Local SEO Beats Big Brands |  Local Search Optimization

Local SEO Beats Big Brands | Local Search Optimization Most small businesses online want to be number one in search engine results. Of course, accomplishing the number one seat in search is never a bad thing, but when you peel away a few layers and truly think about what you want to accomplish online, number one in search should be less a goal than simply being the number one most chosen brand! And assuming that’s right, the question is obvious: how can a small business compete with deep pocketed large brands online and become the number one choice in their marketplace?

The answer is quality, local search engine optimization !

Don’t Think Too Broad, It Is A Matter Of Quality Over Quantity

Something we see repeatedly is ‘local brands’ thinking too broadly and not taking advantage of local SEO opportunities. Too many small brands will try and rank for terms they will never be able to compete for long term. It’s an unfortunate truth that big national brands have deep pockets and will always have the ability to outwork & outbid small brands for the most obvious or broad keywords. Surprising to some, search engines actually wish to rank locally relevant business results over the national brand when possible because in many circumstances it is the better result.

When a searcher is looking for services locally they, more often than not, are looking for the most local knowledge … and search engines understand this. And there are many tools and strategies that make it possible for the local business to succeed!

The Local SEO Fundamentals

  • Be sure all pages are keyword conscious and also locally geo- specific. Tend to title tags, meta descriptions, alt tags, headers in a very locally- conscious way. It’s going to be a huge asset when it comes to capturing local traffic, leads and conversions.  Local-focused content brings a personal touch, growing a familiar trust with customers and staving off the ( big brand ) competition. And it is what Google is looking for too.
  • Have all your Google My Business tools up to date, verified AND optimized!
  • Ensure that all your local citations, search and directory listings are accurate for location, contact, website link and hours of operation. It is a signal search engines seek and most competitors miss.
  • Seeking out and carefully  managing customer reviews is a huge local SEO advantage!
  • From there, to truly dominate, a local content strategy comes into play. Simply being found in search is not enough to get the phone to ring, appointments made, or products and services sold.
  • Create great local coverage and then push that content out through social networks where there’s more and more potential exposure. Plus, Google looks carefully based upon several potential signals for a popular social voice! 
  • These are the fundamentals of competitive local SEO. It’s tedious time- consuming work, but done right and your business will outpace 99% of the competition unwilling to make the same commitment.

Become A Local Expert

Local-specific pages and content have tremendous value. This is the area of your marketing where a personal touch goes a long way. Involve your customers by demonstrating an interest in what your customers know, like knowledge of a town or county. You are already a local expert, use that to your advantage. Using your blog, website pages, and most definitely social media is the way to get involved in your community, and your community involved in your business. Creating and sharing unifying, educational and insider content is local marketing gold.  Get personal with your customers and find a way to connect with them. Local-centric businesses tend to outperform and outlive other businesses in the long term because they are vested in locally conscious relationships.

The main barrier to achieving Local SEO goals for a small business is time. Business owners are pulled in a thousand directions per day and simply don’t have the time to sit down and develop a local seo strategy let alone execute one.  Kinetick Knowledge can help you reach your Local SEO potential. Contact Us today to get your Local SEO strategy started!