up for local is a great way to yield tangible results and save yourself from hours of research and troubleshooting.

Is Local SEO Right for Your Business?

Garnering local results specific to your business’ geographic area sounds like a pretty fantastic deal, but it’s not always a good fit for a business’ content marketing plan.

If your business relies heavily on geographically-local traffic and clientele, then we highly recommend investing in local SEO. Businesses like restaurants, photographers, lawn care companies, and salons are all good candidates for local SEO.

If your company operates on a much wider scope, dealing with national and international clients, local SEO might not be the best choice. The best way to find out?

Contact the digital marketing experts at LP Creative Co.

The answer isn’t always black and white. Sometimes a company that has the capability to operate both nationally and locally can benefit greatly from building high rankings on a local level. An SEO agency has the knowledge, experience, and tools to help you figure out your best plan of action.

Thinking about trying local SEO for your company’s website?

At LP Creative Co., we offer local SEO services that are approachable, affordable, and effective. If you’re wondering about SEO and your business, we encourage you to contact us and set up a consultation!