Local SEO- An Underutilized and Misunderstood Marketing Strategy

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - April 20, 2015 - PRLog -- In 2010, online searching shifted to include local content depending on the user’s location. It introduced Maps Marketing and significantly increased the need for Local SEO. However, many businesses do not use this type of SEO to their advantage because they do not include a local component to their online content and other information. Webmaster For Hire understands what it takes to make your business show up in locally optimized searches, and they use that knowledge to provide powerful marketing.

With the introduction of smartphones, people are searching on-the-go on a daily basis. In fact, 97% of consumers will search for local businesses from their cell phones. Technology has allowed them to search “near their location” for specific businesses and services, and 67% of cell phone users will utilize this technology. Businesses need to take advantage of this type of search so that they show at the top of the user’s search list. Using Local SEO can effectively get your business at the top of the “nearby” list.

In 2010, Google reported that 20% of all searches included a specific location, and this statistic has been increasing on a yearly basis. To be included in a local location search, Google will look at your physical address as marked on Google Maps. Of course, that assumes that your business is marked on Google Maps. If it is not, your business is being passed over on virtually every local search. Google will also look to see if your business has a Google Plus account and whether you have reviews on Google.

Local content on your website is also extremely important. Adding local content that specifically mentions names of local attractions will increase your chances of being picked up by a search engine when the consumer searches for that particular place. The more local connections that you have, the more likely your business will be listed toward the top of the local search results. The average consumer will not scroll through pages of search results; they will look through the first few results and choose a business option from among them.

Other things, like keeping your website updated, the size of the website, number of visitors, and the number of reviews that your business has, will also affect your search results. That means keeping your website attractive, updated, and relevant is extremely important to continue to get visitors.

Webmaster For Hire is a web design, web development, and internet marketing firm that serves a variety of businesses, both online and brick-and-mortar. They understand the huge effect that local marketing can have for your business. They will build or redesign your website so that it can get high enough on local search results to get noticed. Creating local content and making sure that your website has all the needed elements to show up in a local search, like backlinks and citations, are just some of their available specialty services. Having an experienced local marketing professional on your side can do wonders for your local business image.

For more information about Webmaster For Hire’s local marketing services, visit their website at www.webmasterforhire.us.