What is Local SEO?

SEO By Locally is an offshoot of SEO, the aim of which is to optimise a website so that it appears directly in local search results.

In parallel, work must be done to create content, on-page optimisation and specific targeted links with localised intent.

What is the difference between local SEO and simple SEO

The biggest difference between local SEO and organic SEO (or just SEO) is that the former has a local component. This means that local SEO depends on search engines searching for something (a product or service) in a specific geographical area.

Typically, local SEO and just SEO serve two different audiences. The former tries to provide results to the closest consumers, while the latter may simply respond to queries or provide results to queries around the world.

Thus, each type of SEO uses different tactics to achieve its goals.

Why Local SEO is Important and Who Needs It

Optimization for local search is important, especially for regular businesses serving specific cities, towns, regions and even states.

When done properly and with knowledge of how things work, local SEO helps users find information about a business easier and faster, making it easier to find and get a deal.

Local SEO marketing is essential:

• any business with a physical location that customers visit (bars, law offices and grocery shops);
• Businesses that serve a specific geographic area (delivery restaurants);
• Businesses that are outbound, "service businesses" (such as plumbers and locksmiths).

Benefits of local SEO marketing

Local search engine marketing plays a crucial role in attracting customers (and therefore generating more profit) because it favours small businesses. Access research has shown that 92% of consumers have spent less than 20 minutes to buy essentials. Search engines are aware of this and therefore apply a specific set of local SEO ranking factors to search queries that:

• contain a specific location, such as a city or postcode;
• include the phrase "near me";
• the ability to link to GPS information from smartphones.

Local SEO marketing is the process of convincing search engines that your business should appear in search results based on location.

The specifics of local search

Local search occurs when a person enters a query into Google with local intent. For example, "takeaway pizza near me", "takeaway pizza in Moscow" or simply "takeaway pizza" (if its geolocation is available to Google).

According to Google, 46% of searches have "local intent". Sounds convincing enough, doesn't it?

In fact, nowadays you don't even have to type "near me" or your location to do a local search.

But how is it possible that Google knows where I am and what to show me? Google uses GPS in order to track your location and produce more relevant search results specifically for you. Just scroll to the end of the search results on your mobile phone and it will tell you where it thinks you are.

In short, Google is smarter now than, say, ten years ago.

For these types of local search queries, search engines recognise and understand the user's queries, producing the right listings or business offers based on their location. This is what they offer on local search engine results pages (also known as SERPs).

This difference in behaviour and results is why local search engine optimisation is important, so it's worth investing in it alongside standard SEO for a website.

The results that emerge from these local queries are based on several key local ranking factors.

The principle of local search engine results

The abbreviation for SERP is "search engine results pages". Local SERPs are results that are generated after a query to perform a search with local intent.

Local search engine results will generate different results depending on the query. They may include Local Map Packs, localised organic results and even advanced results features (although these will be less common in local search).

Expanded results are features that appear in Google's search results pages, not just plain blue links. Expanded results can be: images, image carousels, videos, answer cards, app packs, "People are also asking" or top news stories.

Almost everything you see in the Local Pack is taken from the Google Business profile. Google Business Profile (GBP) has become an important part of Local SEO marketing, as Google tries to satisfy more search queries directly in search results.

So, it's safe to conclude that local SEO is a tactic that will increase sales by increasing your business' online visibility.