3 Local SEO Tips That Are Important For Small Businesses

According to GoGulf, 46% of Google searches are geared toward finding local information. Moreover, some statistics show that these search queries are more than just casual Google searches; about 72% of customers have visited a nearby store after a local search.

This essentially means that local SEO is incredibly important for small, localized businesses. And it’s especially helpful for them since larger corporations are already targeting the mainstream keywords; therefore, the only way small businesses can rank high is through local SEO—at the very least, it gives them a fair chance.

Also, it should be noted that a majority of digital traffic now is local and organic. So this is the perfect time for small businesses to perfect their local SEO strategy.

Here’s what leading SEO marketing agencies suggest.

Target Local Areas with Your Keywords

When you’re targeting a local market, your keywords should reflect that. So, for instance, instead of targeting a keyword or phrase like “masonry contractor,” it might be a better idea to use “San Francisco masonry contractor.” This way, you won’t be competing for a higher ranking on Google search with every masonry contractor in the world, but just with those in San Francisco who are also trying to use local SEO for their businesses.

Needless to say, this will give you a better chance at visibility and attract more local clients. With locations, your website will have a higher conversion rate.

Optimize Your Google My Business Profile

Google My Business is the most important business listing that you need to pay attention to. For starters, it’s a Google tool, so you can rest assured that Google will verify, support, and share it, which will help your business be on top of things as far as Google and its requirements are concerned.

So, start by creating a Google My Business profile and verify it. Next, use Google Posts with location-specific keywords. Also, ask your customers to share their reviews online. Over time, Google may award you with sidebar space in its local search, and that alone will do wonders for your business. And, of course, updating your Google My Business listing will help your potential local customers find you faster.

Look into And Claim Other Business Directories as Well

While a Google My Business profile is tremendously helpful, it’s not the only business directory. If you want to cover all bases, it’s best to claim as many business directories as possible, especially the more popular ones like Yelp.

For almost 92% of local-intent search queries on Google, there’s a Yelp page in the top 5 results. These are the pages that get 80% of all click-throughs—you can’t afford not to be there, right?

If you’d like to learn more about how local SEO works, or need help with it for your business, reach out to us at Bluepig. We’re an SEO agency in San Francisco and can help you with our SEO services as well as other marketing solutions, including business listings.

Contact us today!